The goal of Paragraph Practice is to instill in students the following habits.
- The habit of predicting word meanings via context clues.
- The habit of referencing the dictionary to elucidate terms.
- The habit of integrating new words into writing and speech.
The topics for Paragraph Practice are meant to be of high interest (Lionel Messi, rap music, etc). This ensures students have background knowledge or interest in the subject they are reading.
The paragraphs are designed to be short. This allows students to focus on just one topic and one set of vocabulary words.
The paragraphs are created to be bursting with academic vocabulary. This exposes students to new words in a manner they can digest.
I love using the video and worksheet in tandem. Everything we do is both projected on the board and on student worksheets.
If you are looking to take one paragraph, and turn it into a vocabulary-building activity–try Paragraph Practice.
Video #2: