Guest Author - Marie Rippel
"Bringing words to life" is exactly what we want to do when we teach language arts to children. Showing kids the power and excitement of words is a worthy goal, and this little book can help us achieve that goal.
Written as a collaborative effort between Isabel L. Beck, Margaret G. McKeown, and Linda Kucan, Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction is a practical resource for teachers and parents.
This book covers topics such as:
- Criteria for choosing words to teach
- Teaching vocabulary to young readers, grade school students, and high school students
- How to introduce new vocabulary words most effectively
- The problem with dictionary definitions, and what to do about it
- How to explain words in everyday language
- Using trade books to promote vocabulary development
- How to engage high school students in meaningful word discussions
- Tips for assessing word knowledge
- Ideas for providing a rich learning environment
- Suggested resources for teaching word meaning
Guidelines for choosing words to teach are included. The authors also provide a list of book suggestions divided by grade level, along with corresponding vocabulary words.
This book is filled with inspiring examples of teachers who enjoy words and are able to pass on a love and fascination for words to their students. Many sample conversations and anecdotes are included, allowing the reader to learn from the examples of master teachers.
After reading Bringing Words to Life, you'll be armed with practical and intriguing ideas for teaching vocabulary. This is a resource book I am glad to have on my bookshelf!
