Chapter 5 focuses on the different strategies to figure out words. One section I was interested in was the "Developing Sight Vocabulary". There are a variety of ways that can help students develop sight vocabulary, some of them are as simple as having word walls around the classroom, creating your "very own words" collection, or as complex as using the language experience approach. When using word walls in the classroom teachers should think about the different themes they could use or the different centers children can go to, to help build their sight vocabulary. By using the language experience approach helps children associate oral language with written language. In other words, teaching children that what is said can be written down and then read. When doing this, children are learning the left to right progression of our written language and are able to form letters and combine words which builds sight vocabulary. However, I was specifically interested in the topic of "Very Own Words".
This section discussed how Sylvia Ashton-Warner (1986) described Very Own Words as a method for developing sight vocabulary. She encouraged children to write down their favorite words that they read in a story or content area lesson on separate 5 X 8 cards. Very own words are usually from a child's home life but also reflect emotional feelings. One way to start a "Very Own Words" collection is by having a discussion to find out the students favorite things to do outside of the classroom.
Very Own Words is an activity that can be used at any grade level and allows for children to produce interesting language. This activity can be educational or for pleasure. An example the book gave of interesting language that was for pleasure was " popping corn or making play dough". However, children can choose a favorite word in a book that they have read or from content areas such as social studies or science units.
Teachers should encourage children to "do things with their words". This means have the children read their words to friends or themselves, copy them, use them in a sentences or create stories. Very Own Words" can also be used in older grade levels. Seven and eight year olds enjoy but also learn when collecting their "very own words". These children can alphabetize them and store them, but they can also study the letter pattern. Students can discuss consonant and vowel sounds, blends, digraphs, and structural elements such as prefixes and suffixes, as well as phonic generalizations. By giving the child the opportunity to pick and choose their favorite words teaches them more about developing vocabulary than if a teacher assigned a word or if the word was found in a text book.
The collection of "very own words" is very beneficial to have in a classroom. First, it is a different way of teaching. Also, students are able to pick and choose their favorite words and the words relate to their individual lives, which will encourage a student to engage in building their vocabulary. Very own words are also useful with bilingual children. When a bilingual child creates their 5 X 8 cards they can have the word written in his/her native language.
I completely agree with your blog post! I also loved this concept. It is such a simple but brilliant activity that engages children and interests them. Very Own Words allows children to pick out their own words that they like, not a class list that they don’t care about. This way they would feel like they are in control. I also love the idea of having the children use these words when it comes to writing, this way they already have a personal dictionary started that they can refer back to. Using Very Own Words for bilingual children is also a great idea! This way they could write the word in English and in their native language. Maybe incorporating a picture could help them learn the English word even better. And as you said, this is such a great concept to use at multiple grade levels!
ReplyDeleteI also believe that incorporating Very Own Words in addition to other strategies are beneficial to developing children's vocabulary. Very Own Words encourages children to think about the meaning of words, writing words, and developing personal vocabulary. I think VOW would be highly beneficial to emergent learners and ELL especially if the cards had pictures on them and the child's native language. VOW are similar to having their own personal word wall. This is one strategy that I would highly consider incorporating in my future classroom.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog post, I agree with it entirely. VERY OWN Word allows children to become engaged in their own language learning because they are choosing the words that they want to know better. The students will feel more in control of their own learning and will also help them create their own personal dictionary. For older students or gifted and talented students a teacher could also have the students write a definition in their own words for the selected word on the other side of the card. I think this is also a great tool to use with English Language Learners because you could allow them to write the word in their native language as well as in English. Pictures could also be added to the cards for English Language Learners or lower grade levels. I love that this strategy can be used for multiple grade levels. I will definitely consider incorporating Very Own Words into my future classroom.
ReplyDeleteI too was very interested in the idea of Very Own Words. After being in practicums where sight words are taught through flashcards, I love how individualized this method is. I believe that learning is so personal to every student. This method really emphasizes this. With the expanding knowledge on the importance of differentiation, this is another way that we could include this into our classrooms. I love how students build their own lists. It will help to give them independence by building their own knowledge. It can also help to foster a positive classroom and community of learners by having students work together. Students can find common interests with other students and build their social concept in the process. As I read I never thought about the idea of being able to use these cards to help teach structural elements through vowel and consonant blends and diagraphs. Thank you for bringing up the how Very Own Words brings variety to your teaching strategies. It will help to keep our students engaged and learning in different ways.
ReplyDeletei also think that the "very own word" is a good and unique way to develop sight vocabulary. Using this method students are learning words that they are interested in and as a teacher we can also learn from this. We can see what students enjoy and want to learn about, there for we can teach them through things they enjoy. I agree i learned a lot of different ways to develop sight vocabulary that i had never known about before. I would defiantly agree though using the language experience approach would be the most difficult in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting you mentioned children that are bilingual. Now that i think about it i agree I'm sure this method of developing sight words would be beneficial to them considering they choose their own word and can be written in their native language. This is also a good teaching point for other students in the classroom. The other students are able to learn another word they may not be familiar with, where the bilingual child may feel more comfortable in the classroom for once because they choose a word that applies to their culture or experiences.