Rating Vocabulary

Subject Area and Grade Span: Any Subject, Grades 3-12

What it is: This is a tool for identifying students’ prior knowledge of academic and content vocabulary that they will encounter in a lesson or unit of instruction. The teacher can use this information to determine the need for vocabulary instruction.

What it looks like:

1. Read the assigned text and determine which words you anticipate would be unfamiliar to many of your students.
2. Identify approximately five words considered to be content specific vocabulary (high-priority lesson terms, or words that are related to the main concepts and ideas of the lesson).
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3. Identify approximately five academic vocabulary “toolkit” words that students will encounter as part of the lesson (high-utility academic words that students will encounter across subject areas and grade levels).
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4. Develop a list using the selected words. Have the students “rate” the words before (and after) the lesson. Use the following rating scale:
   1 = I have never seen this word
   2 = I have seen this word, but I am not sure what it means
   3 = I have seen this word and I can explain what it means
   4 = I can use this word
5. Explicitly teach the words you have chosen for students using consistent strategies. These should include:
   • Providing examples of the words in context
   • Providing word relationships such as cognates, synonyms, antonyms, multiple meanings, roots, affixes, etc.
   • Referring to these words multiple times
   • Having students define the words in their own words
   • Having students record the words, definitions, and visual representations
   • Having students use the words while talking, comparing, analyzing, and writing
   • Reviewing and using the words during learning activities

How you know it’s working:

• Students rate the words post-lesson to reflect on vocabulary growth. Teacher checks frequently to assess progress and adjusts accordingly (summative assessment). 
• Students are held accountable for utilizing the words in their writing and speaking. They must keep a written record of the words and when/how they have used them.

Things to consider:

• Select vocabulary words that are critical to learning the content of the lesson or unit and those that students may not know.

Download Document:

Rating Vocabulary Graphic (application/pdf)

References: 

San Diego County Office of Education. (2005). Math language that works. San Diego, California.  

Feldman, K., & Kinsella, K. (2005). Narrowing the language gap institute: Academic language and vocabulary development for all students PreK-12. San Diego, California.

Kinsella, K. "Preparing for Effective Vocabulary Instruction." Aiming High, SCOE (2005): 1-8.