Teaching English

In the Elementary Grades

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 MODULE 11 & 12
Developing Vocabulary and Spelling Skills

Introduction
Limited vocabulary knowledge can negatively impact the development of a student's reading
comprehension skills. There is a strong relationship between vocabulary knowledge and reading
comprehension; students need to understand the meaning of critical words they will be reading to
promote comprehension.

Objectives
At the end of this module the students would be able to
a. use a story as a springboard in grammar lesson
b. write a grammar lesson plan

Pre-Test

Discussion

Vocabulary plays a fundamental role in the reading process, and contributes greatly to a
reader's comprehension. A reader cannot understand a text without knowing what most of the words
mean. Students learn the meanings of most words indirectly, through everyday experiences with oral
and written language.

Vocabulary is an important focus of literacy teaching and refers to the knowledge or words, including
their structure (morphology), use (grammar), meanings (semantics), and links to other words
(word/semantic relationships).

1. Read Voraciously

It’s undeniable that reading is the most effective way to get new vocabulary. When you read,
you see words being used in context — and that’s what makes it much more effective than,
for example, merely memorizing word lists.
With context information surrounding each new word, there’s a good chance you can guess
its meaning just by understanding the overall text. Finding out the meaning of words in such
a way is the natural way of learning language – and reading provides the best opportunity to
get exposed to this natural way of learning.

2. Make Friends with the Dictionary

A dictionary is the first indispensible resource to improve your vocabulary. It’s only by looking
up a word in a dictionary that you will learn its precise meaning, spelling, alternate definitions,
and find much more useful information about it. A thesaurus is also a valuable resource for
learning by finding connections between words, such as their synonyms and antonyms.

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Consider adding a good dictionary and thesaurus to your bookshelf. Here are some
recommendations:

 Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary;

 The New Oxford American Dictionary;
 The Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus.
For online dictionaries, there are many free options with great extra features. Even if you
have a good dictionary in print already, you can’t miss having a good online dictionary at
your disposal:

 OneLook: Has a reverse lookup function (get the word from its definition) and works as a
“meta-dictionary”, showing you definitions from other major online dictionaries. I
recommend you try OneLook and explore its results to decide which dictionary you prefer;
 Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary: An old-time favorite of mine, although the blinking ads
are getting a bit annoying lately;
 Ninjawords: It searches the free dictionary Wiktionary. What makes this site interesting is that
you can look up multiple words simultaneously. Moreover, the results pages can be
bookmarked – making them good personal reference pages;
 Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus: If you’re a fan of mind mapping, you will certainly enjoy viewing
related words represented in a visual map format;
 Answers.com, Dictionary.com, The Free Dictionary and many others: All of them are good
resources – try each one at least once to help you make up your mind.
3. Use It or Lose It

Don’t settle after you learn a new word by reading it or looking it up in the dictionary: these
are good starts, but it’s by using the new words that you truly commit them to your long-
term memory.
Be creative and try to use your newly learned words in as many ways as possible:

 Write them down;

 Say them aloud;
 Create sentences with them, mentally or in writing;
 Try to use them in a conversation;
 Discuss them with friends.
It’s also important to be aware of your own language style: every time you catch yourself
saying common or nonspecific words such as “nice”, try coming up with richer and more
precise expressions instead.
4. Learn One New Word a Day

If you learn just one new word every day, you’ll soon notice they add up pretty quickly. I like
to think of it as the “kaizen way of growing your vocabulary" and what makes this strategy
stand out is that it can be used by anyone, no matter how busy one’s schedule is. In the
same way I grow my collection of favorite quotes in baby steps by receiving a new famous
quote every day, I also learned to enjoy growing my vocabulary by committing myself to
learning at least one new word each day.
There are many websites that provide free word-of-the-day services, delivering them in
many formats – such as e-mail, RSS feeds, podcasts and even text messages sent to your cell
phone. Here are my favorites:

 Merriam-Webster’s Online Word of the Day: This is the website that delivers the most useful
words of all. It’s also the most feature-rich: it provides audio explanation, pronunciation and
word history. The service is available by e-mail, RSS feed, podcast, and SMS;

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  WordSmart Wordcast: Provides difficulty level, comprehensive details and audio
pronunciation for the word. Just like Merriam-Webster’s Online, it’s available by e-mail, RSS
feed, podcast and SMS;
 Dictionary Word of the Day: Another fine service, not as complete as Merriam-Webster’s or
WordSmart, but still worth checking out.
5. Understand the True Meaning of Words

Instead of just memorizing words, try to really understand them by looking at

their etymology, word roots, prefixes and suffixes. At least half of English words are derived
from Greek and Latin roots, so there are enormous benefits in being familiar with them.
Just to pick an example, when you understand that the prefix “ortho” means straight or right,
you start to find connections between seemingly unrelated words, such as orthodontist (a
specialist who straightens teeth) and orthography (the correct, or straight way of writing).
Understanding the logic behind words always pays off in terms of learning and recalling.
Consider the examples: “breakfast” meaning “interrupt the night’s fast”; or “rainbow” meaning
“bow or arcg caused by rain”: while these meanings may be trivial to native English speakers,
having such insights about words, foreign or otherwise, never fails to delight me.

6. Maintain a Personal Lexicon

By keeping a personalized list of learned words, you’ll have a handy reference you can use
to review these words later. It’s very likely you’ll want to go back and refresh your memory
on recent words, so keeping them in your own list is much more efficient than going back to
the dictionary every time.

Even if you never refer back to your lexicon again, writing words down at least once will greatly
enhance your ability to commit them to your permanent memory. Another excellent learning
aid is to write an original sentence containing the word — and using your lexicon to do that
is a great way of enforcing this habit. You can also add many other details as you see fit, such
as the date you first came across the word or maybe a sequential number to help you reach
some word quota you define.

7. Follow a Process

To make vocabulary improvement a permanent habit in your everyday life, you should make
it as habitual, automatic and tightly integrated in your daily workflow as possible – otherwise
you won’t do it when your days get too busy.

If you already adopt some kind of structured workflow for your life – such as David
Allen’s Getting Things Done – you’re probably familiar with the idea of organizing all input
that comes to your life in “buckets”: virtual inboxes that get processed in a similar way to your
e-mail inbox.
In that regard, one particularly useful concept is the one of maintaining a “Word Inbox”. By
having a predefined place you use to capture the words you come across, you can process
them much more efficiently. For example, my word inboxes, which I try to empty once a day,
consist of my word-of-the-day feed and of notes on my PDA – which I use to capture any new
words I discover during the day.
Your process can be as simple as you wish – the key is to define it beforehand and then follow
it. By knowing exactly how and how often to process your inbox, you stay on top of your

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vocabulary improvement process, even when there are other pressing matters crying out for
your attention.

8. Play and Have Fun

Playing games and engaging in group activities are useful in any kind of learning, but
particularly effective for language-related learning. Gather your family and friends and play
word games together. Some interesting options are Quiddler, as well as the
classics Scrabble and Boggle.
Consider the following recommendations:

 Merriam Webster’s Daily Word Game;

 Merriam Webster’s Daily Crossword;
 Word Games on Yahoo! Games.
9. Leverage Every Resource You Can

The Internet is a gold mine of resources for vocabulary building. The links I collected here
are just my personal recommendations and don’t even scratch the surface of what’s
available online.

There are plenty of vocabulary applications you can try. There are many vocabulary-related
books you can explore. There is a wealth of free literature on sites such as Project Gutenberg.
If you use the Firefox browser, there are many ways to integrate dictionary lookup functions,
such as the plug-ins Answers.com and DictionarySearch. You can find specialized vocabulary
lists, such as these feeling words or descriptive words. Damn, you can even learn some classy,
Shakespearian insults! �
The point is that you’re only limited by your willingness to learn: let curiosity be your guide
and you will never run out of resources to learn from.

10. Diversify

Do something different from your daily routine: hunting, fishing or blogging – any activity
that is not a part of your normal life can become a great way to learn new words, as every
niche has its own jargon and unique ways of communicating. Read different books and
magazines than the ones you’re used to. Watch foreign-language movies. Take up new
hobbies, hang out with different people.

Which language has the smallest vocabulary?

That metaphorical process is at the heart of Toki Pona, the world's smallest language. While
the Oxford English Dictionary contains a quarter of a million entries, and even Koko the gorilla
communicates with over 1,000 gestures in American Sign Language, the total vocabulary
of Toki Pona is a mere 123 words

Which is the richest language in the world?

Swedish
“Swedish is the world's richest language, in fact it's infinite – and it's all thanks to
compounding. “This is where you plug any old words together to make a new one, like
'dishwasher' in English. We thrive on this in Swedish, and even words invented on the spot
are completely legitimate.

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 7 reading strategies you can use to improve your comprehension skills
1. Improve your vocabulary.
2. Come up with questions about the text you are reading.
3. Use context clues.
4. Look for the main idea.
5. Write a summary of what you read.
6. Break up the reading into smaller sections.
7. Pace yourself.

8 FUN SPELLING ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS (AND HOW THEY HELP BUILD SPELLING
SKILLS)
1. PLAY THE SPELLING MEMORY GAME:
First, create flashcards that have one word per card. You can use your child’s spelling list, or create your own.
Have your child pick a card, read the word aloud, and say each of the letters in the word. Then, have him or
her place the card face down and write the word on a piece of paper.
This activity encourages: memory recall and spelling aloud.

2. SOUND IT OUT:
Say a word out loud to your child, have him or her repeat it back to you, and then write out what he or she
heard. For younger children, try to stick to words that are spelt as they are heard. For older children, include
more complex words that are a bit more difficult to spell.
This activity encourages: identifying phonetic patterns in words and spelling words using these
patterns.

3. CREATE A PUZZLE:
Write a word on paper and cut the letters into individual pieces (refrigerator magnets work great, too). Mix up
the letters and have your child spell out the word by putting the letters in the correct order.
This activity encourages: logic skills to determine the spelling of a word.

4. TRY RAINBOW WRITING:

Have your child spell words by using a different color pen, pencil, or crayon for each letter. Then have your
child spell the same words using a different color for each word.
This activity encourages: learning how letters work together to form complete words.

5. TRACE, WRITE, AND REMEMBER:

Create three columns on a sheet of paper. Label one column ‘trace’, one ‘copy’, and one ‘remember’. Using
your child’s spelling list or one you’ve created, write a list of words in the first column. Have your child trace
the letters you have written, then copy them in the next column. Lastly, cover the first two columns with a
sheet of paper and have your child write the word in the third column from memory.
This activity encourages: word identification and spelling memory.

6. TRY STAIRCASE SPELLING:

Have your child practice writing words in a staircase pattern. Start with the first letter of the word on one
line, add one more letter on the next line, and continue until the word is complete.
For example:
W
Wr
Wri
Writ
Write
This activity encourages: understanding spelling logic, especially for more complex words or
words with more than two syllables.

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 7. CREATE WORD SWATTERS:
Create a ‘word swatter’ for your child using a fly swatter or kitchen spatula. Working from a list of words, have
your child look through books, magazines, and other print materials and ‘swat’ the words using the word
swatter when he or she spots them. Keep track of the words your child has found by crossing them off as they
are found.
This activity encourages: active reading, word identification, and spelling memory.

8. FILL IN THE MISSING LETTERS:

Create a list of words on a piece of paper with blanks replacing some of the letters. Have your child work
through the words, filling in letters to complete them. If your child needs help identifying the word, try
drawing a simple picture next to the word, or include a ‘word bank’ at the bottom of the page.
This activity encourages: spelling logic and word identification.

Specific learning difficulties

Dyslexia
There are several types of dyslexia but the most common causes spelling difficulties rooted in a lack
of phonological awareness. Luckily, there are strategies that can help dyslexic adults learn how to
spell.
Dyspraxia
As opposed to dyslexia, dyspraxia is more related to planning and fine motor skills interruption.
However, it can cause problems when it comes to writing words out by hand. Without ample practice
writing, an individual may develop poor spelling skills. That’s why learning how to type is an excellent
solution for dyspraxic individuals who are looking to improve their skills.
Dysgraphia
Handwriting difficulties may be a result of dysgraphia, a condition that makes it difficult and sometimes
even painful to write by hand. An individual who has avoided writing for most of his or her life is likely
to have underdeveloped spelling skills.
ADD/ADHD
Individuals with ADD may find it difficult to focus and adults with ADHD can have trouble sitting still.
Both conditions make it hard to concentrate during writing activities, particularly when it comes to
learning spelling rules. Tactile learning via touch-typing can be a solution in these cases.

Spelling tips
Know the rules. They aren’t consistent and there are plenty of exceptions, but it’s still worth learning
some spelling rules in English. When you learn a rule, be sure to review a set of common examples
that demonstrate it, as well as words that break the rule. You may decide to pick up a page of
English text and underline all of the words that conform to the rule. When you’re done, look for the
exceptions, as you are sure to find a few!

Study Dolch Words. Also called Sight Words, these are among the most frequent words in English and
account for up to 50% of most texts. They include prepositions, verbs, adjectives, articles and adverbs
and overlearning them will allow you to spend more time learning the spelling of harder, less frequent
vocabulary.

1. Recognize prefixes and suffixes. When one or two letters appear at the start of a word and change the
meaning in a consistent way, it is called a prefix. For example, re- means to do something again,
such as review, regenerate, reiterate. A suffix added to the end of a word functions in a similar way.
For example, we use –s or –es to make a noun plural. English is full of common suffixes and
prefixes that you can learn. Familiarizing yourself with them will help you to see the various parts of
a
2. word and improve your spelling.

3. Read as often as you can. Every language has common combinations of consonants and
vowels. The more you read, the more you will be exposed to them and the more familiar
they will become. It’s easier to learn the spelling of a word that you already recognize.

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 4. Look for patterns. The human brain is very good at spotting patterns. If you present it
with examples of words that contain a similar letter combination, you can learn English
spelling rules indirectly. Try taking a highlighter and underlining words with the same
or similar spelling across a newspaper page. Next, see if you can write out a rule that
describes what you see. Acquiring rules in this way makes them easier to remember,
thanks to the extra cognitive energy you expend figuring them out on your own.

5. Use mnemonics. Hard to spell words can sometimes lend themselves to visual or
auditory cues that create a more robust memory. For example, the
word Wednesday can be tricky to spell because the d is silent. To help you spell it
correctly, you might picture a bride and think that she is to be wed on Wednesday.
6. Spell out loud. Sometimes spelling a word aloud can make it easier for people with learning
difficulties who struggle to put letters down on paper. Create a list of words that you want to
learn and practice spelling them while you are in the shower or on your way to work. Speaking
them and hearing yourself say each letter will create auditory memories that are especially
helpful for individuals who are not visual learners.

7. Research the origin of words. English is a Germanic language but it has adopted vocabulary from
various other languages that it came into contact with over the years. For example, it contains
plenty of words of French origin thanks to the Normans having ruled England for a few hundred
years. When you research where a word comes from, you may see similar spelling patterns
for other words with the same origin, such as Greek words, which tend to be found in science
related vocabulary.

8. Take a multi-sensory approach. When you learn the spelling of a word and encode it physically,
as is the case in handwriting or touch-typing, you are adding muscle memory to the process.
The more you generate a word, the more likely it is that you automatize its spelling.

Phonetic spelling requires solid phonemic awareness, or the knowledge of sound-letter associations.
It also requires phonological awareness, or an awareness of the sounds in words. A child must be
able to segment a word into its sound parts in order to employ phonetic spelling successfully.

HOW TO HELP A POOR SPELLER

Encourage mastery of the sight words. You probably recall the words sent home by your child’s
kindergarten and first grade teachers that you were instructed to have your child memorize by sight. Sight
words—also known as Dolch words—are the most frequently used words in the English language. Many
sight words have irregular spellings and it is critical that students memorize them and know how to spell
them.

Make sure your student understands the different sounds that letter combinations make. Reading
fluency is achieved through a series of “building block” skills, including understanding that words are
composed of letters and word units and that letters (and letter combinations) make individual sounds. Your
child should be able to sound out:

 Individual letters (consonants and vowels)

 Blends (such as pl or sm)

 Digraphs (two letters that make one sound, such as sh or ng)

 Diphthongs (two vowels that form as one syllable, such as au or ai)

Help your child recognize word families. Once your child masters train, give him or her a list of other
words that share the same ain ending, such as chain and brain. Guide your child as he or she plays with
letter combinations to understand word patterns.

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 Help your child memorize common spelling rules. Scholastic offers a helpful printable
chart that summarizes spelling rules for ei vs. ie words, compound words, plurals, possessives, prefixes
and suffixes. Once your child memorizes these basics, he or she will be able to apply them consistently
and catch his or her spelling mistakes more easily.
Practice, practice, practice. Provided a student has a basic understanding of word structure,
letter sounds, common spelling rules and relationships between words, repetition is critical to master
spelling. As your child studies his or her new weekly spelling words, try the look, visualize, write,
check approach. If your child gets tripped up with the same words over and over, practice them in the same
way you would if they were brand new spelling words.
Spelling takes continued practice—and even adults can struggle with it throughout their lives.
Frequent reading and repeated exposure to the spoken and written word are the best ways for students to
acquire strong spelling skills. And when problems arise, early intervention is critical (as with all literacy
skills). The sooner you can spot and correct spelling difficulties, the easier it will be for your child to become
a good speller.

Spelling Hints

Even with the list of hints you're about to consider, there's really only one golden rule to
abide by: read and write constantly. With that in mine, here are a few hints to help you
through tough spelling situations:

 Remember the old adage: "I before E except after C."

 Sound out words. This method won't always work. However, it'll at least put you on a
pathway to the proper spelling.
 If two vowels are next to each other in a word, the second vowel is silent. For example, in the
word coat, you only hear the "O" pronounced.
 The spelling of a word remains the same if you add a prefix to it.
 Be alert for homonyms and homophones.
 Use mnemonic devices to help you remember the proper spelling. Mnemonic devices are
tricks that'll help you remember how to spell certain words. For example, take dessert versus
desert. Remember that the letter "S" is used twice in dessert, because you always want
seconds of dessert.
 See if you can find smaller words in the larger word. Spell those smaller words, and you can
more easily deduce the correct spelling.
 Edit someone else's work. We're accustomed to not noticing mistakes in our own work
because we know what the meaning is. Editing helps us to see common errors because we
need to understand the writing in order to know the meaning.

Activity 1
List down some activities developing vocabulary and
spelling skills

Reflection
1. Three thing I learned from this lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________
2. Two things I will do to apply what I learned:
_____________________________________________________________________
1 question I have about the lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

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 Post-Test
How could you develop the vocabulary and spelling skills or your learners?