Teaching Academic Vocabulary to Adolescents With Learning Disabilities

Knowing the meaning of academic vocabulary words helps adolescents understand content-area text and improves their academic achievement. To demonstrate deep understanding of words, students reading below grade level and students with learning disabilities must be explicitly taught word meanings, encounter target words in illustrative contexts, and interact with target words in speaking and writing. In this article, we describe procedures for identifying, selecting, and teaching academic vocabulary to adolescents in a way that is engaging and effective. We also identify and describe instructional supports designed to bolster the achievement of diverse students, including struggling readers and students with learning disabilities.