How do we get our students to remember vocabulary?

How do we get our students to remember vocabulary?

In English, one of the main things we want our students to remember is the key vocabulary. Over the past year, we have thought deeply about the vocabulary and core knowledge students need in order to be successful. We considered the words they needed to be successful at GCSE and beyond and then mapped out what scheme of work they will appear in throughout KS3/4.

1.    Careful and intentional selection of high value words

2.     Framing of a definition that students can use and apply and teaching through direct instruction

3.     Guidance on the ‘parameters of use’ (when and how a word occurs in language)

4.     Active practice – spend time using the word in different settings and applications within a lesson and SoW

5.    Maintenance and reinforcement through ‘retrieval practice’ and ‘spaced practice’

 STEP 1 –Mapping it out across the LTP - Careful and intentional selection of high value words

For example, we know they will need to be confident using the words ‘tyrant/tyrannical’ to describe Macbeth at GCSE. We have therefore included it in Y7 to describe a St Hanley in Private Peaceful, Y8 to describe Lord Capulet in R&J and Y9 to describe Napoleon in Animal Farm.

We asked ourselves these questions from Alex Quigley (https://www.theconfidentteacher.com/2020/03/we-did-vocabulary-last-year):

·         What vocabulary do our students need to know, understand, and use, to be successful in school and beyond?

·         How do we best teach the words I have selected to teach?

·         Are they any barriers or misconceptions related to the words that I have selected to teach?

Here is an example from our animal farm LTP:

STEP 2 - Framing a definition that students can use and teaching it through direct instruction

Research highlights that giving students a clear, concise definition that teachers have crafted (not just copied from Google) avoids misconceptions and makes explanations clearer for students. We always provide students with the definitions of words whether teaching it 'implicitly (to quickly aid understanding) or explicitly (investing time for through mastery and understanding)'. (Coombe and Martin)

The exchange below highlights how confusing asking students for a definition can be:

Teacher: Napoleon is a quite tyrannical in his leadership style. Does anyone know what tyrannical means?

Student 1: Is it like he is murdering everyone and means he slaughters everyone? He’s a murderer.

Teacher: Not quite. Anyone else?

Student 2: Does it mean aggressive?

Here, students can waste minutes guessing incorrectly and can often be confused by the misconceptions posed by others in the class. It is much easier and clearer to just tell a clear and accurate them in the first place!

 

STEP 3 - Guidance on the ‘parameters of use’ (when and how a word occurs in language)

Once we have crafted the definition together, we also show student examples of the word in different forms (tyrant, tyrannical, tyrannise). We also show incorrect examples of the words usage in to address misconceptions.

  Some examples of this from a Y9 Animal Farm scheme and a Y10 Conflict poetry scheme are below:

 

STEP 4 - active practice – spend time using the word in different settings and applications with a lesson and SoW

Once we have introduced students to the word in a lesson and we are sure they have understood it, we then ensure that we continue to develop the use of this word within the main tasks of the lesson and throughout the week. This ensures confident use and begins to embed the word into LTM.

For example, we would make the use of the word explicit in each demonstration task that week and perhaps revisit and check for understanding again in a do now later that week.

  

 

STEP 5 - Maintenance and reinforcement through ‘retrieval practice’ and ‘spaced practice’

This is perhaps the most important step. In order to ensure that students remember the new vocabulary and remain confident in using it, we must ensure we regularly revisiting and testing the vocabulary throughout the scheme of work and the year. We use ‘retrieval practice’ (regularly testing students) and ‘spaced practice’ (regularly reviewing material taught earlier in the SoW / year). (Research Ed, Explicit Teaching, P33.)

After reading Amy Coombe and Lia Martin’s ‘Using Direct Instruction to Teach Writing in the Research Ed book, we worked with each year team planning lead to map out where each word will be tested (either in do now retrieval quizzes / hwk quizzes) or referred to again in slides (repeated use in a demonstration task to describe a character’s actions etc.)

 Here is an example of the Y9 Animal Farm plan:

 Week 1:  New vocab: Oppression / oppressed / oppressor

Week 2: New vocab: tyrannical / tyrant / tyrannise

Week 3: New vocab: Empowerment / empowered / empower   Revisit in HWK /Quiz: Oppression and tyrant

Week 4: New vocab: propaganda/foreshadowing   Revisit in HWK /Quiz: Empowerment and oppression

Whilst there is work to be done, we finally feel like we are on the right path with embedding vocabulary into the curriculum.