Example/Non-Example

Example/Non-Example

Background

This method is included in a chapter on direct and rich vocabulary instruction authored by Margaret McKeown and Isabel Beck (2004). 

Description

Learners are asked to decide which context demonstrates an accurate representation of the target word. 

Example

Target Word: Collaborate

a) Students will work together to complete their history projects.

b) Students will turn in their history projects. 

The task is for students to decide which context, a or b, represents an example of the target word and which represents a non-example of the target word. Notice that the scenarios presented are similar. Beck and McKeown state that the descriptions of the situations should be very similar and should only differ around the definition of the target word.