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Vocabulary Games for the Classroom
Robert J. Marzano
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Lindsay Carleton
The following tips from this book are designed to assist you in applying the latest research in tangible ways in your classroom, your school or your district. Below each tip, you will find the book excerpt on which the tip is based. Click on the book title above to learn more about this resource.
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Direct vocabulary instruction is fundamental to effective teaching.
Direct vocabulary instruction is fundamental to effective teaching. Our knowledge about and understanding of any topic is rooted in our mastery of the terms relevant to that topic. To some degree, this is common sense. Consider social studies students learning about the U.S. government. Certainly they must have a firm grasp on terms such as executive, legislative, judicial, presidency, bill, amendment, and vote (among others) in order to demonstrate proficiency for learning goals on this topic. In other words, there is a direct link between an understanding of academic vocabulary and an understanding of academic content
Carleton, L., & Marzano, R. J. (2010). Vocabulary Games for the Classroom
(p. 1). Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory.
Data collected as far back as 1941 indicate there is roughly a 6,000-word gap between students at the 25th and 50th percentiles on standardized test in grades 4-12.
What is also clear is that there is a vast difference in the vocabularies of low-versus high-achieving students. Data collected as far back as 1941 indicate there is roughly a 6,000-word gap between students at the 25th and 50th percentiles on standardized test in grades 4-12. Since the 1980’s, researchers have estimated the difference to be anywhere between 4,500 and 5,400 words for lower-versus high-achieving students (for a discussion, see Marzano, 2009). This means we can take the commonsense connection between vocabulary and content one step further and conclude tha the size of a student’s vocabulary is directly related to his or her academic achievement.
Carleton, L., & Marzano, R. J. (2010). Vocabulary Games for the Classroom (p. 1). Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory.
A process for teaching new terms in six steps
Dr. Marzano’s rationale is a comprehensive schoolwide or districtwide approach to the direct instruction in academic terms as well as terms necessary for general literacy. This recommendation can be attempted by using the following six steps:
1. Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term.
2. Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words.
3. Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term.
4. Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of terms in their notebooks.
5. Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another.
6. Involve students periodically in games that allow them to play with terms. (Marzano & Pickering, 2005, pp. 14-15)
Carleton, L., & Marzano, R. J. (2010). Vocabulary Games for the Classroom (p. 1). Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory.
Vocabulary games should be seen as one part of a systematic approach to direct vocabulary instruction.
Vocabulary games should be seen as one part of a systematic approach to direct vocabulary instruction. As the steps in the preceding tip indicate, the teacher should introduce new terms to students in an informal manner via descriptions, explanations, or examples (step1). Next, Students should restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words (step 2) and construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representation of the term (step 3). Ideally, the results of steps 2 and 3 are recorded in a vocabulary notebook.
Carleton, L., & Marzano, R. J. (2010). Vocabulary Games for the Classroom (p. 2).Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory.
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