Standards Based Vocabulary

Click on a letter below to view the vocabulary terms that start with that letter.

A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M  
N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z
 

  
Term Definition
A                                                                                                             top
Achievement Test An objective examination that measure educationally relevant skills or knowledge about such subjects as reading, spelling, or mathematics.
Annotated Book List A list of all the books that the students have read.  It is how we keep track of 25 books and should be collected/checked
Anticipation Guides  
Artifacts A classroom should be functional and reflect a standards-based implementation.  Artifacts are elements that are present in the classroom.  Examples include a classroom library, rituals and routines, word wall, portfolios, etc.  There are also specific artifacts that should be present on bulletin boards such as rubric, commentary, standards, student work example, etc.
Assessment The ways students can demonstrate the knowledge and skills they possess.
At-risk Student A student who is academically unsuccessful as evidenced by low test scores, retention, failing grades, low grade point average, falling behind in earned credits, or not meeting the state or district proficiency levels in reading, mathematics, or writing.
Author Study This is a major reading project where students complete a detailed study of one particular author.  They will read several different types of writing by the author and complete a major writing assignment based on the information that was found
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Background Knowledge The knowledge and understandings of the world that students have acquired through their everyday experiences -- riding in cars or buses, playing and talking with other children and adults, that help them to make sense of the texts they read. 
Benchmark A benchmark translates the standard into what the student should know and be able to do at developmentally appropriate levels. Benchmarks are models that teachers, parents, and students can refer to when designing, implementing, and assessing student outcomes. 
Blooms Taxonomy Benjamin Bloom identified six levels of learning domains. The levels begin at the lowest point and moves to more complex levels. The levels (in order from lowest to highest) are: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
Brain Storming A technique used to generate several ideas around a topic. Some brainstorming techniques include webs, lists, charts, etc.
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Center-based Classroom Classrooms that use activity focal points, centers, as their primary means of instruction
Choral Reading/Chanting:  Two or more individuals reading aloud from the same text -- this can help students to develop oral reading fluency. 
Classroom Environment A safe and productive learning environment for students.  
Classroom Library A set of books for students in the classroom which are classified according to genre and reading level.
Closing The Closing is the final part of the day where the teacher and students refocus learning, share student work, and decide on next steps.
Commentary Commentary:  written teacher analysis of student work compared to the standard.
Concept Map Concept mapping is a technique for representing knowledge in graphs and organize ideas.
 
Constructing Meaning  A process of making sense of text; by connecting one's own knowledge with the print readers "build" an understanding of what the text is about. 
Content Standard Specifications of what students know and should be able to demonstrate
Context/Context Clues  Information from the surrounding text that helps identify or gives meaning to a specific word or phrase, i.e.: "yesterday I read the book". The words surrounding "read" help us know how to pronounce it. 
Cooperative Learning An educational approach based on individuals who work in groups harmoniously.
Cooperative Group Activities Activities that requires students to work with other students around a common, purpose, goal, or benefit.
Core Subject Primary academic areas (science, math, reading, social studies, etc.)
Criterion Referenced Testing Mainly address content.  Used 90% of the time
Cumulative Folder An individual student record file, which includes academic achievement, social health, and general student information.
Curriculum The curricular or instructional activities that might be used to help students develop skill and ability within a given content area.
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DAR Diagnostic Assessment of Reading.  Will provide specific data regarding the specific reading needs of the student. Addressed in Intensive Reading training (should be available at all schools)
Decoding Analyzing text in order to identify and understand individual words. Figuring out the written code. 
Diagnostic Test An intensive, in-depth evaluation process with a relatively detailed and narrow coverage of a specific area.  The purpose of this test is to determine the specific learning needs of individual students in order to meet those needs through regular or remedial classroom instruction.
Dialogue Journal A dialogue journal is a notebook kept jointly by two people, usually a student and a teacher, or a student and peer. Each person writes entries as messages to the other. The journal is exchanged after each entry.
 
Differentiated Instruction Instruction that is individualized for a student based on data.
Direct Instruction An instructional approach to academic subjects that emphasizes the use of carefully sequenced steps that may include demonstration, modeling, guided practice, and independent application.
Double I (ii) Initial instruction.  Whole class instruction on based mini lesson
DRA Diagnostic Reading Assessment.  Will provide specific data regarding the specific reading needs of the student. Included in Literacy training. Utilized by both Elementary and Secondary teachers.
E                                                                                                             top
Echo Reading Reading of a text where an adult or experienced reader reads a line of text, and the student repeats the line. A good technique for Emergent and Early Readers to build fluency and expression. 
Emergent Reader A reader who is developing an association of print with meaning -- the early stages of learning to read. 
Explore This is portion of the workshop model that it used in Math.  The explore phase is the same as the work period in the traditional workshop model.
F                                                                                                             top
Feedback Returning information around a specific task, assignment, or product. Feedback may be evaluative and should provide information for next steps.
Fluency The ability to easily speak, read, or write a language; automatic word recognition, rapid decoding, and checking for meaning
Formative Assessment Assessments become formative when the results are used to adapt learning and teaching. 
G                                                                                                             top
Genre Study This is a major project where students will produce a specific writing genre sample.  Several lessons to accompany this assignment.  See the America’s Choice Manual for specifics
Grade Equivalent The estimated grade level that corresponds to a given score.
Grade Level Expectation Also known as GLE.  A GLE is a statement that defines what all students should know and be able to do at the end of a given grade level. 
Graphic Organizers A tool that can be used to organize ideas graphically.
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I                                                                                                             top
Individualized Behavior Contract A student/teacher contract that identifies specific behaviors to be improved.
Inference Drawing meaning from a combination of clues in the text without explicit reference to the text. "The sky was dark and cloudy so I took my umbrella." We can infer that it might rain even thought the text does not say that. 
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K                                                                                                             top
KWL A graphic organizer that is traditionally used before and after reading. Students identify what the know (K) and what they want to know (W) about a particular topic prior to reading. After reading, the student can identify what they have learned (L). Can be used whole-class, small-group, or independently.
L                                                                                                             top
Launch  Launch is the opening of the Math Workshop. During this time, students will receive instruction on new skills or strategies to be emplyed during the work session (or Explore).
Learning Logs A Learning Log is a collection of strategies and skills that the student has been taught during the school year. The Learning Log serves as a reference for students.
Learning Modalities Approaches to assessment or instruction stressing the auditory, visual, or kinesthetic –tactile avenues for learning that are dependent upon the individual.
Learning Styles Approaches to assessment or instruction emphasizing the variations in temperament, attitude, and preferred manner of tackling a task.  Typically considered are styles along the active/passive, reflective/impulsive, or verbal/spatial dimensions.
Lexile Reading Inventory A tool designed to bridge two aspects of student reading achievement:  leveling text difficulty and assessing the reading skills of each student.
M                                                                                                             top
Math Workshop Math Workshop has a structured routine that includes Launch (opening/instruction), Explore (student work time), Summarize (reflect, refocus, reiterate).
Metacognition Awareness and understanding of one's thinking. Metacognition is a critical process for learning.
Mini-Lesson This is your instructional piece.  This is where you teach material to the students.  Mini-lessons should be 10-15 minutes in length.  Mini-lessons should fit in one of four categories:  Procedural Lesson,  Skills Lesson, Craft Lesson, Strategy Lesson
Miscue Any substitution of a word in a text that a reader makes. 
Miscue Analysis An examination of reading errors or substitutions (miscues) as the basis for determining the strengths and weaknesses of students' reading skills. 
Modeling Classroom Modeling involves demonstrating the specific behaviors and language
patterns of an expectation. 
Multi-disciplinary The curriculum integration of one idea across more than one subject area.
Multi-sensory Learning An instructional approach that combines auditory, visual, and tactile elements into a learning task.
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Narrative Writing Narrative writing tells a story. The author may write about an experience or event or something that happened to somebody else, or generate original ideas for the focus of the story.
 
NCEE NCEE: National Center of Education and the Economy.
New Performance Standards Nationally benchmarked performance standards for English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Applied Learning.
Norm-Referenced Test An objective test that is standardized on a group of individuals whose performance is evaluated in relation to the performance of others.
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Objectives To understand how effective leaning activities can be accomplished through thoughtful & planned systems
Opening Activities Opening Activities are tasks that the student must engage in upon the start of class. Examples of Opening Activities in many classrooms include: journaling, written response to task or question, independent reading, mini-lesson, problem-solving activity.
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Peer-Tutoring Students academically assisting other same age students.
Performance Standards Precise statements defining the knowledge and skills students should acquire through content instruction.  Performance standards= performance description + work samples + commentaries on the work samples. 
Persuasive Writing In persuasive writing, a writer takes a position for or against an issue. The writer must convince the reader to believe or do something. 
Phonemic Awareness Awareness of the sound system of spoken language including individual sounds, rhyming, components of words, etc. 
Phonemic Awareness Awareness of the sound system of spoken language including individual sounds, rhyming, components of words, etc. 
Planner The calendar that students use to write down class work and homework. Encourage parents to check the planners weekly, or daily to keep up with classroom activities
Portfolio Collection of student work and other pertinent school information.
Print Rich Environment An environment in which the learner is surrounded by items and opportunities to read and write; for example, books, magazines, charts, posters, newspapers, manuals, etc.
Proficient Readers Proficient readers are readers that are able to read and derive meaning from texts. Proficient readers can: draw conclusions, make predictions, confirm and adjust predictions, interpret, and make connections from a text.
Progress Monitoring Ongoing assessment (various forms) that track the progress of students as they attain certain skills and work through different content
Progress Report A detailed listing of assignments and scores that the child has received in class.  They are sent home every three weeks, must be signed by parents and returned to you
Q                                                                                                             top
Q-A-R Students learn to craft their own questions to do a better job of answering questions. Students form two types of questions: In the Text and In the Head.
QRI-(III or IV) Qualitative Reading Inventory - Variety of Literature, Science, Social Studies passages, Replication of reading process with look-backs, Preparation for reading with concept discussion, Use of Retelling alternative, Analysis of reading process through think-aloud
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Readers Response Notebook RRNB Readers Response Notebook is used by students to record written responses to their reading. Responses should be varied and can reflect on thoughts, ideas, strategies used while reading the text, lists, or writing topics.
Readers Workshop Readers' Workshop is way of structuring instruction around literacy. The major goal for readers workshop is to help students develop an appreciation for reading, and to differentiate, or personalize, instruction in order to accommodate the learning needs of all students. Writers Workshop consists of an Opening, Work Period/Session, and Closing.
Reading Strategies Reading strategies are cognitive processes students while reading to construct and maintain meaning. 
Reteach Reteaching should occur when a student's performance did not meet the standard. Teachers should modify instructional delivery and practice and reteach the skill, strategy, lesson to the student(s)).
Rituals and Routines Routines are predictable structures that divide the class period into three blocks of time. Rituals are predictable procedures or ways of doing things in the class.