Using Visual Association Skills to Learn Word Meaning & Deconstructing Verbs to Infer Character Emotions

Using Visual Association Skills to Learn Word Meanings & Deconstructing Verbs to Infer Character EmotionsBeth Lawrence, MA, CCC-SLPDeena Seifert, MS, CCC-SLPCommunicationAPPtitude.com

InferCabularyWordQuationsDISCLOSURE STATEMENT

We are Beth Lawrence and Deena Seifert, speech-language pathologists and co-founders of Communication APPtitude LLC, which has, thus far, created two iPad vocabulary apps, InferCabulary and WordQuations. We have not yet financially benefitted from the sales of these apps, but plan to do so. The concepts presented in todays course are concepts on which the apps were developed. We have no non-financial relationships to disclose.

Deena reads disclosure and we introduce ourselves.2

You may think this is a strange slide to have here, but you will understand when we get to WordQuations.3Vocabulary DefinedIn everyday language, vocabulary is the knowledge of words and word meanings.

In the education setting, vocabulary is the knowledge of the kinds of words that students must know to read increasingly demanding text with comprehension (Kamil & Hiebert, 2005)DEENA Vocabulary--is generically defined as the knowledge of words and word meanings.

More specifically, when we talk about vocabulary in the context of school and education, we are talking about words that students must understand in order to successfully understand increasingly complex text.4Vocabulary and ComprehensionVocabulary is the glue that holds stories, ideas and content togethermaking comprehension accessible for children.

(Rupley, Logan & Nichols 1999)

DEENA Without vocabularya broad and deep understanding of the words of our language--students have difficulty comprehending and engaging in classroom discussion on a deep level.5When do students KNOW a word?The ability to use a word in speaking or writing demonstrates true ownership of the word.

(Moats, 2009, p. 7) DEENA Louisa Moats big name in vocabulary research.6Vocabulary ResearchBETH7What We KnowDEENA: The last several decades have significantly increased our understanding of reading comprehension. Through many important research studies, we have learned the necessity of phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, and rapid naming skills. We know vocabulary is important. 8What we learned at 2012 International Dyslexia Association:

RESEARCHBETH: Last years IDA conference had many presentations on the importance of vocabulary. This is an area that has not been studied as broadly, partly due to the complex nature of studying vocabulary, Fortunately, this area of research is on the rise, and we are starting to catch on to the necessity of vocabulary instruction.9The National Reading Panel (NICHD, 2000) Identified vocabulary as one of five major components of reading

Its importance to overall school success, and more specifically to reading comprehension, is widely documented (Baker, Simmons, & Kameenui, 1998; Anderson & Nagy, 1991)

BETH: The National Reading Panel indicated 5 major areas of reading that require direct instruction, including vocabulary. In their important document, published in 2000, they reference many important research findings in the areas of vocabulary acquisition and vocabulary instruction including the significant impact vocabulary knowledge plays in reading comprehension. 10Early Vocabulary StrugglesChildren with restricted vocabulary by Grade 3 have declining comprehension scores in later elementary years. (Chall, Jacobs, & Baldwin, 1990)

By Grade 4, many children experience a slump in reading comprehension caused by below grade level vocabularies. (Becker, 1977; Chall, Jacobs & Baldwin, 1990; Chall & Jacobs, 2003)DEENA:11Matthew EffectChildren learn most new vocabulary through wide reading.Children with reading problems/less access or interest in reading read less than proficient readers.Children with reading problems read less challenging texts than proficient readers.

BETH: point by point12Matthew EffectThe result is that children with reading problems read even less and choose simpler materials.The more words a child knows, the more complex text that child will be able to read.The more complex texts a child can read, the more words they will learn.The reverse is also true. Thus, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

BETH: point by point13ComprehensionAdequate reading comprehension depends on a person already knowing 9095% of the words in a text. (Nagy & Scott, 2000)

DEENA: More proof that words are really, really important!14What are Common Core StandardsThe Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers.DEENA15Common Core Standards InitiativeCCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.4: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.CCSS-ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.6: Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression.DEENA: Based on this research and what we have known for years, schools are getting on board for the skills we know are appropriate for academic and career use.16Common Core Standards InitiativeCCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.4: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.CCSS-ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.6: Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression.DEENA: Based on this research and what we have known for years, schools are getting on board for the skills we know are appropriate for academic and career use.17Common Core Standards InitiativeCCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.6.5c: Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., stingy, scrimping, economical, unwasteful, thrifty).DEENA: Based on this research and what we have known for years, schools are getting on board for the skills we know are appropriate for academic and career use.18Common Core Standards InitiativeThey must also be able to determine or clarify the meaning of grade appropriate words encountered through listening, reading, and media use; come to appreciate that words have nonliteral meanings, shadings of meaning, and relationships to other words; and expand their vocabulary in the course of studying content.DEENA:19Gold Standard Vocabulary Instruction

BETH20BETH: Most of the vocabulary researchers recommend not using dictionary definitions. The language chosen to define words has historically been chosen to save space in bound texts, it is not chosen for ease of understanding. When we do have students use dictionaries, we like Cobuild which explains word meanings rather than defining them in the traditional sense. Just knowing the meaning of a word does not mean a student knows it.Stahl, Anderson, Beck, et al recommend direct, explicit instruction of words, where students are actively engaged in learning word meanings. Students should learn how the new words relate to other new words and to words already in their lexicons. 21We cannot just teach students to use context clues, because:Students may presume the wrong meaning.There is often not enough information in the text to allow students to adequately infer meaning.The passage may be too general.They may miss alternate contexts and believe they know the word.

From Bringing Words to Life, Beck & McKeown

BETH:22National Reading Technical Assistance Center Research Synthesis 2010Vocabulary Knowledge: Know the definition and how it functions in different contexts. (Stahl and Kapinus 2001) Long-term vocabulary development: reading extensively is important. (Cunningham 2005)Computer technology can be used effectively to help teach vocabulary.

BETH: For example, know that Prominent means to stand out, but not just as a building standing out from the landscape, but a person In society, a prominent body feature, etc. and this is where our techniques come in handy! There is no substitute for reading broadly, however, so many of our students are not doing this. As we encourage them to read, what else can be done to foster this understanding of words in contexts? Again, our techniques help with that. Technology? Again, InferCabulary and WordQuation methods utilize technology.23Depth of Word Knowledge

DEENA24Which Vocabulary to Teach?isotope, lathe, peninsula, refinerycoincidence, absurd, industriousclock, baby, ball, happy, runDEENA teachers teach tier 3 words that are necessary for science, social studies, etc. SLPs focus on tier 2 words that are necessary for life = understanding passages they read, understanding conversations and being successful academically and in life. These are Words that appear frequently and in a wide variety of texts and in written and oral language of mature language users (Bringing Words to Life) If you dont know isotope that will affect your level of understanding in a science lesson. But tier 2 words are necessary for students to navigate through life.25Example from ParagraphOrganizersVocabulary ContinuumDEENA here is how we handle vocabulary with many of our students to help them understand how vocabulary words relate to each other.28Vocabulary ContinuummorosedepressedsadhappyoverjoyedecstaticDEENA so we put them on a continuum to help them see the bigger picture of how words relate to each other.29

DEENA or we might use organizers like Inspiration to show the hierarchy of words.30Using Visual Association Skills to Learn Word Meanings

BETH31Visuals to Support VocabularyIts still not enoughMore vocabulary cards coming home from various schools with a drawing or picture of some sortfotosearch.com, photospin.com or dreamstime.com to support comprehensionCase Study

This dyslexic student has: 119 Performance Quotient/86 Verbal Quotient:Words from literatureHer antonym after reading definition

prominentpoorreluctantoutgoingprocurewantobstinateniceintriguedignoringBETH33The next week I presented these pagesBETH34Prominent

BETH35Reluctant

36Procure

Obstinate

Oblivious

Clutch

We devised InferCabulary as a method to avoid using language (the students primary weakness) as the initial method to teach vocabulary meaning for nouns and adjectives.

InferCabulary Method for nouns and adjectivesBETH41With InferCabulary, students are exposed to one PowerPoint page containing five or six images that represent the meaning of each vocabulary term in a variety of contexts, exposing students to multiple contexts at once. InferCabularyBETH42Reluctant

Should I answer the question or just be quiet?I know this medicine will make me better, but it makes me sick.I dont want to go to the vet!I dont want to get up yet.I dont want to knowwhat it says! For example, the word, Reluctant is presented, not with a language-dense definition, but with pictures such as a nervous woman, a hesitant cancer patient, a dieter, a sleepy woman and a nervous puppy. Students use visual inference and self-talk to infer the common thread, then, with adult guidance, students generate their own student-friendly definitions. Because students use visual skills and reasoning, and are exposed to multiple contextual uses for the word prior to language being used to define vocabulary, we believe they build a stronger, broader understanding of these words. My student created captions for each of the pictures.

43ReluctantSynonymsAntonymsunwilling

enthusiastic hesitant willing

afraidbrave

averseeager

waryready

cautiousconfident

reticent brave

BETH: She was able to come up with a a list of synonyms, and then antonyms for each of the synonyms. Now she has a broader, deeper understanding of the word. 44 1. Have your student apply a self-rating to their vocabulary words.

2. Use the words that were rated #1 and #2.

Using the InferCabulary Method for nouns and adjectivesBETH: Self-rating scales have been proven to be a powerful tool for engaging students in the process.45Go to a photo site (such as photospin.com, dreamstime.com, etc.), type in the word and see what images are available.

Using the InferCabulary Method (continued)Look up synonyms for the word in thesaurus.Go back to the photo site for additional contexts.Download images or have the student draw them on a template.BETH : We want to walk you through the InferCabulary process (Deena with computer on dreamstime) 46

InferCabularyMethod for nouns and adjectives

Example of co-build; go online to show how to use 48

A car that wont startA brother listening to his little brother throw a fitA business man who dropped all his papersA feeling of extreme frustration or irritationA student who has a mountain of homeworkA man whose computer has crashedexasperatedInferCabularyMethod for nouns and adjectives

The soldier is out of sight.Something that is hiddenConcealedInferCabularyMethod for nouns and adjectives

The eggs are hidden in the grass.The magician hid the cards.The hoodie keeps her identity a secret.The money is hidden away.

Create Definition Card

Definition:Synonyms:Antonyms:Category:

Associated with:I have:Create Definition Card

Definition:When you clutch something, you hold it tightSynonyms:Hold, grasp, grip, seize, snatch, embrace, cling toAntonyms:Release, ease

Category:

Action wordHolding Associated with:Extreme emotion: anxiety, fear, pain, happiness, love, excitementI have:I clutched my purse when I was walking downtown because I was worried I might get robbed.

InferCabulary on iPadDeconstructing VerbsCase Study: CharlieBright middle school student with scattered comprehension

Difficulty visualizing due to shallow understanding of verbsTalk about neuropsych report. Using word plod I asked him to demonstrate what he was picturing. Another sentence she glanced and he didnt understand that either.56Examples of glance from Number the Stars by Lois LowryHer mother shook her head quickly, and glanced at the open window covered only by the sheer curtain. Annemarie understood. Another man arrived: an old man, bearded. Quietly he went to the living room and sat down, saying nothing to the others, who only glanced at him.

Annemarie did instantly as she was told. The basket. The packet, at the bottom. She covered it with a napkin. Then some wrapped cheese. An apple. She glanced around the kitchen saw some bread and added that. The basket was full.

Break down the synonym into an equation:glance=look+fastshort++no timenervous+Base word + speed + degree + emotion/motive (+quality)curious

shycasualWordQuations Method for VerbsBeth will act out the synonym58WordQuations Method for Verbsplod=walk+slowheavy++exhausted+feet draggingBase word + speed + heaviness + emotion/motive + qualityBeth will act out the synonym59+WalkSlow

+BASE WORD+ FEATURE+ FEATURE+ EMOTION= SYNONYMShuffling feet+=BoredPlod+WalkSlow

+BASE WORD+ FEATURE+ FEATURE+ EMOTION= SYNONYMShuffling feet+ExhaustedPlod=

WordQuations Method for Verbsslink=walk+slowlight++Picking up feet+secretiveBase word + speed + heaviness + emotion/motive + qualityBeth will act out the synonym61+WalkSlow

+BASE WORD+ FEATURE+ FEATURE+ EMOTION= SYNONYMPicking feet up+=Secretive+WalkSlow

+BASE WORD+ FEATURE+ FEATURE+ EMOTION= SYNONYM+=

SlinkSkulkPicking feet up

Searching/Hunting

Slink featuring Ian Antal & Sarah Chin

Practice

WordQuations

meanderyelpscangaze

WordQuations

meanderyelpgazescanwalktalklookreadfastslowfastLooking for somethinglightheavylonglightslowAdmirationwonderenjoysloveadmirepredatoryassess

surprisePainoutragerelaxedloud explorehurriedcuriousWordQuations

Meander featuring Ian Antal & Sarah ChiniPad

Stop by our table in the Exhibit Hall #1546Email: CommunicationAPPtitude@gmail.comBlog: CommunicationAPPtitude.com

Beth Lawrence, MA, CCC-SLP &Deena Seifert, MS, CCC-SLP

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I Know It WellI Know It But Cant Say What It MeansIve Heard or Seen it, but Not Sure What it MeansI ve Never Heard or Seen it Before

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WordQuations

Base Word Speed Quality Motive Emotion =Synonym

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WordQuations

Base WordSpeedQualityMotiveEmotion

WalkSlowFastGentlyPowerfully

To surpriseTo comfortTo sneakTo find

SadHappyScaredTiredSneakyTo comfort

TalkSlowFastSoftloudTo informTo revealTo be understoodTo speak outadd to conversationTo cut offTo clarifyTo criticizeCluelessNervousSurprisedConfusedPainBossy

LookSlowFastShortLongTo learn factsTo search forTo findLack of timeShockedCuriousLoveAngerPredatoryAdmiringWondering

ReadSlowFastLightDeep SearchingTo learnTo studyTo understand

AbsentmindedHurriedInterestedRushed

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