Vocabulary is the tool with which individuals build their means of communication, whether it's through a book, letter, talking to a friend, or analyzing or commenting on a picture on social media. It's the way in which humans externalize their internal thoughts and feelings about the world. Therefore, it is vital in an English classroom that students are not only provided with words, but also the skills to help develop and enrich vocabulary. Since my instructional unit is about ambiguous language as seen in Macbeth, my vocabulary lesson revolved around Shakespearean language, since when students are first introduced to such a playwright, they are often overwhelmed and confused by the words. Instead of trying to provide students with definitions for all of Shakespeare's vernacular, I made the lesson more conceptual, with the overall goal not simply being denotation memorization, but having students become familiar with identifying the language, and hearing it in contrast to contemporary words. This way students feel less overwhelmed and scared of the language, allowing them to be more open to and comfortable with learning definitions and contexts. 

With the lesson, one of the areas I hoped to improve upon based on feedback from a a previous lesson, was to be more direct and clear with my instruction. After watching the video of myself teaching, and reading feedback from my peers, I feel as though I did improve in that category. When introducing a task, I was more straightforward, and less wishy-washy about expectations, which is something that I have struggled with in the past. One thing that I have learned about teaching vocabulary in an English classroom, is that there are many resources with which one can learn the definition of a word, so it is more important for students to be presented with the necessary skills to determine appropriate definitions based on context, but also see how words interact with one another. In literature, words are never isolated. They are strung together to form sentences, then paragraphs, then pages, then whole pieces. Therefore, each word is like a brick in the side of a building, creating context. However, in each building, every word has a different purpose and supports a different side. Therefore, it does not do a word justice to simply provide a single dictionary definition. Successful vocabulary instruction provides students with opportunities to explore definitions, contextual scenarios, physically engage with the words, and finally create with the words, which I tried to incorporate into my lesson. This relates to This seemed to be done successfully based on the assessment outcome. My goal was for students to be able to identify Shakespearean language and see how it coincides with contemporary vernacular, which they were all able to complete successfully and thoughtfully, but without much confusion or stress. 

This relates to the Saint Michael's College Education Department mission statement pillar since one of the performance criteria includes graduates gaining the necessary skills to become creative and integrative teachers who are"adept at both discipline-based and interdisciplinary teaching methods, using emerging technologies, social interaction, and imagination to support students’ achievement of rigorous academic standards”. Vocabulary itself is innately dynamic and artistic. Therefore, its instruction should be just as creative and compelling. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jg5JSIBvMyDsvA3iy7RIUgOK-2QVsGVfvjdpHV7t150

Just as contemporary definitions of literature extend beyond reading and writing, educational tools extend beyond pencil and paper in this rapidly expanding contemporary digital age. As more students acquire larger amounts of technological advices, and spend more time in front of screens, more information is amassed through social media, online articles, YouTube videos, etc., and the more technology shapes a students' identity. Therefore, it is vital that technology is appropriately and effectively incorporated into the classroom. Many schools are implementing a one-to-one technology initiative where every student is granted an iPad, Chrome book, or other device for which they are responsible both inside and outside of the classroom. In order to ensure that all of the parents, students, and teachers are on the same page regarding expectations for technology use, a letter is sent home to the parents (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BG3VRrYgR9LFb0ZkGWQIAERsRaigArUbNjtyPl6NdTM/edit?usp=sharing) and a contract is constructed . 

Such documents are put in place because although technology can be a wonderful asset to the classroom and to a student's academic and social development, it can also be a challenge to make sure that it does not distract or detract from any learning. Some of the challenges that arise with technology is that since everything on the internet can be accessed so quickly, students are less likely to have a longer attention span or the patience to take the time to problem solve using more tedious methods of traditional instruction. Furthermore, if students are not monitored and are visiting other sites or social media during lessons, then they are not interacting with the material and gaining that knowledge. It has also been mentioned that technology has decreased people's abilities to engage in real conversations as opposed to solely virtual. 

On the flip side, individuals can become exposed to a variety of materials and resources which can allow students to become more pragmatic, critical thinkers since they have to synthesize and evaluate information from a variety of mediums. Furthermore, many companies and contemporary jobs require certain technological skills in order to be considered for certain occupations. There are many pros and cons to using technology, and it just requires a balance. If teachers monitor and effectively use technology in their classrooms, then it will allow students to find more ways to express themselves, allow them to gain more skills in a digital job market, and expand their network of communication. 

This relates to the Saint Michael's College Education Department mission statement pillar since one of the performance criteria includes graduates gaining the necessary skills to become creative and integrative teachers who are"adept at both discipline-based and interdisciplinary teaching methods, using emerging technologies, social interaction, and imagination to support students’ achievement of rigorous academic standards.” The more technologies to which teacher's are exposed, the more comfortable they will be incorporating such resources into their classrooms, and the more variety they will have in their lessons to reach a broader range of students.