A question for middle and high school English teachers...

When you are teaching a novel, how do you teach the vocabulary? I usually give a list of vocab words for a couple of chapters along with the sentences where they originate, then the students look up the correct definition. Does anyone do anything different? Does everyone formally teach vocab when they do a novel?

Also, do you give the students questions to answer for each chapter? Do you give them a packet of questions for the whole novel or as they read each chapter?

Thanks...just curious as to what others do

Message edited 6/25/2009 12:33:10 PM.

Re: A question for middle and high school English teachers...

I do vocabulary the same way you do.

I also have those vocabulary workshop books that I sometimes use.

During a novel I give study guide questions with each chapter. If I gave a packet ahead of time I'd be making extra copies every day.

Re: A question for middle and high school English teachers...

I teach 8th grade English.

I give a vocabulary packet before we start the novel, or at the start of the novel. I have the students define the words for HW (sometimes I give them class time to look them up...and I force them to handwrite it, so they can't just cut and paste from dictionary.com.) Then we go over the definitions together as a class.
Shortly after that, I'll give a quiz. All during the start of the book, all at once.

As far as discussion questions, I give them a sheet of discussion questions for each set of chapters they have to read and they answer them as they read. I try to encourage the practice of taking notes/answering questions as they read, rather than waiting until they finish to start it. I just think it's a better way to read and comprehend.