This came through my email, and I thought it would be of interest to many on this list. I remember many suggesting Isabel Beck for vocabulary instruction. The link is to an article that further explains why this is beneficial. SATURATE BEFORE SOAK: EARLY LEARNERS CAN HANDLE BIG WORDS Researchers now believe that students in primary grades can acquire more advanced words earlier than previously thought, reports Laura Pappano in her article "Small Kids, Big Words: Research- Based Strategies for Building Vocabulary from Pre- K to Grade 3" in Harvard Education Letter. It is now felt that the mechanism for learning new vocabulary isn't the same as that for learning new math skills, where easier concepts are the building blocks for more complicated skills. "Words are not related hierarchically," said Isabel Beck of the University of Pittsburgh. "You can learn saturated' before you learn soak'." What's more, children seem to enjoy it. More advanced words also enrich conceptual understanding and enhance reading ability as a student progresses. It's especially important in closing the achievement gap for students who arrive to early grades with a limited vocabulary, and for English Language Learners. http://www.edletter.org/insights/bigwords.shtml
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