Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy

Lattanzi

Content Literacy

Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy

July 2, 2012

Presented by: Peter & Kristian

VSS

●  This strategy helps students to understand the meanings of new words, integrate new words in their conversations and writing, and make personal connections with words while reading.

●  The primary purpose of self collection is to deepen the understanding of words, promote interest in new words, and offer a strategy to learn new words. This strategy is meant to be interactive. It’s a form of collaborative learning. The strategy was first introduced by Haggard (1982).

●  This strategy’s main goal is to create word consciousness. “An interest in awareness of words”.

Targeted Reading Levels

1st - College Level

Text

Any

Procedure

1.  Before reading

a.  teacher reads 1st paragraph

b.  teacher indicates words of interest

c.  teacher shows the VSS strategy chart, writes reason for selection, writes the definition.

2.  During reading

a.  students select 5 words that are important to them

b.  students complete the VSS strategy chart

3.  After reading

a.  group decides on leader

b.  students take turns submitting words

c.  the group makes their own VSS chart

d.  the group ensures denotations

e.  the group presents their list

i.  Where is the word found in the text?

ii.  What do the team members think the word means?

iii.  Why did the team think the class should learn the word?

f.  the teacher provides direct instruction for unknown words

4.  Extension

a.  making a personalized definition

b.  making a word wall for the class

c.  have all students add vocabulary to their personal journals

d.  Group try to come up with an synonym and antonym for each words.

e.  For elementary students, groups make a word mobile.

Strengths

●  Self-selection of vocabulary enhances students' motivation and achievement in learning new words.

●  Students' rationale for selecting certain words adds to their understanding of the process for learning them.

●  Students can build their vocabulary knowledge through active participation in "word discussions" and activities related to word learning.

●  VSS has been shown to improve comprehension when students are taught how to find the key vocabulary, and then are given the opportunity to discuss the words with others. (SIOP Training Manual, Echevarria & Vogt)

●  This strategy is especially effective with students learning English as a second language. In the discussions students can explore word histories, synonyms, antonyms, and personal experiences. Because the teacher also selects words, he/she models good vocabulary learning strategies. Source: http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/VocabularySelf-SelectionStrategy.html

●  Source: http://www.ohiorc.org/record/3804.aspx

●  article to be read: http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/textbk01.htm

Weaknesses

Possible pitfalls to this strategy are that students decide to not record words that they don’t understand if there are too many, or if they choose words that they do understand because they don't want to work. In addition to this, teachers might devote much too time to set and facilitate this activity.

For elementary students we create more hands-on activity such as a mobile instead of a regular chart. We could hang these mobile on the ceiling once students are finished.