Vocabulary Development & Word Knowledge Flashcards

What is the primary purpose of semantic feature analysis (SFA) in vocabulary instruction?

Answer: To help students compare and contrast related words by identifying shared and unique features

Semantic feature analysis uses a matrix to help students identify similarities and differences among related words, deepening conceptual understanding.

A kindergarten teacher uses 'vocabulary-rich read-alouds' in which she pre-selects three to four Tier 2 words, introduces them before reading, and revisits them after. This practice is best supported by which research principle?

Answer: Intentional, repeated exposure to target words in meaningful contexts accelerates vocabulary acquisition

Research supports intentional vocabulary instruction during read-alouds, where pre-teaching and revisiting words in context leads to deeper and more lasting word learning.

Which of the following demonstrates a student using the suffix '-ful' to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word?

Answer: Recognizing that 'powerful' means 'full of power' based on the suffix meaning 'full of'

Recognizing that '-ful' means 'full of' and applying that knowledge to determine the meaning of 'powerful' demonstrates morphological analysis using a suffix.

What is the most significant implication of the 'Matthew Effect' for vocabulary instruction?

Answer: Students who read more develop larger vocabularies, creating a widening gap between strong and struggling readers

The Matthew Effect describes how students with rich vocabularies read more, learn more words, and widen the gap with struggling readers who need explicit vocabulary support.

A teacher asks students to sort a set of words into categories such as 'animals,' 'vehicles,' and 'foods.' This activity primarily develops which vocabulary skill?

Answer: Conceptual and semantic categorization

Word sorting by semantic category builds conceptual knowledge and helps students understand how words are related in meaning and organized into categories.

Which of the following is an example of connotation, an important dimension of word knowledge students must develop?

Answer: Understanding that 'slender' and 'scrawny' both mean thin but carry different emotional associations

Connotation refers to the emotional or implied associations a word carries beyond its literal definition, such as 'slender' (positive) versus 'scrawny' (negative).

Which statement best reflects the importance of wide independent reading for vocabulary development?

Answer: Wide reading exposes students to a large number of words in varied contexts, supporting incidental vocabulary acquisition

Wide independent reading is one of the most powerful contributors to vocabulary growth because it provides extensive exposure to words in rich, varied, and meaningful contexts.