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A Look at the OGTVocabulary Instruction
by
Nicole Luthy
In previous columns of "A Look at the OGT," we have explored various aspects of
the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) for reading. In this month's column, we examine how
vocabulary content is assessed and offer some instructional strategies for supporting
student achievement.
On the OGT, students must demonstrate proficiency in many levels of word knowledge.
Let's consider some of the ways students may "know" a word. Students may be vaguely
familiar with a word, having heard it or seen it in print, but remain unsure of
its meaning. Students may also know a word's definition and understand one or more
of the contexts for using the word, but not integrate that word in their daily speaking
and writing. The words students know best are those they use regularly as a part
of their oral and written repertoire. Supporting student growth at these various
levels of word knowledge is challenging for many teachers.
The academic content standards establish clear guidelines for vocabulary instruction.
The six benchmarks for the 8-10 grade band ask students to explain and interpret
how specific words and phrases are used to convey meaning. Conceptually, the benchmarks
can be divided into two broad areas of focus: (1) determining word meaning and (2)
understanding and interpreting figurative language.
Determining Word Meaning
Benchmarks in this category deal with using information gathered from the text and
reference materials to make meaning. Students are asked to determine word meaning
by:
- Using context cues and text structures and identifying relationships
between analogical statements
- Applying their knowledge of Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon roots, prefixes,
and suffixes
- Using dictionaries, thesauruses, glossaries, technology, and textual
features, such as footnotes or sidebars
Understanding and Interpreting Figurative Language
Benchmarks in this category focus on the ways in which writers use language to express
abstract ideas and to elicit emotional responses from the reader. Students should
be able to:
- Infer literal and figurative meanings of words and phrases
- Discuss the function of metaphors, similes, idioms, and puns
- Distinguish between the connotation and denotation of words
How might vocabulary knowledge be assessed on the reading portion of the OGT?
The OGT assesses knowledge of words by selecting terms from fictional and informational
passages used on the reading test. Students are asked to respond to how the identified
words are used within the passage. It is important that students base their answers
on information found in the passage, not information external to the text. Often
words have multiple definitions, requiring students to think about the entire passage
and complete a close reading of excerpted sentences. An example of this skill is
evident in the sample test item below.
Which is not an interpretation of "sweat" as used in the advertisement?
- worry
- perspire
- fret over
- be vexed
Items that require the use of context clues, generally found on vocabulary assessments,
are also part of the OGT. Such items are often modeled after the sample provided
below:
"This species once comprised 25 to 40 percent of the total land-bird population.
..."
In this excerpt from paragraph 4, the word comprised means
- lead to.
- made up.
- counted on.
- improved on.
In the example that follows, the author uses a familiar word to convey an abstract
idea. Students must interpret a character's actions by thinking carefully about
the image the author has presented. Again, awareness of the text is very important.
Read the following excerpt from paragraph 7 of the passage.
"She never gave words: she didn't have to. Instead, we shared the task of
baking bread."
What does the word instead refer to in this excerpt?
- instead of eating dinner together
- instead of saying I love you
- instead of laughing
- instead of farming
In other sample items, students consider how an author has used specific words and
phrases and how those words impact the meaning, plot, and tone of the text. Definitional
word knowledge is not sufficient to answer these types of questions. Comprehension
of the passage and understanding of key words and phrases must be integrated in
contemplating complex, more abstract ideas. The two sample items that follow illustrate
this link between vocabulary knowledge and literary analysis.
What are some effective strategies for vocabulary instruction?
To respond to OGT vocabulary items, students must continually expand their vocabularies
and build effective word-solving strategies, using what they know to make sense
of unfamiliar words. Varied instructional practices allow students to deepen their
knowledge of words. For example, although students may encounter new words and vocabulary
terms while reading, they cannot rely solely upon this method of learning to adequately
expand their vocabularies. Direct teaching of words and strategies for learning
new words will also enhance word learning.
Effective instructional practices should provide students with the following experiences:
- Multiple exposures to words through conversation, visual displays,
readings, etc.
- Authentic opportunities to use words in classrooms and to make appropriate
connections for use in other contexts
- Rich discussions that focus on academic terminology
- Rigorous word analysis that allows students to study the structural
features of language
- Diverse texts, including literary and factual pieces, poetry, and
visual materials, from which students draw words and phrases to study more carefully
What resources are available to support vocabulary instruction?
The ORC collection offers many resources to support vocabulary learning. A sampling
of those resources is provided here:
Choosing, Chatting, and Collecting: Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy Resource Type: Instructional Resource -- Best Practice Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grades 6–10 Professional Commentary: In the vocabulary self-collection strategy, students choose the words they want to learn, offer a rationale for their selection, and agree upon words to include in a classroom collection. 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.... Career Fields: General Career Skills Projects: Standards First
Avalanche, Aztek, or Bravada? A Connotation Mini-Lesson Resource Type: Instructional Resource -- Promising Practice Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grades 4–10 Professional Commentary: In designing a lesson to promote effective word choice in students' writing, the object is to start with something familiar. In this mini-lesson, students begin with an examination of evocative car names that require them to use their imagination to generate ideas about the cars based on their names.... Career Fields: Arts & Communication, Business & Administrative Services, Marketing, Transportation Systems Projects: Standards First
You Can't Spell the Word Prefix Without a Prefix Resource Type: Instructional Resource -- Promising Practice Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grades 6–8 Professional Commentary: Starting with the premise that word study is intriguing and fun, students work in cooperative groups to identify, define, and construct words using a list of preselected prefixes. Students guess at initial meanings and spellings of words, then correct misspellings using spelling strategies developed by their work groups.... Career Fields: General Career Skills Projects: Writing 6-12, Standards First
Using a Word Journal to Create a Personal Dictionary Resource Type: Instructional Resource -- Promising Practice Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grades 6–8 Professional Commentary: Learning new vocabulary words is important for all readers. This lesson enables students to track unfamiliar words as they read fictional or informational texts.... Career Fields: General Career Skills Projects: Standards First
Nicole Luthy is the Reading Content Specialist for the Ohio Resource Center, where
she coordinates the selection of high-quality, web-based resources for language
arts educators. A former classroom teacher, she also has experience in staff development
and curriculum and assessment. Luthy, the Project Director for AdLIT, is filling
in as a guest columnist for "A Look at the OGT.
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