Roadtrip Through My Reading Endorsement

One of the things I've been thinking alot about this summer is my vocabulary instruction.   I want to change it up a bit OK, a lot, and make sure I've put into place as many opportunities as I can for my kiddos to really integrate and retain new vocabulary.  I also want it to be fun!  I recently completed my Reading Endorsement and while I was taking classes I gathered and was given some really great resources, ideas, and videos.  So, I thought I would do a little "road trip through my reading endorsement" and share!

One of the resources I found and really loved was the work of Dr. Anita Archer and her active participation strategies.  (She was a new discovery for me, although I think her work has been around for quite a while!)  To keep students engaged, she uses a combination of choral, partner, and individual responses during vocabulary instruction.    She has a really fun and motivating way of using explicit, step-by-step instruction with clear directions and explanations of the concept.  

(I'm really trying to get better about over talking some things!)

This is a video of  a Kindergarten class, but I began using these same strategies with my second graders when introducing new vocabulary in reading and in math, and saw a huge difference in their retention, understanding, and use of these words during the day.  Plus, they really loved the back and forth interaction and the whole body movement.  We called it "ping pong".  Nothing new or fabulous about that, but my kids love anything we give a name to!  I swear, if you name it they will do it!  And like it!

I used these routines  along with animated Powerpoints of my target vocabulary so

 the kids would have a visual of the word, definition, and  pictures representing the word. My kids get so tickled when the words bounce into the frame and it gives me a reference to point to.  And.... don't have to make any anchor charts!

We're all trying to work smarter not harder, right?

Click {Anita Archer Strategic Literacy Videos} to see some lessons with more primary

and middle school grade levels.

Well, it's back to procrastinating about packing for me!  We're moving in a couple of weeks and I have got to get on top of it!!

I hope you're all having a *restful* summer!