Vocabulary Ideas - "Anything Goes" and "Brain Power Words"

Anything Goes (Richek & McTague, 2008)

 

·         This is used as a quick review of words that moves students from hesitation to rapid use.

·          Teacher presents students with a list of words (board, overhead or word wall).

·          Teacher or student points to a word and asks:

i. What part of speech is _______?

ii. What is the definition of _______?

iii. Give another form of _______.

iv. Spell (a derivative or inflected form of) _______.

v. Use _______ in a sentence.

vi. Use _______ and _______ in a sentence.

vii. What do _______ and _______ have in common?

viii. Find two words that have to do with _______.

ix. Find a (the) root (or prefix, suffix) in _______.

 

 

  Brain Power Words (Richek & McTague, 2008)

 

·          Ask small groups of students to preview sections of a text and identify difficult words.

·          For long chapters, assign different sections to different groups.

·          Students place a Post-it next to the words in the text they identify as potentially difficult.

·          After identifying the words, the group goes back and uses context clues to hypothesize what the words  might mean.

 

i. Clues of substitution: A known word would make sense in the context and is probably a good

   definition.

ii. Clues of definition: The word is defined in the text (many textbooks do this).

iii. Clues of opposition: Words “not, unlike” etc. are excellent clues to what a word is not and thus

    help define the words.

·          After Brain Power Words list is identified and definitions sought, the students check their work with the teacher.