50 Word-retrieval Prompts

Definition

Visual or verbal cues that help students remember particular words necessary for a given context or activity.

In action

Teachers can use resources (e.g., cue cards, vocabulary sheets) to remind students of a certain word.

Support Strategies

  • Provide a brief summary sheet with key definitions required to understand a text (e.g., novel, science chapter)
  • Display written or illustrated definitions for classroom expectations (e.g., classroom rules, proof-reading steps, instructions for work submission)
  • Model and practice use of online or physical dictionary and thesaurus
  • Provide access to dictionary pen
  • Begin lessons/ units with discussion and hard copy of key definitions
  • Incorporate representative imagery in shared or individual reading of difficult texts or unfamiliar topics
  • Provide pictures, definitions, or other cues to help students think of a particular word
  • Create mnemonics to aid in memory of a string of important words or phrases

Case Study

Student: Grade 9 student in an English class.

Content: The class is writing a quiz on a novel they finished.

Problem: The student is struggling to recall the major themes in the novel despite understanding what the novel was about.

Solution: The teacher adjusts the test format so the student with the accommodation can answer questions by filling in the blanks, helping them to recall the names of the themes.

Additional Resources

License

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Ed Guide Copyright © 2022 by Jordan Shurr is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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