Proposes an approach to vocabulary development that stresses the integral relationships between words; describes 20 categories of meaning that can be used as a basis for developmental vocabulary lessons; and offers suggestions for the application of these meaning categories in vocabulary instruction in various subject areas. (GT)

Research based suggestions are presented for effective vocabulary instruction strategies, including: learning new labels; learning concepts; and learning to learn meanings. Regardless of the method chosen, it is crucial that students: demonstrate generalization abilities; be given time to learn new material; periodically review what they learn;…

Demonstrates why analogy exercises are useful in developing both vocabulary and conceptualization. (JT)

Students with learning disabilities may gain from use of "flip-flop" study guides to gain key vocabulary and concepts. Rather than providing definitions for terms, the student provides terms for definitions and concepts in the study guide. Such guides allow the teacher to focus on particular concepts and provide repetition of information for…

Discusses concept learning in the content areas, focusing on a system for integrating vocabulary into cognitive teaching goals. (AEA)

The acquisition of spatial terms in the language development of young children is examined. Two primary theories of word meaning and concept acquisition are reviewed, followed by a summary of current developmental research on spatial terms and factors influencing acquisition. Finally, guidelines for the assessment and teaching of spatial terms are…

Concept building is discussed, and several information processing strategies that teachers can use to promote student vocabulary development are presented. Classroom activities are also described. (Author/DB)

Describes six strategies for teaching vocabulary: exclusion brainstorming, knowledge rating, connect two, semantic feature analysis and semantic gradients, concept ladder, and predict-o-gram. (HOD)

Vocabulary development, operationally defined as the isomorphism between an individual's store of concepts and the labels society uses to represent those concepts, is akin to concept development. Therefore, vocabulary development can be facilitated if presented in clusters of related concepts. One approach used to reinforce such basic concept…

A monthly exchange of tips, projects, ideas and resources. (Editor)

A local California school developed a program to meet language needs of first graders (70 percent of whom were from minority groups.) The program stresses basic concepts, vocabulary development through categorization and sensory experiences, and many opportunities to practice verbal skills with peers. (DB)

Schema Theory, the use of the learner's background knowledge for the building of new knowledge, is applied to improving reading comprehension skills and teaching vocabulary words and concepts to learning disabled students. Semantic mapping is a vocbulary strategy which produces the interaction between prior knowledge in a graphic form. For…

Offers a set of lesson plans that use simple semantic word maps to help students improve their vocabulary knowledge and comprehension in all subject areas. (FL)

Describes the instructional activities involved in Student Activated Vocabulary Instruction--a method of instruction involving three phases: conceptual assimilation, lexical refinement, and expression. (HOD)

Examines teachers' differing uses of student-gathered data during science investigations. The results show that student language use and concept understanding differed between two different instructional approaches. Suggestions are provided for using student-gathered data in teaching elementary school science. (LZ)