The Essential 25: Teaching the Vocabulary That Makes or Breaks Student Understanding

"Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text." Your students may recognize the words determine, explain, and summarize in this standard, but would they understand and be able to apply these concepts?

Students encounter these and other academic vocabulary words throughout their school years, but too often, they don't have a firm grasp of these words' meanings or what skills they require.

Enter vocabulary expert Marilee Sprenger, who has curated a list of 25 essential high-frequency words that students must know to be academically successful, especially on standardized tests, and be ready for college and career. In this indispensable guide for all educators, she provides

* Pre- and post-assessments to help you evaluate your students' understanding of the essential 25.
* A detailed entry for each word, including activities and strategies that will help students internalize the word's meaning and application.
* Retrieval games to help students practice the words in fun, engaging ways and reinforce the networks for those words in their brains.
* Downloadable blank templates for many of the strategies used throughout the book.

Every student needs to know and understand these words to perform at their best. If educators get behind this effort and make the essential 25 part of the fabric of their schools, students will be equipped to thrive in school and beyond.

Marilee Sprenger is an international educational consultant in the fields of social-emotional learning, literacy, vocabulary, and brain research. She was a classroom teacher for 25 years, mainly at the middle school level. In 1992, she trained and traveled with author and brain-based-learning educator Eric Jensen and discovered her love for the brain. She has authored 13 books related to the brain, learning, and memory; written numerous articles; and developed DVDs, webinars, Quick Reference Guides, and online courses available through ASCD. Her keynote and workshop competence makes her a sought-after speaker for schools, districts, educational service centers, regional offices of education, and educational conferences. Sprenger is a member of the American Academy of Neurology.