The Vocabulary Book: Learning and Instruction

Michael F. Graves

Jan 2016 · Teachers College Press

About this ebook

This extensively revised and expanded edition of the bestselling text and teaching resource incorporates the newest research in vocabulary learning and instruction into a complete and balanced program for all K–12 students, from those who struggle in school to those who excel. Literacy expert Michael Graves presents a four-pronged vocabulary program that he has developed and honed for over 30 years. The program has the following four components: Frequent, Varied, and Extensive Language Experiences; Teaching Individual Words; Teaching Word Learning Strategies; and Fostering Word Consciousness. The text includes theory, research-based strategies, vocabulary interventions, classroom examples, advice for working with English learners, discussion of next-generation standards, and more. The Vocabulary Book, Second Edition will appeal to reading and subject-area teachers, teacher educators, and school, district, and state leaders.

New for the Second Edition:

Instructional approaches developed and classroom-tested since the release of the first edition. A chapter specifically on teaching vocabulary to English learners. A chapter specifically on selecting vocabulary words to teach. Curricular and instructional elements designed to meet and exceed Common Core State Standards. An emphasis on vocabulary as a vital resource for all students in our increasingly diverse society.

“If you believe vocabulary instruction is vital to reading, writing, and thinking, then Michael Graves’ Second Edition of The Vocabulary Book will give you the tools for powerful instruction, as many teachers discovered with the First Edition. This book will shift your perspective and you will reap the benefits of placing vocabulary at the center of your instruction.”
—Peter Dewitz, district level reading consultant, Mary Baldwin College

“Now that ‘vocabulary’ is included on the Nation’s Report Card, teachers will want to know how to help students increase their word power. Graves’s advice will be invaluable in what to do—and what not to do.”
—Robert Calfee, professor emeritus, Stanford University

“This book is an excellent resource for practitioners interested in developing a comprehensive program for building vocabulary in children. It is also of great value for researchers who wish to design and test vocabulary interventions.”
—Diane August, senior research scientist, Center for Applied Linguistics