TEACHING ENGLISH IN THE ELEMENTARY GRADES Making Inferences- In order to make inferences about
- Through Literature (REVIEWER) something that is not explicitly stated in the text, students must
VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
Vocabulary is a list or collection of words and phrases usually
alphabetically arranged and explained or defined.
Types of Vocabulary
Listening Vocabulary
Speaking Vocabulary
Reading Vocabulary
Writing Vocabulary
Vocabulary Instruction - Vocabulary instruction should aim to
engage students in actively thinking about word meanings, the
relationships among words, and how we can use words in
different situations. This type of rich, deep instruction is most
likely to influence comprehension (Graves, 2006; McKeown and
Beck, 2004).
The scientific research on vocabulary instruction reveals that:
1. Most vocabulary is learned indirectly.
2. Some vocabulary must be taught directly.
Indirect vocabulary learning
 They engage daily on oral language.
 They listen to adults read to them.
 They read extensively on their own.
Direct vocabulary learning
1. Specific word instruction
2. Word-learning strategies
 Using dictionaries and other reference aids
 Using word parts
 Using context clues
Vocabulary and Comprehension
Vocabulary also is very important to reading comprehension.
Readers cannot understand what they are reading without
knowing what most of the words mean. As children learn to
read more advanced texts, they must learn the meaning of new
words that are not part of their oral vocabulary.
COMPREHENSION: THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF READING
GENERAL STRATEGIES FOR READING COMPREHENSION
Use prior knowledge/previewing- When students preview
text, they tap into what they already know that will help them
to understand the text they are about to read.
Predicting- When students make predictions about the text
they are about to read, it sets up expectations based on their
prior knowledge about similar topics.
Identifying the main idea and summarization- Identifying the
main idea and summarizing requires that students determine
what is important and then put it in their own words.
Questioning- Asking and answering questions about text is
another strategy that helps students focus on the meaning of
text.
learn to draw on prior knowledge and recognize clues in the
text itself
Visualizing- Studies have shown that students who visualize
while reading have better recall than those who do not.
READING AND LISTENING COMPREHENSION
Listening Comprehension- Understanding the meaning of
spoken words. It must be developed first.
Reading Comprehension- Understanding the meaning of
written words.
FORMULATING QUESTIONS OF DIFFERENT LEVEL ABOUT
SELECTING READ
Prepare questions- prepare questions that students will
answer.
 FACTUAL QUESTIONS
 INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS
 UNIVERSAL QUESTIONS
Students practice active reading- how students watch or read
the text silently or aloud.
Student answer questions- students can answer the questions
individually or in small groups.
PROCEDURE:
REVIEW AND DISCUSS- Review responses to level-one and
level- two questions to make sure everyone understands the
text.
VARIATION:
Student Generated questions- After using this strategy a few
times, have students generate their own questions in each of
the categories.
For Heterogenous classrooms- You can have struggling readers
focus on level- one questions, average readers focus on level-
one and level-two questions, and advanced readers be
responsible for addressing all three levels of questions
EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION OF COMPOSING SKILLS
1. Focus instruction on critical content- Teach skills, strategies,
vocabulary terms, concepts, and rules that will empower
students in the future and match the students' instructional
needs.
2. Sequence skills logical- Consider several curricular variables,
such as teaching easier skills before harder skills.
3. Break down complex skills and strategies into smaller
instructional units-Teach in small steps. Segmenting complex
skills into smaller instructional units of new material addresses
concerns about cognitive overloading, processing demands,
and the capacity of students' working memory.
4. Design organized and focused lessons- Make sure lessons
are organized and focused, in order to make optimal use of
instructional time.
5. Begin lessons with a clear statement of the lesson's goals
and your expectations- Tell learners clearly what is to be
learned and why it is important.
6. Review prior skills and knowledge before beginning
instruction- Provide a review of relevant information
7. Provide step-by-step demonstrations- Model the skill and
clarify the decision-making processes needed to complete a
task or procedure by thinking aloud as you perform the skill.
8. Use clear and concise language- Use consistent,
unambiguous wording and terminology.
9. Provide an adequate range of examples of non-examples-
In order to establish the boundaries of when and when not to
apply a skill, strategy, concept, or rule, provides a wide range of
examples and non-examples.
10. Provide guided and supported practice- In order to
promote initial success and build confidence, regulate the
difficulty of practice opportunities during the lesson, and
provide students with guidance in skill performance.
11. Require frequent responses- Plan for high level of student-
teacher interaction via the use of questioning.
12. Monitor student performance closely- Carefully watch and
listen to students' responses, so that you can verify student
mastery as well as make timely adjustments in instruction if
students are making errors.
13. Provide immediate affirmative and corrective feedback-
Follow up on students' responses as quickly as you can.
14. Deliver the lesson at a brisk pace- Deliver instruction at an
appropriate pace to optimize instructional time, the amount of
content that can be presented and on-task behavior.
15. Help students organize knowledge- Because many students
have difficulty seeing how some skills and concepts fit together,
it is important to use teaching techniques that make these
connections more apparent or explicit.
16. Provide distributed and cumulative practice- Distributed
(vs. massed) practice refers to multiple opportunities to
practice a skill over time.
DEVELOPINGCOMPOSING SKILLS
Developing composing skills-can be a rewarding and fulfilling
process. Whether you're interested in writing music, poetry,
essays, or any other form of composition, there are some
general principles that can help you enhance your skills.
READ WIDELY- Expose yourself to a diverse range of writing
styles, genres, and forms. This will help you understand
different approaches to composition.
WRITE REGULARLY- Practice is essential. Set aside dedicated
time each day or week to compose. The more you write, the
more you'll refine your skills.
STUDY STRUCTURE- Analyze the structure of well-crafted
compositions. Understand how they are organized and how
different elements contribute to the overall piece.
GET FEEDBACK- Share your work with others and seek
constructive feedback. Join writing groups, attend workshops,
or find a mentor who can provide valuable insights to help you
improve.
REVISE AND EDIT- The first draft is just the beginning. Revise
your work critically. Pay attention to clarity, coherence, and
overall impact. Editing is a crucial part of the writing process.
READ ALOUD- Reading your work aloud can help you identify
awkward phrasing, grammatical errors, and other issues that
may not be apparent when reading silently.
EXPAND VOCABULARY- A rich vocabulary allows you to express
ideas more precisely and creatively. Make a habit of learning
new words and understanding their nuances.
LEARN FROM OTHERS- Study the works of accomplished
writers in your chosen field. Analyze what makes their
compositions effective and try to incorporate similar
techniques into your own writing.
STAGES OF WRITING DEVELOPMENT
PRE-WRITING STAGE
(Pre-school & Kindergarten)
Young children often begin with drawing and scribbling,
exploring the connection between hand movements and marks
on paper. Children start to produce letter-like shapes,
sometimes resembling actual letters.
EMERGENT WRITING
(Late Preschool to Early Elementary)
Children learn to form letters and start incorporating them into
their writing.They use phonetic or inventive spelling to
represent words as they sound, even if the spelling is not
conventional.
EARLY CONVENTIONAL WRITING
(Elementary School)
Students begin to use more conventional sentence structures
and grammar. Spelling becomes more accurate, and students
rely less on inventive spelling. Students learn to organize their
writing into paragraphs, expressing ideas in a more structured
way.
FLUENT WRITING
(Late Elementary to Middle School)
Writers expand their vocabulary, incorporating more
sophisticated words into their writing. Students start to use
complex sentence structures and explore different writing
styles. The ability to self-edit and revise for clarity improves.
ADOLESCENT WRITING
(Middle to High School)
Students develop skills in constructing essays with clear
introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions.
Research-based writing becomes more common, requiring
students to integrate information from various sources.
Writers learn to present and support arguments effectively.
COLLEGE AND BEYOND
Depending on academic and career paths, individuals develop
specialized writing skills for their fields.
College-level writing often involves critical analysis and the
ability to synthesize complex information.
In the workplace, individuals may engage in various forms of
professional writing, such as reports, emails, and proposals.
THE ISSUE ON INVENTED SPELLING AND MECHANICS OF
WRITING
INVENTED SPELLING
Invented spelling, is the practice of spelling unfamiliar areas related to mechanics, pointing out both strengths and
words with an educated guess based on phonetic knowledge. areas for improvement. Encourage self-editing skills.

THE ADVANTAGES OF INVENTED SPELLING
Invented spelling can help build a sense of confidence, pride
and control over the learning process.
It allows students to express themselves creatively through
writing without worrying about the spelling of unfamiliar
words.
Writing using invented spelling techniques allows for
extensive practice of phonics because students are using letters
to represent the sounds they hear.
Teachers can discover important information about a student's
growing knowledge of phonemes by reading a composition that
the student created using invented spelling techniques.
MODEL CORRECT USAGE- Demonstrate correct grammar,
punctuation, and spelling in your own writing. Model how to
edit and revise for improved mechanics. This helps students see
the application of rules in practice.
PROVIDE REGULAR PRACTICE- Schedule regular writing
assignments that specifically focus on applying grammar and
punctuation rules. Frequent practice is essential for mastery.
INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT- Recognize that students may have
different levels of proficiency in writing mechanics. Provide
individualized support and additional resources for those who
need it.

THE DISADVANTAGES OF INVENTED SPELLING

It may reduce the incentive for children to learn to spell words
correctly.

It could possibly lead to problems in communication since

others may not always be able to decipher what the student
has written.

Highly logical children may become frustrated when the

teacher doesn’t insist there’s only one correct way to spell a
particular word.

TEACHING THE MECHANICS OF WRITING

ASSESS PRIOR KNOWLEDGE- Before starting a new unit on
writing mechanics, assess students' prior knowledge. This can
be done through pre-assessments, discussions, or informal
writing samples.

SET CLEAR LEARNING OBJECTIVES- Clearly define the specific

mechanics you want students to learn, whether it's grammar
rules, punctuation, sentence structure, or spelling. Establish
measurable learning objectives to guide your instruction.

USE EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION- Provide direct and explicit

instruction on each writing mechanic. Break down complex
rules into simple, understandable components. Use examples
and non-examples to illustrate key concepts.

PROVIDE VISUAL AIDS- Use visual aids, such as charts,

diagrams, and graphic organizers, to supplement verbal
explanations. Visuals can help reinforce understanding and
serve as quick references for students.

INTEGRATE WRITING EXERCISES- Embed mechanics lessons

within writing exercises. Have students practice applying
grammar and punctuation rules in the context of their own
writing.

PROVIDE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK- Offer timely and

constructive feedback on students' writing. Focus on specific