As summer fast approaches, we are here with another entry to the Cooperative Learning Strategies Blog. My 26th birthday recently passed last month, so as a belated treat to myself, I thought I would focus our conversation today on one of my favorite topics in English: vocabulary! Although there are many methods to teach vocabulary effectively in the classroom, vocabulary rally roundtable is one excellent and collaborative means to go about doing so.
The value of vocabulary in all classes, especially English courses at school, cannot be denied. According to Laurian and Fitzgerald (2014), "it is clear... that teaching important vocabulary explicitly and in multi-faceted ways is important for all teachers to consider" (p. 1). In many ways, vocabulary is one of the fundamental building blocks of understand language and the various texts students will encounter at the high school level. In my experience as a teacher, student struggle to understand complex written works when they cannot understand some of the higher lexicons included within. With enough vocabulary practice to frame their language, students will hopefully be able to find success and better comprehension in their reading skills.
I introduce new vocabulary words that commonly appear on the ACT, SAT, and other standardized tests with my students every week. We learn ten new words each week, with bimonthly tests on 20 of those words at a time. In order to have my students practice their new terms, I have students use quizlet, play stand-up, hand-up, pair-up games, Frayer model word boxes, and roundtable strategies. Roundtable serves as a very helpful "cooperative structure and interactive activity" that enables students to practice engaging with new words in a fun and "meaningful" way ("Roundtable learning strategy," 2016). Much like the other cooperative learning techniques, it involves all students in their Kagan learning groups and encourages students to actively participate in learning that benefits everyone mutually.
The process of conducting Roundtable Vocabulary is quite simple and can be adjusted as needed. I find it often works best when students are in groups of four to six. Begin by posting a single vocabulary word on the board. You will have students take out a sheet of paper, write their name on the sheet of paper, and write a detailed sentence using the vocabulary word correctly in the sentence. It is up to the teacher to include a primary topic on which the students can focus as the subject of their sentences. Students will then "pass the papers around," incorporating new sentences "according to the criteria you designate" with a new vocabulary word that you assign ("Roundtable learning strategy," 2016). Each time the paper is passed around, students have to add a new sentence using that new vocabulary word to practice. At the culmination of the activity, students should end up with their own papers. They can then go around their Kagan learning groups to share their sentences, which are oftentimes very humorous.
I believe Rally Roundtable Robin with vocabulary sets to be an excellent strategy to help students have fun learning new words while also promoting maximum retention. A study conducted by Laurian and Fitzgerald (2014) revealed that there is a significant correlation between vocabulary instruction and student test scores: "test scores rose significantly when the vocabulary was explicitly taught in a mulitfaceted fashion" (p. 1). When students are given an opportunity on a regular basis to practice their vocabulary, they are able to apply that knowledge more consistently in their learning. Although it is true that it can be hard to find the the time to integrate vocabulary lessons regularly, I have discovered that making bell ringer activities involving new words can be very useful. Here is a link below that should enable you to research this and other helpful vocabulary strategies in the English classroom and beyond.
Effective Vocabulary Strategies in the Classroom
I hope that you try using Vocabulary Rally Robin soon! Please be on the lookout for our next cooperative learning strategy installment!
Sincerely,
Ryan
[email protected]
References
Laurian, S., & Fitzgerald, C. J. (2014). Direct and Multifaceted Approaches to Teach Important Vocabulary. Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences, 128, 1-6.
Roundtable Learning Strategy (2016). Educators BrainPop. Retrieved from
https://educators.brainpop.com/teaching-tip/roundtable-learning-strategy/
The value of vocabulary in all classes, especially English courses at school, cannot be denied. According to Laurian and Fitzgerald (2014), "it is clear... that teaching important vocabulary explicitly and in multi-faceted ways is important for all teachers to consider" (p. 1). In many ways, vocabulary is one of the fundamental building blocks of understand language and the various texts students will encounter at the high school level. In my experience as a teacher, student struggle to understand complex written works when they cannot understand some of the higher lexicons included within. With enough vocabulary practice to frame their language, students will hopefully be able to find success and better comprehension in their reading skills.
I introduce new vocabulary words that commonly appear on the ACT, SAT, and other standardized tests with my students every week. We learn ten new words each week, with bimonthly tests on 20 of those words at a time. In order to have my students practice their new terms, I have students use quizlet, play stand-up, hand-up, pair-up games, Frayer model word boxes, and roundtable strategies. Roundtable serves as a very helpful "cooperative structure and interactive activity" that enables students to practice engaging with new words in a fun and "meaningful" way ("Roundtable learning strategy," 2016). Much like the other cooperative learning techniques, it involves all students in their Kagan learning groups and encourages students to actively participate in learning that benefits everyone mutually.
The process of conducting Roundtable Vocabulary is quite simple and can be adjusted as needed. I find it often works best when students are in groups of four to six. Begin by posting a single vocabulary word on the board. You will have students take out a sheet of paper, write their name on the sheet of paper, and write a detailed sentence using the vocabulary word correctly in the sentence. It is up to the teacher to include a primary topic on which the students can focus as the subject of their sentences. Students will then "pass the papers around," incorporating new sentences "according to the criteria you designate" with a new vocabulary word that you assign ("Roundtable learning strategy," 2016). Each time the paper is passed around, students have to add a new sentence using that new vocabulary word to practice. At the culmination of the activity, students should end up with their own papers. They can then go around their Kagan learning groups to share their sentences, which are oftentimes very humorous.
I believe Rally Roundtable Robin with vocabulary sets to be an excellent strategy to help students have fun learning new words while also promoting maximum retention. A study conducted by Laurian and Fitzgerald (2014) revealed that there is a significant correlation between vocabulary instruction and student test scores: "test scores rose significantly when the vocabulary was explicitly taught in a mulitfaceted fashion" (p. 1). When students are given an opportunity on a regular basis to practice their vocabulary, they are able to apply that knowledge more consistently in their learning. Although it is true that it can be hard to find the the time to integrate vocabulary lessons regularly, I have discovered that making bell ringer activities involving new words can be very useful. Here is a link below that should enable you to research this and other helpful vocabulary strategies in the English classroom and beyond.
Effective Vocabulary Strategies in the Classroom
I hope that you try using Vocabulary Rally Robin soon! Please be on the lookout for our next cooperative learning strategy installment!
Sincerely,
Ryan
[email protected]
References
Laurian, S., & Fitzgerald, C. J. (2014). Direct and Multifaceted Approaches to Teach Important Vocabulary. Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences, 128, 1-6.
Roundtable Learning Strategy (2016). Educators BrainPop. Retrieved from
https://educators.brainpop.com/teaching-tip/roundtable-learning-strategy/