Vocabulary A-Z is a digital solution for helping K-5 students build vocabulary and increase reading comprehension. With Vocabulary A-Z, teachers can differentiate vocabulary instruction and practice with premade and customizable vocabulary lessons, and online game-based practice activities and quizzes that students enjoy.
Vocabulary A-Z gives teachers the flexibility to choose from premade vocabulary lessons or create custom lessons from categorized word lists to connect instruction to current topics of study, Learning A-Z resources, or other popular reading series resources. To support whole class and small group instruction, teachers can instantly generate printable five-day lesson plans, which incorporate research-based best practices that teach words based on context and meaning, not memorization. Teachers can also digitally assign differentiated lessons and word lists to students for independent practice. The game-based practice activities and quizzes dynamically incorporate vocabulary from assigned lessons and make learning fun. With online and mobile access, students can practice and complete assignments in class, at home, or on the go.
Vocabulary A-Z also includes digital activity and class assignment reports to help teachers measure student engagement, monitor progress, and inform individual and class-wide instructional needs.
Formats/platforms used:
With Vocabulary A-Z, teachers can support vocabulary practice anywhere with the included Kids A-Z online portal and mobile app for Apple, Android, and Amazon mobile devices.
Primary website’s URL:
https://www.vocabularya-z.com/
Problem solved:
Decades of research show that vocabulary instruction is essential for proficient reading, and vocabulary skills are important for achievement in all academic areas. Traditional vocabulary instruction, however, has not been as effective as it needs to be. Vocabulary A-Z empowers K-5 schools to integrate vocabulary lessons and practice into reading instruction in a way that makes it more effective and engaging for students, and time saving for teachers.
Vocabulary A-Z combines premade and custom vocabulary word lists and lessons with online game-based activities, quizzes, and digital reporting to make it easy for K-5 teachers to deliver differentiated vocabulary instruction and practice.
- With premade vocabulary lessons, teachers can easily connect vocabulary instruction to current topics of study, Learning A-Z resources, or other popular reading series. Definition and context sentence flashcards, worksheets, and a final assessment are all easily accessible.
- Teachers can also easily create custom word lists and vocabulary lessons from an extensive collection of vocabulary words categorized by function of language, content type, and level of difficulty.
- Online game-based activities dynamically incorporate assigned lists and motivate students to practice by making learning fun and providing immediate feedback on their answers. Students match words to definitions, context sentences or images; fill in context sentences; and use definitions, context sentences, and cloze sentences as clues. With online and mobile access, they can complete assignments anytime, anywhere to extend their learning.
- Quizzes assess students on their understanding of target vocabulary words and allow teachers to quickly gauge their knowledge.
- Activity and assignment reports provide valuable data to inform instruction.
Grade/age range:
K-5
Standards:
Vocabulary A-Z provides correlations to U.S. reading and language standards, international standards, and language proficiency standards:
- Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts
- English language arts standards for every state in the United States
- English language arts standards for Canada, Australia, the United Arab Emirates-Ministry of Education (UAE), and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
- ELPA21, WIDA, TESOL, and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), as well as individual state language proficiency standards for California and Texas.
In addition, teachers can easily select premade vocabulary lessons that connect instruction to popular reading series including:
- Harcourt Trophies
- MacMillan Treasures
- Scott Foresman Reading Street
- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys
Teachers can also quickly access thousands of premade lessons connected to other popular Learning A-Z resources including:
- Raz-Plus/Reading A-Z
- Raz-Plus ELL Edition
- Science A-Z
Lesson time needed:
Vocabulary A-Z is designed to allow teachers to integrate vocabulary into daily reading instruction, with support for independent, self-paced practice.
Pricing model:
The retail price is $69.95. A free 14-day trial for the classroom or home is available at:
https://accounts.learninga-z.com/accountsweb/marketing/trial.do?campaign=vocabtrialtoplpVAZTrial
Additional services:
Learning A-Z also offers a variety of live and on-demand professional learning options, including recorded and live webinars, eLearning courses, and customized professional learning and curriculum services.
What makes Vocabulary A-Z unique?
Vocabulary A-Z connects classroom instruction, practice, and assessment to help K-5 students build vocabulary and increase reading comprehension. Based on well-established vocabulary research, it is designed to teach words based on context and meaning, rather than memorization.
With premade and customizable word lists and lessons, online student practice, and reporting tools to monitor student progress, Vocabulary A-Z delivers a comprehensive solution that makes it easy for K-5 teachers to provide effective, differentiated vocabulary instruction and practice. Teachers can quickly access thousands of premade vocabulary lessons and word lists to connect vocabulary instruction to current topics of study, popular reading series texts, and Learning A-Z resources including Raz-Plus and Reading A-Z leveled books, Science A-Z units, and ELL Edition resources. This allows teachers to quickly integrate vocabulary into reading lessons and assign practice in multiple modalities, including games. Teachers can also create custom word lists and vocabulary lessons from an extensive collection of vocabulary words categorized by function of language, content type, and level of difficulty.
To save time, teachers can instantly generate printable five-day lesson plans, which provide the staggered strategies students need to learn and retain vocabulary words each week.
- Day 1: Introduce Target Vocabulary in Context
- Day 2: Use Vocabulary in Context and Reinforce Meaning
- Day 3: Introduce and Apply Word-Attack Skills
- Day 4: Review and Apply Words
- Day 5: Assess
Students practice vocabulary by completing digital, game-based activities that integrate assigned lessons. All activities emphasize definitions and context sentences through engaging audio and imagery. Once students have successfully completed practice exercises, they can take a vocabulary quiz for that lesson. With online access through any computer and the free Kids A-Z mobile app, students can practice anywhere. Beyond providing engaging practice that aligns with classroom instruction and reading, activities also provide data and insights about student activity and assignments.
Characteristics:
Vocabulary A-Z provides print, projectable, or online digital resources for classroom instruction, in addition to online game-based activities for individual student practice.
Game-based activities are designed to provide an engaging, interactive multimedia experience. Students engage in activities such as matching words to definitions, context sentences or images; filling in context sentences with the correct words; and using definitions, context sentences, and cloze sentences as clues to find or spell vocabulary words — all from within a web-based UI.
Here’s what users are saying:
“In 35 years of teaching, I have not found such a teacher-friendly program that really teaches the child.”
— Bill Rook, Teacher, Baldwin Park, California
