Vocabulary Preview

How do I use it?

• Create a vocabulary list for a given article or video using the Vocabulary Preview Template (see image at right) or use one of the Ready-to-Use Vocabulary Preview reproducibles created for STEM in Context content (see below).
• Provide each student with the prepared Vocabulary Preview page at the beginning of the class.
• Students complete the Vocabulary Preview activity before they read/view the selected text/video.
• Students categorize each word from the list and decide whether:
  • The word is totally new;
  • They have heard of the word, yet are not sure of its meaning;
  • They know the meaning of the word; or
  • They know the meaning of the word and can use it in a sentence.
• Students can hand in their completed Vocabulary Preview pages to the teacher as a formative assessment of prior knowledge of the topic.

Variations

• Once completed, the Vocabulary Preview can be used in different ways:
  • Students can work in pairs and discuss their responses. Students can then work together to define the unfamiliar words; or
  • Difficult words and concepts can be explicitly taught prior to reading the text to ensure the students are able to fully access the information presented.

Extensions

• Students can work together to practice pronunciations of the words in the Vocabulary Preview list.
• Students can research the meaning of the words in the list.
• Given a list of definitions, students then match these to the words in the list.