Teaching the Critical Vocabulary of the Common Core: 55 Words That Make or Break Student Understanding

Since I am a believer that if you understand vocabulary you can do well in tests, this book caught my eye. I thing this would be a great help to any student or parent of a student that is having difficulty passing core tests. If the student understands full the meaning of words like analyze and evaluate and understand how to compare for similarities etc, they do not have to search their brain for "what is this question asking" and they can plug in the test question.

Some interesting ideas

Great ideas on how to incorporate academic vocabulary. My only critique is that it includes some songs/rhymes and it would be nice to know the tune or rhythm wo guessing what it’s supposed to be.

Great resource! Would recommend it to anyone who teaches reading. This book covers all of those "I don't understand what it's asking me to do" words, like analyze, evaluate, infer, summarize/paraphrase, synthesize, distinguish, integrate, and many more. I love how it also breaks down different nouns, such as analogy, mood, tone, theme, point of view, central idea, and structure, and provides definitions, games, jingles, and graphics for each one. It's definitely a resource you don't want to be without!

This book has been a life saver! Critical Vocabulary is so much more important than we realize! How can we expect students to answer the questions when they don't understand them at all! I am impressed with Marilee Sprenger's ideas and writing. It is easy to read and provides a much needed aha moment! Thank you!

As a reading teacher, I often stopped lessons to have students define these critical words. Now that I am teaching fourth grade, I am using these words as "our critical words" for the year. I will use some of these strategies as well as my own to ensure my students understand what us being asked if them on state tests.

Recommended for vocabulary instruction for not only ELL students but for ALL students to incorporated vacab in instruction. Great strategy ideas.

This is a wonderful resource! Activities included for each word are helpful. I feel my 6th graders are better prepared to answer the PARCC questions since they will understand what the question is asking.

the information is extremely useful and enlightening. I m a teacher and I know how much vocabulary is needed. I will keep on studying it to get more ideas and knowledge.