This unique book emphasizes the importance of supporting students' academic development with targeted vocabulary instruction that includes a wide range of language forms and words. The authors provide sound theory and practical techniques to help teachers bridge the achievement gap by strengthening vocabulary, deepening literacy skills, and raising performance levels for all children. This rich resource includes a wealth of specific strategies for: (1) Vocabulary acquisition; (2) Read-alouds and independent reading; (3) Decoding unknown words; and (4) Helping students distinguish between language patterns at home and at school.