Vocabulary is important for oral language development and reading comprehension. For educators taking part in the Texas Reading Academies, oral language and vocabulary makes up an entire section (module 5) of the course content.
But how can educators teach new vocabulary words in an effective and engaging way? Other than putting a word on a word wall or making a memory match game, how can words be taught so memorably that students' vocabulary knowledge grows exponentially?
In my book Wrestling with Words I explore the five parts of a powerful vocabulary program. One of those parts, presenting new words, answers this exact question. Watch the video below or check out the slide deck (pdf version) to learn seven ways to teach a new vocabulary word.