Strategy Notebook

Rachel Hults

December 3rd, 2014Table

VOCABULARY
FRAYER MODEL
KNOWLEDGE RATING SCALE
VERBAL AND VISUAL WORDS ASSOCIATION

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

INQUIRY CHART
MAGNET WORDS
WORD SORT

WRITING
ANTICIPATION GUIDE
POSSIBLE SENTENCES
TWITTER TABLE

STUDY SKILLS/TEST TAKING

FLY SWATTER
PLANT CYCLE
QUIZ CAN

of Contents

Vocabulary
Name: Frayer Model
APA Citation:
Frayer Model. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/FrayerModel.html
Steps:
1. Give students a concept word to fill in to the word circle
2. Students will then give their own definition of that word
3. After reading students will fill in facts and characteristics about
the concept word
4. Then, either individually, in a group, or together as a class you
will help them identify examples or non-examples of that word
Strengths:
Students are able to create their own definition of a word that will help
them remember the definition in the future. Making a list of
characteristics and facts about t eh word will also help the student
identify between examples and non-examples of the word. This
strategy can be used for during or post-reading activities and is
beneficial for ELL students.

Example:

Name: Knowledge Rating Scale

APA Citation:
Knowledge Rating Scale. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/KnowledgeRatingScale.htm
l
Steps:
1. In the word column students are given a vocabulary word for
the new topic
2. Students are instructed to check one of the boxes marked know
it well, have seen or heard it, or have no clue about the
word.
Strengths:
This strategy encourages students to examine vocabulary words that
may be new to them or remind themselves of a word they may have

once learned. The KRS helps teachers learn how much their students
may already know about a topic and he/she can develop a lesson plan
around their students response. This strategy can be used for pre-,
during, or post-reading activities and is beneficial for ELL students.
Example:

Knowledge Rating Scale

Word
Know It
Have
Have No
Well
Seen or
Clue
Heard It

Name: Verbal and Visual Word Association

APA Citation:
Verbal and Visual Word Association (VVWA). (1985). Retrieved from
https://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/VerbalandVisualWordAsso
ciation.html
Steps:
1. Draw a box with four squares write the context word in the top
left, the definition in the bottom left.
2. Ask students to study the definition and draw a visual
representation of the word or personal association, what they
think of when they hear this word and its definition.

3. In the bottom right hand corner you do the opposite, ask

students to draw a visual representation of what the word does
not mean.
Strengths:
This strategy is a good during or post-reading activity that benefits ELL
students. Students are able to include their personal association with a
vocabulary word which will help them comprehend the true definition.
With having a picture to correlate with a vocabulary word it is much
easier for visual learners and ELL students to remember the definition.
Example:
Verbal and Visual Word Association (VVWA)
Word
Visual Representation

Definition

Personal Association or
Characteristic

English Language Learners

Name: Inquiry Chart
APA Citation:
Inquiry Chart. (2014). Retrieved from
http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/inquiry_chart
Steps:
1. The teacher provides each student with a blank I-chart and
assists with topic selection OR provides the pre-selected topic.
2. The students engage in forming questions about the topic. Those
questions are placed at the top of each individual column.
3. The rows are for recording any information students already
know and the key ideas pulled from several different sources of
information. The last row gives students the opportunity to pull
together the ideas into a general summary.
4. Teachers may ask students to resolve competing ideas found in
the separate sources or develop new questions to explore based
on any conflicting or incomplete information.
Strengths: The inquiry chart will increase reading skills while students
produce questions over a specific topic. This strategy will encourage
class discussions and involve critical thinking. Students will build upon
their prior knowledge as they share their thoughts over a specific text.
You can use the inquiry chart pre-, during, or post-reading and is
beneficial for ELL students.
Example:
Topic
(Fact
(Concept
(Skill
What
Question)
Question)
Question)
questions
do I have?
What do I
already
know?
Text
Source 1
Primary
Sources
Other
Sources

Summary

Name: Magnet Words

APA Citation:
South Shares: Magnet Words. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.pkwy.k12.mo.us/southsr/parkwaysouth/homepages/as
signmentDetail.cfm?
UserID=pdcsouth&TeacherCourseID=60050728-1CC4-EACACE0C8A3648F5F073&AssignmentID=19949
Steps:
1. Hand out one index card to each student
2. Have students read a particular text and write down key terms
and/or concepts in the center of their note card; these are the
magnet words. Tell students that if they ran a magnet over the
text, only the most important words or concepts would stick.
3. Then tell them to write down supporting terms and ideas that
give information about the magnet words in the corners of
their note cards.
4. After students have filled up their note cards with magnet
words and supporting ideas, have them write a 1-2 sentence
summary on the other side of their note card.
5. The teacher should check for understanding and note whether
students were successful in summarizing the text.
Strengths:
Magnet Words helps students grasp the concept of a vocabulary word
by identifying other words that may describe or give information about
the main word. This activity activates critical thinking and connects
prior knowledge to a new topic. You can use this during or post-reading
and is beneficial for ELL students.
Example:
Magnet Notes
Section Summary
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

Name: Word Sort

APA Citation:
Word Sort. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.readingeducator.com/strategies/sort.htm
Steps:
1. List between 10 and 20 key vocabulary words from a reading
selection on the chalkboard or on index cards.
2. Divide the class into small groups of 4 or 5 students. (Distribute
the index cards if this method is used.)
3. For a Closed Word Sort, provide students with the categories into
which they will sort the vocabulary words. For an Open Word
Sort, instruct the student teams to suggest categories for
organizing the words.
4. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for the student teams to assign the words
to the appropriate categories.
5. Conduct a class discussion with each group presenting their word
list for one of the categories. Require the students to defend their
sorting of terms by asking about the common features of the
categories and how each specific word meets these criteria.
Strengths:
The Word Sort strategy is a good visual activity to help students
comprehend vocabulary words that are related. This strategy links
students prior knowledge to the new vocabulary words while
distinguishing what the meaning and properties of each word are. This
activity can be used pre-, during, or post-reading and is beneficial to
ELL students.
Example:
Dairy
Beef
Jersey
Hereford
Holstein
Angus
Guernsey
Shorthorn

Students are asked to place six different breeds of cattle under the
category that they fall under
Name: Anticipation Guide

Writing

APA Citation:
Anticipation Guide. (2014). Retrieved from
http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/anticipation_guide
Steps:
1. Construct the anticipation guide. Construction of the anticipation
guide should be as simple as possible for younger students.
Write four to six statements about key ideas in the text; some
true and some false. Include columns following each statement,
which can be left blank or can be labeled Yes, or No (Maybe can
also be used).
NOTE: Teachers may wish to create an additional
column for revisiting the guide after the material has
been read.
2. Model the process. Introduce the text or reading material and
share the guide with the students. Model the process of
responding to the statements and marking the columns.
3. Read each of the statements and ask the students if they agree
or disagree with it. Provide the opportunity for discussion. The
emphasis is not on right answers but to share what they know
and to make predictions.
4. Read the text aloud or have students read the selection
individually. If reading aloud, teachers should read slowly and
stop at places in the text that correspond to each of the
statements.
5. Bring closure to the reading by revisiting each of the statements.
Strengths: The anticipation guide is an excellent pre-reading strategy
that activates a students prior knowledge on a subject and
encourages curiosity on a new topic. It teaches students how to
properly anticipate a text before they begin to read and connect prior
knowledge to new information. This strategy may be used for a prereading activity or post-reading activity. It is also an appropriate
activity for vocabulary lessons and for ELL students.
Example:

Name: Possible Sentences

APA Citation:
Possible Sentences. (2014). Retrieved from
http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/possible_sentences
Steps:
1. Choose and display the vocabulary words.
2. Ask students to define the words and pair related words together.
3. Ask students to write sentences using their word pairs. Remind
students that their sentences should be ones they expect to see
in the text as they read.
4. Have students read the text and compare their possible
sentences with the actual sentences within the text.
5. If your students' possible sentences are inaccurate, ask them to
rewrite their sentences to be accurate.
Strengths: The possible sentences strategy activates prior knowledge
on a topic as well as helps students comprehend the content area
vocabulary. Forming proper sentences will encourage students to
understand the material and it will also help them remember the new
vocabulary. This strategy can be adapted to pre-, during, and postreading activities and is also beneficial for ELL students.
Example:

Nam
e: Twitter Table
APA Citation:
Twitter Table. (2014). Retrieved from
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/72620612717102526/
Steps:
1. Place a text piece in the center of a large piece of bulletin board
paper
2. Ask a group of students to read through the text and on the
piece of bulletin board paper write their thoughts about the text.
3. Encourage students to read other student responses and
comment back on them, continue a discussion the teacher can
interact too to keep the thoughts on topic
4. There should be multiple twitter tables around the room for the
class to participate in
Strengths:
This strategy encourages critical thinking and plenty of student
participation. The students must be able to understand the text given
in order to give an appropriate opinion. It also encourages students to
actively read the text and expand their ideas by reading other
students opinions. This is a during or post-reading activity that can
expand vocabulary knowledge and help ELL students with their
vocabulary and communication skills.

Example:

Study
Taking

Skills/Test

Name: Fly

Swatter

APA
Fly Swatter.

Citation:
(2014). Retrieved from

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/72620612717102540/
Steps:
1. Fill the board with multiple vocabulary words over a topic
2. With a fly swatter or pointer randomly select a vocabulary word
for students to define
3. This could be used as a review game for students to compete
against each other for points
Strengths:
This strategy encourages students to learn the definitions of new
vocabulary words. By randomly selecting words on a board students
are forced to think quickly and participate. This strategy would be most
effective as a during or post-reading strategy and can be used as a
review game to get students more.
Example:

Name: Plant Life Cycle

APA Citation:
Plant Life Cycle. (2014). Retrieved from
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/109986415874120303/
Steps:
1. Students are given sheets of paper with the different stages of
seed growth, they are instructed to cut out the seeds and color
them
2. Then they are to put the plant life cycle in order from beginning
to end
3. The student will then proceed to match the life cycle definition
with the life stage image
Strengths:
A graphic organizer like the Plant Life Cycle is a great way for student
to be able to visualize a lesson. When a student is able to visualize
something, they have a much better chance of comprehending the
lesson. Graphic organizers also increase vocabulary knowledge,
encourage cause and effect learning, and create organizational skills.

This strategy can be used for pre-, during, and post-reading activities
and will benefit ELL students.
Example:

Name: Quiz Can

APA Citation:
Quiz Can. (2014). Retrieved from
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/72620612717102245/
Steps:
1. Create a series of questions about the reading on popsicle sticks
2. Each student will be asked to grab one from the can
3. The students will then fill out their question and answer in their
journal
4. After answering, the students will pass around the questions until
each student has answered every question
Strengths:
This strategy ensures that the students are actively reading their
material encouraging them to understand or ask questions about
vocabulary words that they may not understand. Answering questions
over the material will also make it clear if the student really

understands the vocabulary if answered in complete sentences. This is

a post-reading activity and can benefit ELL students by helping them
comprehend vocabulary and form complete and sensible sentences.
Example: