Using PowerPoint to Support Vocabulary Instruction

Introduce new vocabulary through pictures. Have the students guess what the word is based on the pictures that you show. Then add a page with some additional information along with links like dictionary.com or visuwords.com. See our Power Point for examples. It is located at the bottom of the Strategies page.

Web Resources for Vocabulary Instruction

Visuwords

• This website shows multiple definitions for words.
• The images get kids interested & excited.
  
• It also goes beyond the definition to show relationships between words.
• A great alternative to using dictionary.com!

Trackstar

• This website stores any websites that you use or want your students to read on a given topic.
  
• It can cut out time wasted when using search engines if your students are researching a topic.
• It can organize the websites you want to show your students in a class discussion.
• You can look at and use other teachers TrackStars on a topic you share.
  

Make Beliefs Comix

Having students use a vocabulary word in a comic forces the student to really think of the meanings of the words rather than using a superficial sentence.

Wordle

Enter the text to a story or article in wordle. Then show your class before reading and ask questions like: What do you think the story is about based on this word cloud? or How do these words go together? After reading you could ask: Do you think that the biggest words are important to this story? or What words emulate the main ideas of the selection?