2.+Building+Background+&+Vocab

The **Building Background** component of the SIOP Model has the following elements:
 * Concepts explicitly linked to students' background experiences
 * Links explicitly made between past learning and new concepts
 * Key vocabulary emphasized (e.g., introduced, written, repeated, and highlighted for students to see)

**Activating Prior Knowledge**

Vocabulary Instruction for English Language Learners
Robert Marzano has compiled 6 Steps of Efffective Vocab Instruction... not a list of individual strategies- but a combinationof approaches which must be emplyed to ensure lasting vocab learnig and application.

In our classrooms, which of the steps are your (or your school's) strengths? Which areas need to be more visible and practiced?

** [|__Step 1:__] ** [|__The teacher will give a description, explanation, or example of the new term__][|.] ** [|__Step 2:__] ** [|__The teacher will ask the learner to give a description, explanation, or example of the new term in his/her own words.__] ** [|__Step 3:__] ** [|__The teacher will ask the learner to draw a picture, symbol, or locate a graphic to represent the new term.__] ** [|__Step 4:__] ** [|__The learner will participate in activities that provide more knowledge of the words in their vocabulary notebooks__]. ** [|__Step 5:__] ** [|__The learner will discuss the term with other learners.__] ** [|__Step 6:__] ** [|__The learner will participate in games that provide more reinforcement of the new term.__] media type="custom" key="9578504" media type="custom" key="8566406"

Resources for the 6 steps of vocab instruction
Vocab Strategies for ELLs