14 Academic Terms Every Student Should Know

Vocabulary is key when teaching. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve talked about how important it is to do vocabulary practice with students. So many, that you are probably tired of hearing about it...

Most of the time, our focus is on content vocabulary. Because learning key vocabulary makes learning concepts easier for students.

But what about academic vocabulary? Who takes the time to teach academic terms?

In my experience, when students struggle with a question, the struggle usually has nothing to do with the content and everything to do with the language used in the question.

We can help set students up for success by taking the time to teach students academic terms so when they encounter these questions they know what to do.

Here’s a list to get you started – 14 academic terms your students need to know to find success.

Compare
Tell how these things are alike.

Contrast
Tell how these things are different.

Define
Tell what a word or subject means, what its function or role is, what group or category it belongs to, and how it is different from other members of the group.

Describe
Answer who, what, when, where, and why about a subject.

Draw Conclusions
What the reading is trying to tell you (without saying it directly).

Evaluate
Tell how something looks, sounds, or feels.

Explain
Tell how something happens or how it works.

Identify
Tell the important points in a shortened form.

List
Include a specific number of examples, reasons, or causes.

Outline
Organize your answer into main points and specific examples.

Prove
Present facts and details that show something is true.

Review
Tell your opinion – write about good points and bad points.

Significance
Tell the importance of something, especially when it has an effect on what happens in the future.

Summarize
Give an overall picture of the main points about a subject.

Final Thoughts...

So when is a good time to teach academic vocabulary? Who should take the responsibility to teach it?

My honest opinion – all teachers should be teaching these academic terms. Chances are, if you give a test of any sort, there will be academic vocabulary on it.

So when do you teach it? Any and every opportunity that comes up. These are great fillers for when you have an extra 10-15 minutes of class that you didn’t expect.

This post was originally written by Hillary Midgley and published at Study Skills Unleashed

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Teaching with Textbooks | Teach Like Midgley

Welcome! I'm Hillary Midgley, a veteran 6th grade teacher.
I create educational materials and develop curriculum for other teachers. I specialize in teaching students how to learn through my Study Skills Curriculum. I have established fundamental classroom systems and structures for teachers to help them streamline their classroom. And my passion is teaching ancient history through engaging activities with foundations in academic skills. Here you will find resources on all of these topics and more. Learn more about me here.