Session 7.

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Developing vocabulary and concepts

Objectives of the Session

At the end of the session, teachers should be able to:

1. Identify the possible sources of difficulties a reader may have in

understanding a text;
2. Describe the Dale’s Cone of Experience;
3. Explain the principles of teaching and learning that teachers should
consider in choosing instructional devices and activities;
4. Explain the principles that underpin the development of vocabulary;
5. Identify the considerations teachers should remember in unlocking of
words and concepts; and,
6. Plan a pre-reading activity focusing on development of vocabulary and
concepts.

Key Understanding or Learning Points

1. Source of Reading Difficulty:

a. Concepts: Unfamiliar or little knows
b. Vocabulary: Words and expressions
c. Syntax: Sentence Structures
d. Style Elements: E.g., dialogue, figures of speech
e. Text Structure: e.g., flashback, top-level structure
2. There is a strong connection between vocabulary knowledge and
reading comprehension. Key vocabulary in the text to be read must be
taught well enough to remove potential barriers to students’
understanding.
a. Words are not learned in isolation but in association with other
words.
b. Dale’s Cone of Experience is a pictorial device used to explain
the interrelationships of various types of audio-visual media, as
well as their individual position in the learning process. It can be
used as a framework for unlocking unfamiliar concepts and
words.
c. The process of learning must move from the concrete to the
abstract if mastery is to be obtained.
 3. Edgar Dale’s Cone of Experience is a pictorial device used to explain
the interrelationships of various types of audio-visual media, as well as
their individual positions in the learning process. It can be used as a
framework for unlocking unfamiliar concepts and words.

4. Developing Vocabulary and Concepts

a. Principle: The process of learning must move from the concrete to
the abstract if mastery is to be obtained.
b. “What I hear, I forget; what I see, I remember; what I do, I
understand.” - Chinese Proverbs
5. Developing Vocabulary and Concepts Other Considerations
a. Use KEY words only or those crucial to understanding of the text.
b. Use the most feasible and efficient strategy.
c. Be sure students get to see the written form of the vocabulary
studied.
d. You may have a brief review/quiz about the vocabulary learned.
e. Unlocking is not the same as explicit teaching of a vocabulary
strategy.

ACTIVITY (25 minutes)

Brainstorming Procedure: A Teeny-Weeny Lesson Plan (Part II)

1. The participants are divided into groups.

2. Each group is given a copy of the story Winnie the Witch.
3. Have each group choose words to be unlocked and identify the strategy
they will use to unlock them. (5 minutes)
4. Group presentation of outputs follows. (2 minutes per group)
Materials: bond paper, manila paper

ANALYSIS (10 minutes)

“After the group reporting, let’s reflect on the following questions.

1. Based on the group outputs, which vocabulary strategies will you use in
your own class?
2. What strategy will you do differently?”
ABSTRACTION (15 minutes)

Discussion on salient points discussed by N. Hermosa.

Guide Questions

1. One pre-reading activity is known as “Unlocking of Difficulties.” What

are the possible sources of difficulties a reader may have in
understanding a text?
2. Describe Dale’s Cone of experience. What does the arrangement of the
experiences from the base to the top of the Cone represent?
3. What principles of teaching and learning should teachers consider in
choosing instructional devices and activities?
4. What principles underpin the development of vocabulary? What
considerations should teachers remember in unlocking of words and
concepts.

Reflection Questions

1. Do you do the Developing Vocabulary and Concepts (DVC) in your ELA

class?
2. If yes, are you doing the same DVC activities over and over? If no, what
other DVC activities are you doing?
3. Which DVC activities do your students enjoy very much? Why do you
think so?
4. Which DVC activities do your students enjoy least? Why do you think
so?
5. What will you continue doing or do differently in your DVC activities?

APPLICATION (10 minutes)

Small Group Workshop Procedure

 1. Ask the groups/participants to refer back to the Teeny-Weeny Lesson
Plan they made during the session on “Activating Prior Knowledge.”
2. Have them plan a pre-reading activity focusing on Developing
Vocabulary and Concepts.
3. Let each group present their output.
Materials: Teeny-Weeny Lesson Plan, copies of the stories, manila paper,
bond paper

Closure

Say: “Before we end our SLAC session today, let me share with you a quote
about Vocabulary. This quote is taken from Zig Ziglar who was an American
author, salesman and motivational speaker.”

“Your understanding of what you read and hear is,

to a very large degree,
determined by your vocabulary,
so improve your vocabulary daily.”
- Zig Ziglar