Word Meaning:
DAR Mastery Levels 7–9/10
Introduction:
The strategy for Word Meaning at Levels 7–9/10 assesses a student’s abilities to (a)
identify words whose meanings need to be known and (b) use effective strategies for
learning those meanings. The teacher can decide whether to use a selection from one of
the student’s textbooks or the selection provided.
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Strategy: Ways to Learn Word Meanings
Materials Needed:
TTS-WM-DAR 7-9_10-Ways.pdf
Classroom Materials:
index cards, dictionary, a copy of a textbook selection (if desired)
Say: A good way to improve your vocabulary is to start by identifying the words
whose meanings you don’t already know. Read this selection silently. (Give
the student a copy of the selection “Geography and Trade in South America” or a
copy of a textbook selection.) If you come to a word and you’re unsure of its
meaning, underline it.
After the student has finished reading and underlining,
Say: Now let’s look at the words you’ve underlined. Using these index cards, write
down those words that you think are the most important for understanding
the meaning of the selection. Use a separate card for each word.
|
If the student has difficulty in identifying important words,
 Note this on the Student Record Form.
Say: Let’s go through the selection together and identify some of the important
words.
Help the student identify words whose meanings are important for understanding the
selection. |
After identifying some important words,
Say: Now that we’ve identified some important words, let’s talk about the
strategies you can use to find out their meanings. What strategies could you
use to figure out the meanings of the words?
On the Student Record Form, use the checklist provided to note the strategies the
student mentions.
Discuss with the student how to use a dictionary and the tools provided on a word
processor that aid with word meaning.
Say: Now let’s use the dictionary to look up the meaning of one of the important
words from the selection. As you do that, write down the meaning that fits
best with the overall meaning of the selection.
On the Student Record Form, note whether the student has difficulty in identifying
the appropriate meaning.
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If the student has difficulty identifying the appropriate meaning, discuss how
paraphrasing the text using the definitions in the dictionary can help identify the best
definition. |
Interpreting and Using TTS Results:
For students coming to the TTS at these levels, emphasize that the most effective way of
increasing reading vocabulary is through extensive reading on a wide range of subjects.
Provide additional practice in identifying important unknown words. Encourage students
to record new words and their meanings on vocabulary cards or in vocabulary notebooks.
Urge students to use their new words in speaking and in writing, and tell them to keep
track of instances when they hear or see someone else using the words.
