Teaching Vocabulary with Francie Alexander

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Scholastic’s Reading Resources Network is putting the focus on vocabulary. Here, you'll find activities and resources to use in your classroom, a model lesson on video, and an online development session for vocabulary instruction. Plus you’ll discover a plethora — there’s a great vocabulary stretcher — of other resources.

Our host is Francie Alexander, Vice President and Chief Academic Officer for Scholastic Education. Francie has taught at all levels, was a district reading consultant for PreK through high school, and has authored professional articles for educators and 25 “books kids can read” for children.

Betty Tsang

 

Increasing Vocabulary: Concept Definition Map 

Observe a model best practice lesson. Betty Tsang is using a Concept Definition Map to deepen the vocabulary knowledge of her students.

Motivate and Focus 

Set Expectations 

Teach / Model 

Adapted from Scholastic Red, Improving Reading Comprehension, Grades 3–5

 

Francie Answers the Tough Questions
Question 1:
Why is vocabulary so important? 

Question 2:
What words do I teach? 

Question 3:
How do I teach vocabulary? 

Listen to more questions

 

Understanding Vocabulary

What you need to know about teaching vocabulary. Go Now

Professional Development Tutorial: Increasing Vocabulary. Go Now

 

Teaching Vocabulary

Francie Alexander’s Top Five Recommended Word Lists. Go Now

Lesson Plans and Activities from Scholastic Professional Books. Go Now

Resources — Encourage Your Students to Read Voluminously to Build Vocabulary. Go Now

Parent Connection — 100 Words Kids Need to Read. Tell parents about these colorful workbooks that offer engaging reading and writing activities students can do at home. Go Now

Reading for Gumshoes
Teacher Audrey Kennan shares how she uses mysteries to teach crucial reading skills. â??Tis the season for a spooky story!

Reading to Learn: Upper Elementary School Reading Skills
Create independent readers who love to read. Identify important upper elementary reading skills and milestones. Support key reading skills.

It's Full of Beans! Lesson plan based on The Thief and the Beanstalk, by P.W. Catanese
Check students' understanding of vocabulary words from The Thief and the Beanstalk, P.W. Catanese's updated take on the classic tale of Jack and the Beanstalk.

LESSON PLAN	What are the Elements of Poetry? Introduces a lesson for helping students identify the elements of poetry through reading and listening, define related terms, and recognize and...
UNIT PLAN	Vocabulary Builders Encourage struggling students to stay connected to difficult text by using the reading comprehension strategies in this helpful unit plan.
BOOK INFORMATION	Many Luscious Lollipops With simple, playful verse and bright, lifelike paintings, the subject of adjectives is explored in a clear and entertaining fashion.