Unlike other vocabulary books, Vocabulary Plus K-8 gives good advice about teaching vocabulary and provides ways to teach specific words by presenting sound theory combined with workable teaching materials.

Grounded on the Nilsens' source-based approach, students and teachers are led through explorations of how, over the centuries, words have been enlarged and given additional meanings both through lexical extensions and metaphorical processes. Capitalizing on the basic concept of a source-based approach that words have “natural” connections to each other, the Nilsens provide ample applications to demonstrate how these words can be taught through what are variously called gestalts, webs, or ladders.

In addition to improving children's vocabularies, teachers have potential for improving cognitive skills by giving children experience in recognizing word relationships that even many adults are unaware of. They can also help to improve reading comprehension skills by helping students understand the process of language change so that children will have keys to unlock the meanings of words they have not met before.

The abundance of materials provide students with ample practice in using contextual clues, not so much to figure out a meaning as to exclude the meanings of a word that are inappropriate. Each chapter includes “Workshop” pages ready for photocopying, along with suggestions for many other activities that will engage students' interest long enough that their minds will have time to absorb the meanings. An answer key is provided for each of the exercises.

• Ready-to-photocopy “Workshop” pages in every chapter (except the Introductory chapter) are easy to use and serve as conversation topics and as a way to refocus students' attention after they have been engaged in the more free-flowing parts of each lesson.

• Photographs of student work and of students at work at the beginning of each chapter provide a quick glance at the possibilities for hands-on, multi-sensory activities.

• Background reading for the teacher in each chapter present an almost-painless introduction to morphology, the part of linguistics dealing with word formation, and provide teachers with background information and “extra” examples, giving them confidence both in the material and in their ability to present it through the “Workshops” for students.

• Open-ended end-of-chapter activities in every chapter (except the Introductory chapter) constitute the PLUS part of the text, by providing tested suggestions for activities that go far beyond the typical “memorization” of word meanings and include writing, speaking, and art activities.

• Suggestions for eliciting participation from students in each chapter help students internalize the meanings of new words and gain a sense of ownership over the material by exploring techniques other than rote memorization.

• Each chapter connects word study with the development of higher-order thinking skills, teaching students how to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words, both in real life and on the high-stakes tests given at the state level.

Chapters 2-12 include “Background Reading for the Teacher,” “Notes to Help Teachers Elicit Ideas from Students,” “Workshops to be Photo Copied for Students,” and “End-of-Chapter Activities.”

Preface.


1. Introduction.

Language Arts (Elementary)  [SUPPLEMENTS]   (Reading & Literacy)
Vocabulary Development  (Reading & Literacy)

Vocabulary Plus K-8: A Source-Based Approach, 1/e Alleen Pace Nilsen, Arizona State University and Don L. F. Nilsen, Arizona State University

Grounded on the Nilsens' source-based approach, students and teachers are led through explorations of how over the centuries words have been enlarged and given additional meanings both through lexical extensions and metaphorical processes. Capitalizing on the basic concept of a source-based approach that words have “natural” connections to each other, the Nilsen's provide ample applications to demonstrate how these words can be taught through what are variously called gestalts, webs, or ladders. The abundance of materials provide students with ample practice in using contextual clues, not so much to figure out a meaning as to exclude the meanings of a word that are inappropriate.

Features:

• Ready-to-photocopy workshop pages in every chapter are easy to use and serve as conversation topics and as a way to refocus students' attention after they have been engaged in the more free-flowing parts of each lesson.
• Photographs of student work and of students at work at the beginning of each chapter provide a quick glance at the possibilities for hands-on, multi-sensory activities.
• Background reading for the teacher in each chapter present an almost-painless introduction to morphology, the part of linguistics dealing with word formation, and provide teachers with background information and “extra” examples, giving them confidence both in the material and in their ability to present it through the Workshops for students.
• Open-ended End-of-chapter activities in every chapter constitute the PLUS part of the text, by providing tested suggestions for activities that go far beyond the typical “memorization” of word meanings and include writing, speaking, and art activities.
• Suggestions for eliciting participation from students in each chapter help students internalize the meanings of new words and gain a sense of owenership over the material by exploring techniques other than rote memorization.
• Connection of word study with the development of higher order thinking skills in each chapter facilitate the preparation of students in passing the vocabulary section of the high-stakes tests given at the state level by teaching the thinking skills that will enable students to figure out meanings of words they have not met before both on tests and in real life.

“Thank you for a terrific read.”
Professor Leif Fearn, San Diego State University

“Vocabulary Plus is interesting, engaging, and a logical way in which to teach vocabulary.”
Professor Mary Catherine Sableski, University of Dayton/Kettering City Schools

Author Bio

Alleen and Don Nilsen have a long history of working with words and their meanings. Their books include LANGUAGE PLAY and THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF 20th-CENTURY AMERICAN HUMOR, which was chosen as an “Outstanding Reference Source, 2001” by the American Library Association. At Arizona State University, Alleen is a professor of English Education and Don is a professor of linguistics. They draw on their respective areas of expertise in these two books which will breathe new life into the teaching of vocabulary.

Companion Website
Nilsen & Nilsen
©2004  |  Allyn & Bacon  |  On-line Supplement  |  Live
ISBN-10: 0205401767  |  ISBN-13: 9780205401765
This online resource is available at no cost at http://www.ablongman.com/nilsen1e.
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