Language Comprehension Interventions

In some cases, there aren't sufficient context clues to define unfamiliar words. In these cases, students need to learn how to define vocabulary words in isolation. This page includes intervention strategies that you can use to develop your student's understanding of how to define unknown words when context clues aren't enough. As you read, consider which of these interventions best align with your student's strengths and needs in the whole-learner domains.

Explicit Instruction

If you are intervening to support your students' ability to define words in isolation, you should start by explicitly teaching the skill. This sounds like:

• Explain the Skill/Concept. Define learning vocabulary words in isolation, and explain activity. ("Sometimes I hear a word, and I want to know the meaning of it. If I can't use the context to figure it out, I have to find another way to learn what the word means. This is called learning a vocabulary word in isolation." "Today we are going to learn how to define words in isolation." )
• Model Skill with Examples. Think aloud about how you figure out word meanings in isolation. ("When I hear a word and I don't know what it means, I try to use a strategy to learn the definition of the word. First, I try to make connections to the word. If that doesn't work, I'll look up the word and put it in my word journal. For example, if I hear someone say the word numb, I might thinkhmm....numb. That sounds like thumb, but I don't think it's a finger. I remember someone once said numb when they went outside, so maybe it has something to do with weather. Since I still don't know the definition, I'll look it up and draw a picture to help me remember. Let's see numb means 'without feeling.' Okay, now I'll write it down and draw a picture of a person who is outside in the cold and can't feel his hands.")
• Model Skill with Non-Examples. Think aloud about what happens if you don't try to figure out meanings of words you don't know. ("Think about this. Pretend that I was talking to my friend and she said that she went outside and her fingers became numb. If I didn't know the meaning of this word, I might nod my head and smile, or just ignore what she said. But if I did know the meaning, I could show empathy and ask her if she was alright or see what action she took to get feeling back in her hand. It's important that I make sure I look up words I don't recognize so that I can use them when I read, speak, and write.")
• Practice the Skill. Engage in one or more of the activities below to practice the skill with your student, providing feedback as necessary. ("Now you try practicing strategies for defining words in isolation.")

Activity A: Using Tools
Using Tools is a strategy that students can go to when they come across any word they don't know. Simply put, using tools means accessing resources including the dictionary, a glossary, a thesaurus, or any other tool that will allow them to look up the definition of the word. It may be helpful to create a classroom chart that lists the resources and post it somewhere in the classroom. 

Using Tools in Action
Provide students with a list of tools they can use to figure out the meaning of the word. Remind students to use them if they are stuck on a word.
Teacher: "Let's talk about tools we can use to figure out word meanings. We can use the dictionary, glossary, and sometimes even a thesaurus to figure out word meanings." (Teacher explains how to use each one.) "Let's hang this poster on the wall, so you can use this as a resource for finding the right tools to help you if you get stuck on a word."

Lubliner, S. I., & Scott, J. A. (2008;2014;). Nourishing vocabulary: Balancing words and learning. Corwin Press.

Activity B: Squared Up 
Squared Up, adapted from Heafner and Massey (2012), is a strategy that students can use to define novel vocabulary words encountered in conversation or texts. This strategy gives students a process for figuring out the definitions and building understanding of target vocabulary words. The steps of this strategy include:

1. Prepare template. Give students a Squared Up card, or have them copy the template onto a note card or in a notebook.
2. Write target word. Ask students to write the target word in the center of the card and alternate forms of the word below the target word.
3. Define. Have students look up the definition of the word, and write a "kid-friendly" definition in the upper left. 
4. Write a sentence. Have students write a sentence using the word (if heard in speech), or copy the sentence from the text (if read in a text) in the bottom left.
5. Synonyms and Antonyms. Have students write synonyms and antonyms of the word in the upper right.
6. Other words. Have students write other words associated with the target word in the lower right.
7. Draw it. On the back of the card, have students draw a picture that illustrates the word.

Click here to download a template of Squared Up.

Heafner, T., & Massey, D. (2012). Targeted vocabulary strategies. Culver City, CA: Social Studies School Service.

Squared Up in Action
Provide students with a target word, and direct them through the seven steps of Squared Up, including writing and defining the target word, writing a sentence, finding synonyms and antonyms and other related words, and drawing a picture.
Teacher: "Today, we'll be using the Squared Up method to define the word habitat. First, write the target word in the center of your card. Okay, I've written habitat. Second, think of alternate forms of the word. Let's see, I'm thinking of habitats, habituated, habituate, so I'll write those down. Third, define the word. I've looked up the word, and I see that habitat means 'the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.' I'm going to put that definition into my own words I'll write 'where an animal or plant lives.' Now, the fourth step is to write a sentence using the word. I'll write, 'A bird's habitat is a nest in the trees.' Step five I'll think of synonyms and antonyms. Let's see other words that are like habitat are home, territory, surroundings, and environment. Now I'll think of words that are the opposite of habitat. Hmm... what's the opposite of home? Unnatural? I'll look this one up. Okay, unnatural surroundings. That is the opposite of habitat. Now, step six. I'll brainstorm other words I think of when I see the word habitat. I think of animals, adaptations, and natural. Finally, step seven. On the back of the card, I'll draw a bird living in its habitat, and I'll label the bird, tree, and nest." 

Squared Up Example PDF

Wilson, A. (2016). Squared Up Template. Copyright at Relay GSE. New York, NY:  Relay Graduate School of Education. Adapted from Heafner, T., & Massey, D. (2012). Targeted vocabulary strategies. Culver City, CA: Social Studies School Service.

Think about the following scenario, which takes place after a teacher has explicitly taught a lesson about how to define words in isolation:
     Teacher: "What does the word 'catalyst mean'?  
     Student: "It means lots of cats."
     Teacher: "Are you sure about that? What can you do if you are unsure of a word?"
     Student: "I don't know. Keep reading?"

In such a case, what might you do?

When you are planning your lessons, you should anticipate that your students will make errors throughout the activity. Here are a series of prompts that you can use to respond to errors. Keep in mind that all students are different, and some students might respond better to different types of feedback than others

If your student struggles to meet your objective, there are various techniques that you might try to adjust the activity to your student's needs.