Vocabulary Instruction: What Words to Teach and How to Teach Them Margie Gillis, Ed.D., CALT

Margie is a Certified Academic Language Therapist and the president of Literacy How, Inc., a professional development organization that provides embedded coaching support to empower teachers with knowledge of evidence-based reading practices. She is an executive board member of the Academic Language Therapist Association and The Alliance, the co-founder and former president of Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities and the former president of the CT Branch of the International Dyslexia Association.

Given the vast number of vocabulary words students need to learn, it is critical to be deliberate in selecting words to teach. In this workshop, participants will first learn about the 'word selection grid' and how to use it as a planning tool for choosing vocabulary words to teach. Then, they will learn how to integrate the concept of 'word utility' with instructional methods and activities to teach the selected words. These methods of instruction include three dimensions: words that have multiple meanings, words that have morphological elements, and words that are part of a larger network, often associated with a specific content area.

ALTA offers its members 2.0 hours for this video.