Isabel Beck, Ph.D., and Margaret McKeown, Ph.D., on the Relationship Between Vocabulary and Comprehension

Presented by Isabel Beck, Ph.D., Author and Professor Emerita of Education in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh; and Margaret McKeown, Ph.D., Author and Clinical Professor of Education in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh
Sponsored by Abrams Learning Trends

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Did you know: A student’s vocabulary knowledge in the first grade can predict their reading achievement all the way through to their junior year in high school.

The impact vocabulary can have on a student’s literacy journey has never been more evident than it is today. A knowledge of rich vocabulary words supports students’ ability to comprehend when reading, while in turn, reading comprehension reinforces their attention to language as they deepen their understanding of new texts.

In other words, creating a classroom full of literacy heroes requires instruction that combines robust vocabulary with lessons in comprehension. Watch celebrated authors and distinguished vocabulary experts Dr. Isabel Beck and Dr. Margaret McKeown as they detail this important relationship between vocabulary and comprehension and the effect each has on literacy achievement, including:

• What effective vocabulary instruction looks like
• What “Tier 2” words are and why they have a higher impact on both vocabulary and comprehension
• What the “lexical bar” is and how you can help all students cross it
• The key differences between “questions” and “queries”
• How to move students from surface understanding of a text (the “gist”) to a deeper understanding of what they’ve read (the “grist”)
• And much more!

K-5 classroom teachers, reading specialists, literacy coaches, administrators, and librarians as well as K-12 district-level elementary curriculum and instruction directors/coordinators, elementary reading directors/coordinators, and elementary remedial reading directors/coordinators are invited to watch this recorded session.

About the Presenters

Dr. Isabel Beck and Dr. Margaret McKeown are long-time colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh. Their research on comprehension and vocabulary has been published extensively and was the foundation for their best-selling book, Bringing Words to Life. Both Dr. Beck and Dr. McKeown have won awards for their contributions to the field of literacy, including an introduction for each of them into the International Literacy Association’s Reading Hall of Fame.

Join the Be a Literacy Hero in the K-5 Classroom community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, view past edWebinars, take a quiz to receive a CE certificate for a past edWebinar, and access free resources.

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Abrams Learning Trends develops innovative Pre-K through Grade 5 supplemental literacy materials that engage children and empower educators.