Common Vocabulary in TRC Written Comp. Questions

Do you teach the academic language and vocabulary? 
Do you assess reading levels using TRC? 
Do you teach in NC?

***If you use another reading assessment other than TRC like DRA, Fountas & Pinnell, etc... This is still for YOU!***

Rationale of Academic Language and Vocabulary!

The emphasis on teaching the academic language and vocabulary has never been higher than now. Students need to be able to make meaning of the language and vocabulary in the standards and on academic assessments in order to process what they are being asked to do.

I feel like every time I turn around from doing anything in my daily job, I always go back to academic language and vocabulary. You can be the best teacher in the world, but if your students cannot make meaning of the academic language and vocabulary in oral or written questions, they cannot share the knowledge they gained from their learning experiences as a scholar when assessed formally.

If you want your students to construct meaning and compose meaning that you know they are capable of, you have to teach the academic language and vocabulary!

Students have to be able to transition in and out of "language registers" with ease to be successful. Students have a language they use at home, with friends, in sports and so on. They need to transition into the formal language at school. The formal language needs to include ALL of the academic language and vocabulary throughout your school building.

Vocabulary we need to be included in instruction regularly!

When viewing the TRC Written Comprehension Questions for the 2015-2016 school year, students are being asked to construct and compose meaning from complex questions. In this product are the common vocabulary found in the questions. As teachers, when we ask oral and written comprehension questions that include this common vocabulary we need to make sure students can read and comprehend the words we include. Taking the time to teach students the meaning of common vocabulary in questions will allow them to provide responses with the knowledge they gained from the text.

[click on any of the photos below for a direct link]

I have included vocabulary cards of the 36 common terms found in the TRC Written Comprehension Questions. These cards can be implemented in a variety of ways that suits the teacher and classroom. Cards come in full page and quarter page, both in color or black and white. The chart included above, marks in yellow the terms and book levels the vocabulary will be found in. 

Deconstructing the vocabulary and using such activities as the Frayer Model will help students gain meaning of these terms so that they can apply when asked during assessments. You can implement during small group or whole group instruction. Use the cards that apply to your student’s levels and use them when you are discussing written comprehension questions you have constructed. 

I previously wrote a blog post about ways to incorporate teaching the academic language and vocabulary. Click HERE to read all about it!

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