An explicit vocabulary instruction routine, word by word
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
Explicit vocabulary instruction means teaching a word directly instead of hoping students pick it up. A routine takes 3 to 5 minutes per word: say and spell it, give a student-friendly definition, show examples and nonexamples, check understanding with quick questions, have students use it, then review it over the following weeks.
Most words are learned from context over time. Students with language or reading disabilities often do not get enough exposure for that to work, and they miss meanings that classmates absorb. Explicit instruction shortcuts the process for a small set of important words. The teacher tells the meaning, shows what it looks like and what it does not, and checks.
The routine below is for one word at a time. It fits inside a larger intervention, described in vocabulary interventions for struggling readers. The worked example follows one fictional 7th grader. Numbers are illustrations. For how vocabulary supports comprehension, see the pillar on reading comprehension strategies.
What the research guides say
The What Works Clearinghouse adolescent literacy guide makes explicit vocabulary instruction its first recommendation, with direct teaching of word meanings and repeated, varied use of the words.[1] The WWC guide for English learners recommends teaching a set of academic words intensively across several days with a variety of activities.[2] The National Reading Panel concluded that direct instruction and repeated exposure both help vocabulary growth.[3]
What you need before you start
- 5 to 8 target words from a text the student will read. The guide to Tier 2 vocabulary words covers how to pick them.
- A student-friendly definition for each, written before the lesson. See student-friendly definitions for examples.
- Two examples and two nonexamples per word, from the student's life where possible.
- A visual for concrete words, such as a photo or quick sketch.
The 6-step routine
Step 1: Say it, see it, repeat it
Show the word written. Say it clearly, have students say it twice, and clap or tap the syllables if it is long. "Persuade. Per-suade. Say it with me." For students who struggle with phonology, this step builds a stable sound pattern to hang the meaning on.
Step 2: Give a student-friendly definition
Use plain words and a full sentence. "Persuade means to get someone to agree with you or do something by giving them reasons." Avoid dictionary definitions built from other hard words, such as "to induce by argument."
Step 3: Show examples and nonexamples
Examples show what the word covers. Nonexamples show where it stops. Choose nonexamples that are close but wrong, because those teach the edges of the meaning.
| Word | Examples | Nonexamples |
|---|---|---|
| persuade | Giving your parents three reasons to stay up late; an ad saying a shoe makes you faster | Forcing someone to do something; asking once with no reason |
| cautious | Testing ice before stepping on it; reading directions before starting | Running across a busy street; guessing on purpose without reading |
| abundant | A tree full of apples; a classroom with more pencils than students | One cookie left in the jar; a dry pond |
Ask students to explain why each nonexample does not fit. "Forcing isn't persuading, because you didn't give reasons."
Step 4: Check understanding with quick questions
Ask 3 to 5 yes, no or choice questions that need the meaning to answer. "Would you need to persuade someone who already agrees with you? Why not?" "Which is more cautious: checking the weather or forgetting your coat?" Every student answers, with thumbs, cards or whiteboards, so you see who has it.
Step 5: Have students use the word
Students make their own sentence or example, said aloud to a partner or written. Give a sentence frame for students who need it: "I tried to persuade ___ by ___." Correct gently on the spot: "That is asking. How could you add a reason to make it persuading?"
Step 6: Review over the following weeks
Return to the word the next day, later that week, and in the next two weeks. Mix it into review games and question warm-ups. A word taught once and never revisited rarely sticks.
Worked example: one student across 8 weeks
Student (fictional): Omar, grade 7, specific learning disability in reading and written expression. Reads grade 5 text with 96% accuracy. In English class he can find words in a glossary but cannot use them in discussion or writing.
Baseline, September 29 to October 3. Three probes. Omar was given 8 words from the coming unit and asked to explain each or give an example in a new sentence. Scores: 1, 2 and 1 of 8. Median 1 of 8.
Goal. Given 10 taught vocabulary words presented in unfamiliar sentences, Omar will explain each word's meaning or give a fitting example for 8 of 10 words on 3 consecutive weekly probes, and will use 3 taught words correctly in a one-paragraph written response on 3 of 4 assignments. See the templates to explain taught vocabulary words with examples and to use taught vocabulary in written work.
Instruction. Six words a week, taught with the routine on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday: practice games and partner sentences. Friday: probe of 6 new words and 4 review words.
| Week | New words explained (of 6) | Review words explained (of 4) | Total (of 10) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 4 | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| 5 | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| 6 | 6 | 3 | 9 |
Omar met the probe criterion in weeks 4, 5 and 6. The writing part lagged: he used taught words in 1 of 4 assignments by week 6. His teacher added a word bank box to his writing organizer in week 7, and he used 3 words in 2 of the next 3 responses.
Common mistakes
- Weak: "Look up the word and write the definition." Better: Give the definition yourself in plain words, then have students explain it back.
- Weak: Examples only. Better: Add close nonexamples. Students learn where a meaning ends by seeing what is almost, but not quite, the word.
- Weak: Calling on one volunteer to check understanding. Better: Have every student respond at once with cards or whiteboards.
- Weak: Teaching the word on Monday and testing on Friday with no practice between. Better: Plan short uses on each day of the week.
- Weak: A goal that says "will learn new vocabulary words." Better: Name the words, the context, the response and the count, as in Omar's goal.
Measuring and writing goals
Measure with percent accuracy on new and review words in unfamiliar sentences. The vocabulary assessment guide compares formats. For full goal wording, see the vocabulary goals page. For students learning English, add the supports in vocabulary instruction for English learners. Paste your draft into the goal checker before the meeting.
Frequently asked questions
What are examples and nonexamples in vocabulary instruction?
Examples show situations where the word fits. Nonexamples show situations that are close but do not fit. For cautious, testing ice before stepping on it is an example; running across a busy street is a nonexample. Asking why a nonexample fails teaches the word's limits.
How long should explicit vocabulary instruction take per word?
About 3 to 5 minutes for the first teaching, then 1 to 2 minutes of practice on several later days. Teaching 5 or 6 words fits into two short lessons, with review spread across the following weeks.
Is explicit vocabulary instruction only for students with IEPs?
No. It helps most students with words they need for a text or unit. Students with language or reading disabilities often need more words taught this way, more examples and more review.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Vocabulary goals (reading)
- Explain taught vocabulary words with examples (goal template)
- Use taught vocabulary in written work (goal template)
- Morphology in the IEP glossary
- IEP goal checker
Related guides
- Reading comprehension strategies for struggling readers
- Vocabulary interventions for struggling readers
- Vocabulary instruction for English learners with IEPs
- Academic vocabulary for students with IEPs: what to teach and how
Sources
- Improving Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices, What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences
- Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School, What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences
- Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching Children to Read, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.