Vocabulary Resources

It is easy to overlook implementing vocabulary lessons in the classroom due to all the pressure put on teachers to meet content standards and perform well on state tests. However, having a strong vocabulary is essential in all content areas. Having a strong foundation of vocabulary will improve skill areas such as listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and writing. I am not teaching in the classroom yet, but hope to find simple ways to utilize vocabulary resources in the classroom. Through some classroom observations, conversations with teachers, and some research, I found some great tools to use in my future classroom and wanted to share them with all of you.

http://flocabulary.com/

Flocabulary is a program designed for all grades K-12 and covers all content areas. The program uses hip-hop music to engage students and increase achievement across the curriculum. The program supplies videos, activities, lesson plans, educational hip-hop songs, and other tools to offer students more creativity in their learning. I had the opportunity to do an observation in a 3rd grade classroom that used Flocabulary and the students were so into it! They had been listening to the song and practicing it all week and the words in the song tied into activities in their packets. This is definitely a program I plan to use in my future classroom.

http://raz-kids.com/

The 2 elementary schools I currently work for use Raz-Kids and it is a great program. Raz-Kids has over 400 books online that students can access from anywhere. Students can use this program in the classroom, at home, and from any mobile device. Not only are there more than 400 books, but they are also all in Spanish and leveled. Students can listen to the story being read, record themselves reading the story, and each book comes with a comprehension quiz at the end. This program makes it easy for the students, teachers, and district to watch data and see how the students are progressing. According to the website, this program has received numerous awards including CODiE and EDDIE and a Teachers’ Choice Award for the Classroom.

https://quizlet.com/languages-and-vocab/

I came across this resource as I was doing research for creating a vocabulary lesson. It seems like a great tool that I would like to use in my future classroom. The program can create a schedule for you to study and what exactly to study. It helps keep students all over the world on track and prepared for an upcoming test or exam. It has resources for K-12, college students and even professional development. You can create specific vocabulary lists that include the definition, an illustration, and play the definition audially. This could be great for ELL students as well through not only the use of illustrations, but it can pair different languages with the English word next to it. This program can have many benefits in the classroom and is something I want to try out in my classroom.

https://getkahoot.com/

I discovered Kahoot early in my credentialing program and think it is a great tool to use in the classroom. While I have not personally gotten to see it being used, I have talked to some teacher friends who absolutely love it. Kahoot is designed to make learning fun by turning the “typical quiz” into a fun and interactive game. Kahoot can be used simultaneously by the entire class, individuals, or in groups. It adds a social aspect that makes taking a “quiz” fun. Not only is this program motivating for students, but also offers activities in 41 languages. Students can interact on Kahoot through computers, laptops, tablets, or smartphones. This program also makes it easy for educators to gauge student knowledge rather than having to individually grade a test or quiz. I wish there was something like Kahoot when I was going through school.

https://vocabulary.com/

When researching new technology to improve vocabulary, I came across vocabulary.com. What instantly caught my attention when looking over this website was in their explanation of the site, “you’ll read a friendly explanation that you’ll actually remember. It’s as if your favorite teacher were explaining the word to you.” I remember when I was learning vocabulary in school and so often the definitions were elaborate and difficult to comprehend, but when a teacher explained it in simple form it was easy to comprehend. Being able to give students simple explanations with a variety of questions and activities to help students associate words with real life situations is a great technique to teach vocabulary.