Teaching Strategies - Augusta Mann

Language Development Recitation
The purpose of Language Development Recitation (LDR) is to give young students, starting in preschool, practice using clear and concise language when defining familiar words. During a single school year, students memorize a minimum of 100 definitions of words that are common in their daily language. In addition to helping students develop the language and vocabulary skills that positively affect their writing, LDR develops their public speaking skills so students can speak with confidence before a group.

Teaching Process

1. Identify Definitions
   Pre-Kindergarten to 2nd grade teachers collaboratively identify 100 definitions to be memorized for the year at the rate of four a week. An excellent source is My First Dictionary by Betty Root. You can organize the words in various ways. One option is to group words by parts of speech. For example, the 100 words can be divided into approximately equal numbers of nouns, verbs, and adjectives. As the students memorize these definitions throughout the year—one week nouns, the next week adjectives, etc.—you introduce them to the functions of these three parts of speech.
   
   
2. Teacher Modeling
   Model the recitations of the definitions as you lead students in the practice needed for memorization. Demonstrate the public speaking skills of standing straight and tall with head held high and speaking in a loud voice with appropriate voice expression.
   
   
3. Memorization of the Definitions
   After you lead the initial demonstration and practdice, students can work in small groups to help each other memorize and redcite the definitions. Throughout the year, lead the review and practive of definitions previously memorized.
   
   Example of Definitions Used in Language Development Recitation
   
   Sleep
   To sleep is to close your eyes and rest all your body and mind.
   
   Jump
   To jump is to leap into the air so that both feet leave the ground.
   Etc.
   

From the Guidebook for Phonics and Vocabulary Building, Module #1, A Videotaped Workshop by Augusta Mann.