4:3 Specialist

When and Where did I Found it: This word is one that I am familiar with and have heard many times in the educational and professional settings. I decided to select this word because I wanted to gain additional insight into what being a specialist entails (keeping in mind that this may look different depending on the specialty). Essentially, I am looking to make more connections to my impending degree as a Literacy Specialist.

What it means:
The word specialist means a person who concerns himself/herself with one subject. This word is only used as a noun (to describe a person).




Level of familiarity:
I am familiar with this word. I understand this word on a surface level, but am hearing it more and more in the professional setting.


Do I want to know this word well and why:
This word is important for me to know, especially because it will be a part of my MS degree. This word is also important to understand because it will help me to realize what my role is and what I am responsible for as a literacy specialist and special education/content specialist.


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why:
Like the word transfer from my previous post, specialist is a word that my colleagues and other educational professionals should be familiar with. Looking at the larger picture (education and school districts), there are various specialists that assist students and teachers everyday. It is important for all people working in these settings to be familiar with these words so they understand the roles of these professionals. Essentially, this word can be applied and explored in a plethora of subject areas.

Specialist (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/specialist

4:2 Transfer

When and Where did I Found it: This word is one that is frequently mentioned in my workplace. Transfer is a prevalent theme discussed by my colleagues and myself, particularly when discussing curriculum design and planning. Essentially, concepts and themes should transfer across the different disciplines in the school setting.

What it means:
The word transfer means to move from one thing to another. It can be used to refer to a person, place, or thing. This word is ususally used as a verb, but may also be used as a noun or adjective.




Level of familiarity:
I am familiar with this word. I understand this word on a surface level, but am hearing it more and more in the professional setting.


Do I want to know this word well and why:
I feel it is important for me to have a firm grasp on the meaning of transfer. Because I am hearing this word in a more "specialized" manner (in the professional setting), I think it is important for me to consider this word in a different way. Essentially, exploring this word from the perspective of an educator.


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why:
This word is one that my colleagues and other educational professionals should be familiar with, especially because this word is one that is an overarching theme addressed in other school districts. Although it may be referred to as something else (such as curriculum, connections, parallels), this theme is still one that should become a common word for all educators.

Transfer (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/transfer

4:1 Nebulous

When and Where did I Found it: I am going to preface this entry by saying that I thoroughly enjoy frequenting dictionary.com. That being said, I stumbled upon my next vocabulary word - nebulous - while on this site.

What it means:
The word pococurante means careless or indifferent. It is usually used to describe an individual.


Level of familiarity:
I have not encourntered this word before.


Do I want to know this word well and why:
This word is a nice addition to my vocabulary, but I do not see it as being a word to explore in greater depth. It would be interesting to utilize in the classroom setting, in terms of characterization. I am currently teaching literary elements to my students, and think this word could be introduced to my students. In order to effectively and purposefully utilize this word in the classroom, I would have to be well versed and comfortable with all of its uses.


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why:
This word is not one I would consider imperative to know. It is another one of those words that would be great additions to one's vocabulary, but are not critical for everyday life. As mentioned above, this word could be introduced in various contexts in the classroom, especially when exploring and discussing characters, people in history, etc.

Nebulous (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/nebulous

3:3 Pococurante

When and Where did I Found it: I encountered this word while reading chapter 3 about modeling academic vocabulary in Fisher and Frey's (2008) Word Wise and Content Rich: Five Essential Steps to Teaching Academic Vocabulary. It was one of the example words used when exploring the role of context clues in vocabulary development. I am not even sure how to pronounce it!

What it means:
The word pococurante means careless or indifferent. It is usually used to describe an individual.


Level of familiarity:
I have not encourntered this word before.


Do I want to know this word well and why:
This word is a nice addition to my vocabulary, but I do not see it as being a word to explore in greater depth.


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why:
This particular word is once again applicable in social, informal situations, but it is not a word that would be useful in content specific contexts.

Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Word wise and content rich: Five essential steps to teaching academic vocabulary. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

3:2 Loquacious

When and Where did I Found it:I encountered this word while reading chapter 3 about modeling academic vocabulary in Fisher and Frey's (2008) Word Wise and Content Rich: Five Essential Steps to Teaching Academic Vocabulary. It was one of the example words used when exploring the role of context clues in vocabulary development.

What it means:
The word loquacious means being talkative or talking excessively and freely. This word has one meaning and is usually used to describe a person.


Level of familiarity:
I have not encourntered this word before.


Do I want to know this word well and why:
This word is a nice addition to my vocabulary, but I am not sure if or how I could apply it in many situations.


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why:
This is a good word to employ in social contexts. This word would be more appropriate and applicable in informal situations. It is a good word to use to sound sophisticated!

Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Word wise and content rich: Five essential steps to teaching academic vocabulary. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

3:1 Inscrutable

When and Where did I Found it:
After our class discussion, I decided to revisit the "words collected list" in the Ruddell and Shearer (2002) article entitiled "Extraordinary," "tremendous," "exhilarating," "magnificent": Middle school at-risk students become avid word learners with the Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy (VSS)." The word "inscrutable" stood out to me. I explored the meaning of this word through dictionary.com.


What it means:
Inscrutable is defined as being not easily understood or incapable of being analyzed.  I am struggling between classifying this word as a general or specialized word because it has a consistent meaning but can describe different objects in varying contexts. This word was used to describe a person and his/her emotions, as well as an object, specifically the ocean.


Level of familiarity:
I have not encourntered this word before. 


Do I want to know this word well and why:
After I discovered the definition of this word, I wanted to know more about it. I think it is an interesting word that could be construed in many different ways, especially when encountering new and different things. 


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why:
I think others would find this word interesting. I think it could lead to more inquiry and discussion regarding what it could describe and the various contexts through which it could be used.

Inscrutable. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/inscrutable