A Cluster Approach to Elementary Vocabulary Instruction
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 293 116 CS 009 126 AUTHOR Marzano, Robert J.; Marzano, Jana S. TITLE A Cluster Approach to Elementary Vocabulary Instruction. INSTITUTION International Reading Association, Newark, Del. REPORT NO ISBN-0-87207-232-0 PUB DATE 88 NOTE 271p. AVAILABLE FROMInternational Reading Association, 800 Barksdale Rd., PO Box 8139, Newark, DE 19714-8139 (Book No. 232, $10.00 member, $15.00 nonmember). PUB TYPE Books (010) Guides - Classroom Use Guides (For Teachers) (052) -- Reference Materials Vocabularies /Classifications /Dictionaries (134) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC11 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Basic Vocabulary; *Content Area Reading; Elementary Education; Learning Processes; Teaching Methods; *Vocabulary Development; *Vocabulary Skills; Word Lists IDENTIFIERS Cluster Approach (Vocabulary); Semantic Mapping ABSTRACT Intended for elementary school teachers, researchers, and materials developers, this book presents a cluster approach to vocabulary instruction, in which words are taught in semantically related groups. Over 7,000 words from elementary school textbooks have been organized into 61 instructional clusters, each containing two levels of subclusters which are grouped according to closeness of semantic relationship. For each word, the authors have provided a recommended grade level, its part of speech, and a note on whether it is a basic, fundamental building block word. The list of clusters is presented in the appendix. The four chapters that precede the appendix describe vocabulary theory, procedures for forming the clusters, instructional uses of the clusters, and additional vocabulary activities not directly tied to cluster approach. Also included in separate appendixes are (1) an alphabetized, referenced list of the words; and (2) definitions of commonly confused words such as "infer" and "imply." (ARH) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** A Ar "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS U.S. OEPARTUENT OF EDUCATION MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESO INFORMATION W. CEN TER (EURCESRIC ) 101s document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating It. O Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view at opinions stated in thisdocu- INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." mint do not mcessanly represent official OERI positron or_policY 11 h a 0 Reading Aids Series A Cluster Approach to Elementary Vocabulary Instruction Robert J. Marzano Mid-Continent Regional Educational Laboratory Aurora, Colorado Jana S. Marzano Englewood, Colorado An10Service Bulletin International Reading Association Newark, Delaware 19714 INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION OFFICERS 1987-1988 PresidentPhylliss J. Adams, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado Vice PresidentPatricia S. Koppman, PSK Associates, San Diego, California Vice President ElectDale D. Johnson, Instructional Research and Development Institute, Boston, Massachusetts Executive DirectorRonald W. Mitchell, International Reading Association, Newark, Delaware DIRECTORS Term Expiring Spring 1988 Margaret Pope Hartley, The Psychological Corporation, North Little Rock, Arkansas P. David Pearson, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois Carol M. Santa, School District #5, Kalispell, Montana Term Expiring Spring 1989 Marie C. DiBiasio, Rhode Island Department of Education, Providence, Rhode Island Hans U. Grundin, Language and Literacy Consultant, London, England Nancy E. Semicoff, Winona State University, Winona, Minnesota Term Expiring Spring 1990 Jerome C. Harste, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana Jar M. Hornburger, Brooklyn College, CUNY, Brooklyn, New York Merrillyn Brooks Kloefkorn, Jefferson County Publiz Schools, Golden, Colorado Copyright 1988 by the International Reading Association. Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Marzano. Robert J. A cluster approach to elementary vocabulary instruction. (Reading aids series) Bibliography: p. I. VocabularyStudy and teaching (Elementary)United States. 2. Reading (Elementary)United States.I. Mamma, Jana S.11. Title.III. Scrics. LB1574.5.M37 1988 372.6 88.2923 ISBN 0-87207-232.0 Cover design by Boni Nash ii Contents Foreword v Preface vii 1 A Theoretical Base for Vocabulary Instruction 1 2 A Category Structure for Vocabulary Instruction 15 3 Some Instructional Uses of the Clusters 26 4 Going Beyond the Clusters 41 Appendix A Words in Clusters 57 Appendix B Alphabetized Words 208 Appendix C Commonly Confused Terms 257 iii 5 IRA DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS Jennifer A. Stevenson IRA PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE 1987-1988James E. Flood, San Diego State University, Chair JamesF. Baumann, Purdue University Janet R. Binkley, lax Phyllis E. Brazee, University of Maine Susan W. Brennan, ma Kent L. Brown Jr.,Highlights for Children Marie DiBiasio, Rhode Island Department of Education, Providence, Rhode Island Dolores Durkin, University of Illinois Claudia Gentile, Syracuse University Philip Gough, Univer- sity of Texas at Austin Margaret K. Jensen, Madison Metropolitan School District, Madison, Wisconsin John Micklos, Jr., IRA Ronald W. Mitchell, ERA Joy N. Monahan, Orange County Public Schools, Orlando, Florida Allan R. Neilsen, Mount St. Vincent University John J. Pikulski. University of Delaware Maria Elena Rodriguez, IRA, Buenos Aires Jenni- fer A. Stevenson, ma Anne C. Tarleton, Albuquerque Public Schools, Albuquerque, New Mexico The International Reading Association attempts, through its publications, to provide a forum for a wide spectrum of opinions on reading. This policy permits divergent viewpoints without assuming the endorsement of the Association. iv Foreword A Cluster Approach to Elementary Vocabulary Instruction is a major work. Its contribution to vocabulary literature is invaluable. It is certain to become a useful resource for teachers, researchers, and authors and publishers of instructional materials. Marzano and Marzano present an articulate discussion of two opposing posi- tions in vocabulary acquisition: that vocabulary needs to be taught directly and that wide reading is the primary vehicle of vo-mbulary growth. They wisely take a middle position that both are important. The authors recognize that learners acquire thousands of new words through context. Context, however, is often in- sufficiently rich to enable learning words that may be important to understand a particular reading passage or content discipline or to expand general background knowledge. When context is not rich, vocabulary must be taught. The authors argue for a categorical cluster approach to vocabulary instruction. Such an approach recognizes the power of schema theory and the elegance of learning words in association with semantically related words. The) describe and exemplify such proven instructional strategies as semantic mapping (referred to as "attribute comparison"). Drawing on the work of other vocabulary researchers and scholars, Marzano and Marzano explain the strength of learning three types of meaning for each new word: conceptual/associational, ceiteN 'dial, and definitional. Certainly the strongest feature of the book and the unique _orttlibution it makes to scholarship and pedagogy is the development and presentaticn of semantically related categories of words. Using several sources, the authors Aected 7,230 elementary school words and organized them into three levels ui instructio tal clusters. At the top are 61 superclusters (e.g., feelings and emotions,. These superclus- ters contain words that are semantically related. At the middle level are 430 clus- ters that contain words with closer semantic ties (e.g., fear, anger, -iteitement, joy). Beneath the clusters are more than 1,500 miniclusters that list words with the strongest semantic ties (e.g., startle: scare, frighten, terrify). For each word, the authors have provided a recommended grade level, its part of speech, and a V ry description of whether it is a basic, fundamental building block word. Their pro- cedures are well described; they are systematic, rigorous, and sensible. The only shortcoming of the lists is acknowledged by the authors: "It is impor- tant to note that many of the words on the list are sex stereotyped because these lists are based on basals written before publishers began to reduce sex stereotyp- ing in books for children:' The book contains four chapters that describe vocabulary theory, procedures for forming the clusters, instructional uses of the clusters, and additional vocabulary instruction. The book also contains three appendixes. Appendix A presents the words within their clusters; Appendix B is an alphabetized, referenced list of the words; and Appendix C defines commonly confused words such asinferandim- ply.Teachers, writers, and researchers will refer frequently to these appendixes. Marzano and Marzano are lo be congratulated for their scholarly contribution, and the International Reading Association is to be commended for this publication. Dale D. Johnson Instructional Research and Development Institute Brookline, Massachusetts vi Preface In recent years, teachers and researchers have become increasingly aware of the importance of vocabulary knowledge to reading and other academic areas. Yet there is also growing disagreement as to how much emphasis should be placed ano how much time should be spent on direct vocabulary