Instructional Strategy

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INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY

List-Group-Label

Grade:

3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Type:

Acquire Vocabulary
/ Develop Language (MLL)
20-30

Minutes

When:

Before and after reading

Materials:

List-Group-Label graphic organizer, whiteboard or display, writing utensil
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Description

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© MirageC—Moment/Getty Images
The List-Group-Label strategy enhances vocabulary and content understanding by encouraging students to discover meaningful connections between words. It fosters critical thinking and collaboration as students work together to group and discuss word relationships, thereby improving comprehension before and after reading.
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Procedure

1
Introduce the topic and prompt students to brainstorm a list of related words. Display these words, refraining from critiquing as the relevance of some words may emerge during later phases.
2
Organize the students into pairs or small groups and distribute a List-Group-Label graphic organizer to each pair or group. Ask students to categorize the brainstormed words into groups. Encourage students to discuss their grouping choices.
3
Ask students to propose labels for their word groups. Emphasize that the labels must reflect the rationale for their groupings, discussed in step 2.
4
Initiate a whole-class discussion, encouraging a member from each group to share their label and a brief explanation to justify their grouping choice.
5
If time allows, groups may refine their categories and labels based on feedback and new insights, enhancing their comprehension of the topic.
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Differentiation

Advanced Categorization: Encourage students to go beyond basic grouping by identifying nuanced relationships between words, such as synonyms, antonyms, or thematic connections. This activity can deepen their understanding of the language and the subject matter.

Multilingual Learning Support

Beginning Proficiency: Support students by allowing them to initially list words in their home language alongside English. Provide bilingual word banks with visual supports for key vocabulary. Use simple sentence frames in both languages for grouping rationales (e.g., “These words go together because…“ / “Estas palabras van juntas porque…”). Create multilingual anchor charts showing example groupings. Partner students with same-language peers during initial categorization before mixing groups linguistically.
Intermediate Proficiency: Bridge academic vocabulary between languages through cognates and related terms. Provide structured language supports for explaining grouping choices and labels. Support students in creating bilingual category labels that show conceptual understanding. Guide students to make cross-linguistic connections when grouping words, helping them recognize patterns between languages. Encourage students to use academic language when justifying groupings.
Advanced Proficiency: Help students develop deep understanding of word relationships and categorization across languages. Guide them in creating sophisticated labels that capture subtle differences among related terms, such as distinguishing among observe, examine, and analyze. Support discussions about how words may group differently in students’ home language versus English, exploring why these differences exist. Encourage students to use precise academic language when explaining their grouping choices, while helping them build bridges between everyday and academic vocabulary in both languages.
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Variations

Visual Sort and Connect: Students represent vocabulary with visuals (such as pictures or icons) and arrange them in groups, enhancing engagement through kinesthetic and visual interaction. This method involves creating, organizing, and labeling visual elements to deepen understanding. It both supports students needing visual aids and provides a challenge through advanced exploration.
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