Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students

Research-Based Lists and Strategies for Key Content Areas

by Jennifer Wells Greene, Ph.D. Georgia Gwinnett College

and Averil Coxhead, Ph.D. Victoria University

Contents

• About the Authors
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Key Concepts and Ideas About Vocabulary
• The Middle School Vocabulary Lists in Context
• Planning for Integrating the Middle School Vocabulary Lists into Classroom Instruction
• Activities that Focus on Middle School Vocabulary List Words
• References
• Appendix A: The Middle School Vocabulary Lists
• Appendix B: Methodology for the Compilation of the Middle School Vocabulary Lists

About the Authors

Jennifer Wells Greene, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the School of Education at Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Her research interests include specialized vocabulary in elementary and middle school education, as well as supporting grade-level teachers who want to incorporate word learning in their content-area classrooms.

Averil Coxhead, Ph.D. is a senior lecturer in applied linguistics in the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. Her research interests include specialized vocabulary in secondary and university-level education, the development and measurement of vocabulary size, the vocabulary load of written texts, and vocabulary in the trades.

LANGUAGE-FOCUSED LEARNING ACTIVITIES - THE FRAYER MODEL

Why Do It?

The Frayer Model provides students opportunities to clarify their understanding of target academic vocabulary by performing the following:

What Is It?

The Frayer Model (Frayer, Frederick, & Klausmeier, 1969) uses a graphic organizer to help students explore deeper meanings of select words.

Steps to Implement

1. Identify target words from your current instruction.
2. Provide students with a Frayer Model graphic organizer.
3. Display a copy of the graphic organizer on a SMART Board or PowerPoint.
4. Have students write the key term in the center of the graphic organizer.
5. Have students brainstorm ideas...
6. Have students complete their individual organizers while you are completing the displayed organizer.
7. Have students work with a partner and take turns describing the target word to each other using their graphic organizers as a guide.

Activities that Focus on Middle School Vocabulary List Words

1. Word Sorts:

   • Choose a topic and create word sorts based on academic words.
   • Conduct both open and closed sorts.

2. Triple-Entry Vocabulary Journal:

   • Track target words, sentences in context, and personal thoughts.
   • Incorporate connections across different content areas.

3. Fix-ups:

   • Provide additional resources or supports if students struggle with understanding.

Example Word Sort

Example Triple-Entry Vocabulary Journal Entry