Vocabulary

 What is vocabulary? Vocabulary refers to the words that we know. Vocabulary can be sorted into four categories :
 * listening vocabulary - words we recognize and understand in oral language
 * speaking vocabulary – words we use in our speech
 * reading – words we recognize and understand in written texts
 * writing vocabulary – words we use in our writing

What types of learning lead to vocabulary growth?
 * Direct vocabulary learning - Students learn vocabulary when teachers provide explicit instruction in specific words and word-learning strategies.
 * Indirect vocabulary learning – Students learn most words through incidental and multiple encounters.

What does it mean to know a word? Words are known to varying degrees:
 * unknown – no knowledge of the word’s meaning
 * acquainted – limited knowledge of the word’s meaning and little, if any, use of the word in speaking and writing
 * established – in-depth [|ARI]



Click the clip art below, read the article then go to the [|Tech Tools for Reading Blog] to answer this question... In the “[|Taking Computers Out of the Corner]” article the author talks about how one teacher used her computer for reading and language arts. What are some ideas that you have for using your classroom technology for reading and language arts and taking your computer “out of the corner”? To answer the question on the blog click where it says comments under question # 3.

PowerPoint Vocabulary
 * 1) Make a basic PowerPoint with background and transition
 * 2) Type in your vocabulary words
 * 3) This is a great activity for children to create
 * 4) [|Vocab Template.ppt]
 * 5) [|Board Games]

Vocabulary Tips and Tricks
 * 1) [|Simply Synonyms]: Have students right mouse click on an overused word and then click on a synonym
 * 2) [|Synonym Toast]
 * 3) [|Synonym Sam's Lab]
 * 4) [|Antonyms Synonyms and Homonyms Word Frog]
 * 5) [|http://www.thesaurus.com]
 * 6) [|http://www.dictionary.com]
 * 7) []
 * 8) Word tiles that move and make stories or poems. You can even add your own at this [|ReadWriteThink] interactive.
 * 9) Have a word that stumps the teacher, or a word in a different language from a website, then use [|VoyCabulary] to figure it out.
 * 10) See words like never before at [|Visual Dictionary,] the dictionary with a new point of view.
 * 11) Create an account, add your students and spelling words and track their scores at [|SpellBee.org]
 * 12) Simple vocabulary words to spell at [|Spill and Spell]
 * 13) Make an acrostic by using large and small fonts in Microsoft Word.
 * 14) Use the custom animation in PowerPoint to make action words move.
 * 15) Free Graphic Organizers [|Webspiration] [|Create a Graph] [|Gliffy]
 * 16) [|Alan Cooper's Homonym List]
 * 17) [|Make a homonym web] using graphic organizers [|Homonyms.bmp]
 * 18) Vocabulary Rings-why waste time. Use those empty minutes to practice vocabulary. Make a table in word and add vocabulary words. Print them out and laminate the tables. Have a parent cut them out and put them on a ring. Every time your students have a few free minutes let them take the rings out of their desks and practice their words with their neighbor.
 * 19) [|Voc_Ring2.jpg]
 * 20) [|vocabulary cards.doc]
 * 21) [|Pics4Learning]
 * 22) [|Wordle] - take vocabulary to a new level
 * 23) [[image:techtoolsforreading/bailie.png]]
 * 24)  [|Vocabulary Word Art]-Pick a vocabulary word for each student to illustrate. Either the teacher or the students find a picture on the Internet and save it on the computer in a picture folder. Open a blank Powerpoint and make one slide for each student. Each student will click insert, picture, word art and choose a style of word art.Type in your vocabulary word. Resize the word art to make it larger. On the word art tool bar click the paint brush and then click the drop down for color and choose fill effects. Choose picture, browse for your picture and click ok and again ok. When everyone has had a turn making a slide you can add background and transitions and view it as a slide show. You can also print it out for a bulletin board. Example [|Presentation1.gif]
 * 25) [|Pictures] You may save all you want from this site
 * 26) [|More Pictures] You may save all you want from this site
 * 27) [|Even More Pictures] **new site** You may save all you want from this site


 * Best of the Net for vocabulary, additional websites on ****Internet Resources**
 * 1) [|Puzzlemaker]
 * 2) [|Gamequariam Vocabulary Games]
 * 3) [|Jan Brett]
 * 4) [|Fake Out]
 * 5) [|Superkids Vocabulary Builder]
 * 6) [|Wacky Web Tales]
 * 7) [|Between the Lions Vocabulary Game]
 * 8) [|Interactive Games with Vocabulary]