This document discusses strategies to improve 3rd grade students' vocabulary and comprehension of informational texts. It begins by providing background data on improvements in reading scores at Eden Prairie Schools. It then reviews best practices for vocabulary instruction, including repeated exposure and teaching words in authentic contexts. For informational text comprehension, it recommends explicitly teaching strategies like questioning and connecting ideas. The document proposes that teachers model strategies, provide peer observation opportunities, and study relevant books. It outlines plans for the 3rd grade team to apply vocabulary and comprehension strategies in their classroom.

1. ADDRESSING VOCABULARY
AND COMPREHENSION OF
INFORMATIONAL TEXT
Leticia De la Cruz O’Sheaf
EDRD 606G

2. Eden Prairie Schools District – MCA Reading
Eden Prairie Schools continues to make strides in closing the
achievement gap. Between 2008-2011, preliminary MCA Reading
results show the following improvement:
• white student scores by 5%
• Asian student scores by 10%
• Latino student scores by 12%
• Special Education student scores by 14%
• Black student scores by 21%
• Free/Reduced Lunch student scores by 21%, and
• Limited English student scores by 28%.

3. Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion School
MCA Reading Data

4. Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion School
NWEA Reading Data

5. Student needs identified
What can be done?
The 3rd grade teachers, including the English specialist, are doing an
excellent job at helping the students be successful readers. Their
work is reflected in the improvement made by the 3 rd grade class
quarter after quarter.
Reflecting on their teaching practices, what does the 3rd grade team
have currently in place that works and what needs improvement to
address the areas of…
• Vocabulary / word recognition
• Comprehension of informational text

6. Best practices and research
Vocabulary / Word Recognition
The NRP states that “comprehension comprises two ‘skills’: Word
knowledge or vocabulary and reasoning.” Therefore, vocabulary
occupies an important position in learning to read.
In Manzo, we also learned that a solid vocabulary development
program balances direct instruction and incidental methods. This is
supported by the NRP’s findings about how repeated exposure to
vocabulary items is important for learning gains, especially when
instruction is extended beyond single class periods and involves
multiple exposures in authentic contexts beyond the classroom.

7. Best practices and research
Comprehension: Informational
Reading comprehension is defined on the NRP as “intentional
thinking during which meaning is constructed through interactions
between text and reader”. (Durkin, 1993)
According to Adrienne Gear in her book of Nonfiction Reading
Power, teaching students strategies to find out the information they
need in non-fiction or informational text is crucial. Comprehension is
often not a natural result of decoding but a result of explicitly
teaching students how to think rather than what to think.

8. Staff development needs
The literacy coach will model effective techniques inside and
outside the classroom.
Peer observation opportunities will be available at least twice a
year as a means of collaborating and demonstrating good practices
for teaching comprehension and vocabulary.
The 3rd grade team will study the books Nonfiction Reading Power
and What Every Educator Needs to Know About Teaching
Vocabulary as part of their PLC or study group.

9. Application
The 3rd grade team will…
Vocabulary Comprehension: Informational
• Provide students with multiple • Expose students to a balance of fiction
exposures to vocabulary in different and non-fiction texts within the
contexts. classroom.
• A variety of methods will be used to • Model effective strategies used by
effectively teach vocabulary with proficient readers consistently during
emphasis on multimedia aspects of instruction.
learning and richness of context in - RP 5 strategies: Zoom-In, Question/
which words are to be learned. Infer, Determine Importance, Connect,
• Apply engaging techniques appropriate Transform.
for their age that will keep them • Foster the use of graphic organizers
motivated when learning new and discussion techniques during
vocabulary: instruction:
-Vocabulary classmates/Wear a Word - Listen-Read-Discuss
- Subjective Approach to Vocabulary - Coding the Text

10. Assessment (continuation)
• The teachers will regularly assess students through informal
assessments
Listening for evidence of application (strategies)
Listening to peer talks
Conferring with students
Written assessments
• The teachers will use the data collected through formal and
informal assessments to guide their instruction.
• The teachers should always reinforce the process of how to think
rather than prepping for “correct” answers.

11. “The more you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
- Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"
“If you can read this, thank a teacher.”
- Anonymous