Academic vocabulary words are the terms students must understand to master a particular lesson. For example, before students can work with place value in math class, they must know what a "digit" is and how it differs from a "number." In language arts, students must know the difference between "nouns" and "verbs" before they can construct complete sentences that include a subject and a predicate. Introduce students to the key terms in a lesson before beginning a lesson. This method of preteaching academic vocabulary helps ensure that students are focused on learning the concepts being taught and are not stuck on the vocabulary. Grace Rubenstein elaborates on these "Reading Lessons in Disguise" for the website Edutopia.
Students retain few of the definitions they look up and copy from a glossary of terms in a text book. Educational experts suggest using graphic organizers to help students understand key vocabulary words in any content area. The Frayer Model is a popular graphic organizer that can be used at any grade level. The Frayer model can be created by dividing a sheet of paper into four squares and drawing a circle in the middle where the lines intersect. The student writes the vocabulary word in the circle, and then fills in the four squares with the following information: a definition the student writes himself, examples or synonyms of the word, non-examples or antonyms of the word, and characteristics of the word. This model can be adjusted for younger students by replacing any of the boxes with a picture or illustration of the word and a sentence that uses the word.
Students are more likely to comprehend new concepts or material when they can connect it with something they already know. When creating lesson plans, consider what prior knowledge students might have that can provide a link to the new information in the lesson. For example, elementary students typically remember nursery rhymes and might have developed a love of popular music. Discuss the attributes of different songs as an introduction to a poetry unit.
Younger students can struggle to comprehend abstract concepts, especially if they do not see a value in what they are learning. Make lessons relevant to students' lives. Tell them how they will use the knowledge. For example, have elementary students practice addition and subtraction using toy money. Give them shopping scenarios or a pretend allowance to spend in a pretend store. This will help engage students more in the lesson and the hands-on activity will deepen their understanding of addition and subtraction.