Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Secondary Reading Instruction (Part 1): Teaching Vocabulary and Comprehension in the Content Areas
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  • Secondary Reading Instruction (Part 1): Teaching Vocabulary and Comprehension in the Content Areas
Challenge
Initial Thoughts
Perspectives & Resources

Do you think teachers should teach vocabulary and reading comprehension skills within their content areas? (Opinion Question: No Resources)

What are the responsibilities of middle- and high school teachers for teaching vocabulary and comprehension skills within their content areas?

  • 1: Literacy in Content-Area Instruction

What should content-area teachers know about vocabulary instruction?

  • 2: Components of Effective Vocabulary Instruction
  • 3: Selecting Essential Words
  • 4: Explicitly Defining and Contextualizing Terms
  • 5: Helping Students Actively Process Vocabulary
  • 6: Providing Multiple Exposures to Vocabulary
  • 7: Building Vocabulary and Conceptual Knowledge Using the Frayer Model

What should content-area teachers know about comprehension instruction?

  • 8: Components of Effective Comprehension Instruction
  • 9: Activating Prior Knowledge
  • 10: Monitoring Comprehension
  • 11: Using Graphic Organizers
  • 12: Answering Questions
  • 13: Generating Questions

Resources

  • 14: References, Additional Resources, and Credits
Wrap Up
Assessment
Provide Feedback

Secondary Reading Instruction (Part 1): Teaching Vocabulary and Comprehension in the Content Areas

This module describes how teachers can incorporate vocabulary and reading comprehension skills instruction into content-area lessons and will introduce you to a variety of effective practices—including the use of graphic organizers—to help students better understand what they read (est. completion time: 2 hours).

Earn the Professional Development Certificate for this module.

When you have completed the module, be sure to visit part two (below):

  • Secondary Reading Instruction (Part 2): Deepening Middle School Content-Area Learning with Vocabulary and Comprehension Strategies
    • Work through the sections of this module in the order presented in the STAR graphic above.

      Related to this module

      Module Outline. A summary of the module’s main content and media elements.

       Navigating an IRIS STAR Legacy Module. A video tutorial on finding your way around a module.

      IRIS & Adult Learning Theory. In-depth information about the adult learning theory on which our modules are based.

      Wraparound Resources. Supporting materials to supplement information in this module.

      Copyright 2022 Vanderbilt University. All rights reserved.

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