Implementation of a new tool into my practice

From looking at the data I have collected so far I can see that vocabulary knowledge is an area that needs development. My students are able to read the words in the text however quite often will not understand what the word means or how it fits into the sentence. So this has made me think and question what can I do as a teacher to make sure that we are working on this area and strengthening this for my students. So what have i changed?

1. Word Wall:
   This term our topic is "Healthy Me, Healthy You" and we will be looking at the upcoming Olympics and Paralympics along with what we can do to keep ourselves fit and healthy. I have started off this team with a word wall where as we come across new words I will add this to the word wall which can be seen and accessed in the classroom at all time for my students. We will discuss each of the new words that we come across and talk about what they mean. These words will then be added to the word wall which will hopefully allow the students to constantly see these words, understand the meaning and be able to use them in their daily learning. 
   
   
2. Topic specific reading:
   This is something that I started to implement last term and will continue to implement this term. My weekly reading learning will have a specific topic for that week. This week is looking at the history of the Olympics. At the beginning of the week we have a class discussion around things that we already know about the Olympics and the history of how it began. Then there will be tasks and activities that are related to that specific topic for the week. In the initial whole class lesson we will discuss new and topical words that come out from our research and add these words to the word wall. I will then have journal articles that are related as closely as possible to the overall weekly topic that will also include some of the new words we have already discussed. This will mean that the students have access to these new words in a range of different ways throughout the week. 
   
   
   
   This is the introduction section for my reading that I use with my whole class when introducing the new topic each week. The is 4 facts and a research task for all of the students to complete each week which opens up a range of new vocabulary that is related to the topic. 
   
   

   

   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   Then for each of my reading groups I try and link the texts that we use for guided reading each week to the particular topic that we are learning about. This can also provide new and topical vocabulary related to the topic. 
   
   
3. Spelling:
   This term for spelling I create a spelling list that is related to all of the new vocabulary we will be learning about the topic. Spelling is a daily activity that the students need to complete so they are getting continued access to the new vocabulary for this topic. I was initially using the essential spelling list for reading however will use this more in my writing program so that the students are learning new topical vocabulary each week. This allows the students to think about the topic they are learning and can try and read in vocabulary for meaning rather than just words on the page. 
   
   
4. Guided reading:
   For my target group the focus for the beginning of this term will be on reading in new and unfamiliar vocabulary to try and make sense of the words as we are reading. Previous years I have also looked into having the students record themselves reading the article or story aloud and recoding this on their chromebook. This has been effective in the students being able to listen to themselves reread the story and also try and make sense of some of those new and unfamiliar ideas. 

These are some of the key things I will be implementing in term 3 which will hopefully allow the students more access to vocabulary as well as some tools and skills to try and understand new and unfamiliar words.