How Do We Choose the Right Vocabulary Words?

Written By Sean Redmond

September 2, 2024

With thousands of words to choose from, how do we decide which deserve our focus? Fisher and Frey offer guiding questions:

  • Is the word conceptually important?

  • Will it be useful in multiple contexts?

  • Is it frequent enough to warrant instruction?

  • Can students infer it from context or structure?

  • Will teaching it overload their cognitive load?

Most of our attention should land on high-utility Tier 2 words. Our goal is to strategically embed word learning into inquiry cycles, giving students a deeper grasp of language and content.

Sean Redmond
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Using Word Lists and Morphology for Smarter Instruction
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Choosing the Right Words: Tiered Vocabulary Instruction