Vocabulary Words for Teachers

There are other ways to learn vocabulary than from the dictionary.

Teachers of all subjects, especially English teachers, need access to a vast vocabulary, not only for themselves, but also to pass on to their students. A broad vocabulary enables teachers to explain complex subjects to their students. Having a set of assessment vocabulary words on hand can also save time when marking. Teachers must be experts on the vocabulary words their students need to know.

Subject-Specific Vocabulary

Any discipline of study comes with its own set of vocabulary, even math and science. Teachers can benefit from learning the vocabulary specific to the subject they are teaching if they do not already know them. For example, a high school English teacher needs to know all the different kinds of essays, such as persuasive, expository and others, along with literary devices such as onomatopoeia, simile, anachronism and more. Teachers can find these terms explained in literature anthologies and teacher guide books, as well as in student textbooks. Students will also need to learn subject-specific vocabulary in order to express their ideas on the topic at hand.

Job-Related Vocabulary Words

Teachers can benefit from preparing a list of assessment-related vocabulary words when writing comments on papers, tests and report cards. Report card comments should address a student's progress or development. Strong verbs such as "achieve," "accomplish" and "develop" positively assess a student's progress whereas simply stating the student "finished the project" does not indicate the student's competency. Having a set of stock phrases on hand when marking projects, such as "exceeds/fails to meet the requirements of the assignment," is also useful.

Vocabulary Words for Your Students

Every teacher desires to enrich her student's learning by providing them with vocabulary to use in expressing their ideas and participating in critical discussion of the subjects they are studying. Many studies show that vocabulary is directly related to reading comprehension and academic success. The kind of vocabulary that would best benefit students depends on their grade. Children's novels and easy newspaper articles are the best sources of vocabulary for elementary and middle school children, while high school students will benefit from reading advanced novels, newspaper and journal articles, non-fiction and advanced vocabulary series such as Wordly Wise and WordSmart.

SAT Vocabulary

Senior high school students getting ready to apply to college will need a whole other set of vocabulary: SAT vocabulary. The SAT includes a section which tests for a very specific set of advanced vocabulary which students may or may not encounter in their daily reading. SAT preparation books abound in teacher stores and online bookstores. Teachers can use games and contests in the classroom to teach SAT vocabulary.

References

• "Pacific Resources for Education and Learning;" Lehr et al.; A Focus in Vocabulary

Resources

• Teachers Network: How to: Report Card Comments