Standard 4: Vocabulary

Students will expand their working vocabularies to effectively communicate and understand texts.

Reading

Students will expand academic, domain-appropriate, grade-level vocabularies through reading, word study, and class discussion.

Writing

Students will apply knowledge of vocabularies to communicate by using descriptive, academic, and domain-appropriate abstract and concrete words in their writing.

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

10.4.R.1 Students will increase knowledge of academic, domain-appropriate, grade-level vocabulary to infer meaning of grade-level text.

• Students will increase knowledge of vocabulary through practice and teacher-led instruction.

• Students will use vocabulary understanding to infer the meaning of grade level text.

10.4.R.2 Students will use word parts (e.g., affixes, Greek and Latin roots, stems) to define and determine the meaning of increasingly complex words.

• Students will use word parts (prefixes, suffixes, Greek and Latin roots, stems) to define increasingly complex words.

10.4.R.3 Students will use context clues to determine or clarify the meaning of words or distinguish among multiple-meaning words.

• Students will use context clues to determine the meaning of words.

• Teachers provide students opportunities to determine the meaning of words based on context clues.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to explain how context clues helped them identify the meaning of words.
• Teachers monitor student work to ensure the correct meanings are being found. 

• Students will use context clues to decide the meaning of words that have multiple meanings.

10.4.R.4 Students will analyze the relationships among words with multiple meanings and recognize the connotation and denotation of words.

• Students will continue to determine connotation of specific words with multiple meanings based on how the words are used in a text.

• Teachers model how details in the text may reveal connotations of words.
• Teachers model how to determine the precise meaning of words through the study of connotation and denotation.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to study the impact of words found in their reading.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to receive feedback on their analysis of words. 

• Students will continue to determine the denotations of specific words with multiple meanings based on how words in a text.

10.4.R.5 Students will use a dictionary, glossary, or a thesaurus (print and/or electronic) to determine or clarify the meanings, syllabication, pronunciation, synonyms, parts of speech, and etymology of words or phrases.

• Students will use a dictionary, glossary, and thesaurus to clarify misconceptions of word meanings

• Teachers provide multiple resources for students to look up words that might need to be clarified or defined.
• Teachers monitor correct usage of the print or digital dictionary, glossary, or thesaurus.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to research words in order to clarify meaning.
• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback when using print or digital resources.  

• Students will utilize appropriate print and digital reference to gain a better understanding of the word including syllables, pronunciations, synonyms, parts of speech, and word etymologies.

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

10.4.W.1 Students will use domain-appropriate vocabulary to communicate complex ideas in writing clearly.

• Students will use content-specific words within their writing to convey complex ideas.

• Teachers model appropriate word choice using examples and non-examples.
• Teachers design writing tasks that require the use of content-specific vocabulary.
• Teachers explain how the changes in word meaning can affect their reading of a text.
• Teachers allow students time to research words in order to clarify meaning.
• Teachers monitor and provide feedback on student writing regarding the correct use of content-specific vocabulary.

10.4.W.2 Students will select appropriate language to create a specific effect according to purpose in writing.

• Students will continue to intentionally choose words to create a specific effect in writing.

• Teachers explain that word choice is used to create specific effects for a variety of purposes.
• Teachers model how to select vocabulary that will create the desired effect.
• Teachers provide writing tasks that challenge students to create a variety of effects on the readers.
• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback regarding how their word choice affected the reader.