that follows the term and ask what it suggests about the meaning of the word: “His job was to add
numbers and balance budgets.” In Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez, author Kathleen Krull
(2003) writes that Chavez experienced “homesickness” when he and his family left their home state of
Arizona in search of work. Teachers instruct children to use their knowledge of the parts of the word
to consider its meaning. Teachers ask questions that prompt children’s use of new vocabulary (“Tell
your partner how Chavez felt and why he felt that way. How do we know?”). Strategies for gaining
word meanings are explicitly taught (L.1.4).
Teachers also ensure that they create word-conscious
environments to pique children’s interest in words. They talk
about word origins and draw attention to interesting words.
They highlight the relationships among words (e.g., word,
reword, wordy; final, finally, finalized), including words from
different languages (i.e., cognates such as different and
diferente).
This comprehensive approach to vocabulary instruction—
wide reading, intentional and explicit instruction in specific
words and in word learning strategies, and building word
consciousness—is important for all children and critical for
EL children’s vocabulary development (see August, Carlo,
Dressler, and Snow 2005; Baumann and Kame’enui 2004;
Graves 2000, 2006, 2009; Stahl and Nagy 2006). One of
these components, intentional and explicit instruction in
specific words, when combined with teacher read alouds of sophisticated texts, has been shown to
expand EL students’ vocabularies and improve their reading comprehension. This approach includes
selecting words carefully for instruction from high-quality text, providing rich explanations of words,
providing opportunities for word play, and developing deep knowledge of words over time (Collins
2005; Robbins and Ehri 1994; Sénéchal, Thomas, and Monker 1995; Silverman 2007; Spycher 2009).
Effective Expression
In grade one, children make progress toward expressing
themselves effectively as they write, discuss, and present their
ideas and knowledge to others. They continue to expand their
command of written and spoken language conventions.
Writing
Children progress considerably in their writing, both in terms
of substance (including organization and style) and mechanics
during grade one. They have daily opportunities to write with
their teacher, their peers, and on their own for a variety of
purposes and in a variety of contexts. They write in learning
and literature response journals. They write messages to others.
They write directions for visitors. They write lists of ways to
improve the playground.
Children learn to reflect on the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing as they share their
written work. Some selections are revised after feedback from the teacher or peers (W.1.5). Some
are published, such as when each child contributes a page produced digitally to a class book. Children
engage deeply with a number of texts, use language to communicate with peers, and problem solve
as they pursue research topics and present in writing what they learned (W.1.7).
This comprehensive approach
to vocabulary instruction—
wide reading, intentional and
explicit instruction in specific
words and in word learning
strategies, and building word
consciousness—is important
for all children and critical
for EL children’s vocabulary
development.242 | Chapter 3 Grade 1