ABSTRACT
Depth of processing is a key player in helping students move from simple repetition and temporary knowledge to elaborate repetition and long-term knowledge. A task that requires deeper processes forces the brain to allocate more of its firepower to that task. So the more you can involve your students in tasks that require deeper processing, the greater the return for the time invested. Let's explore this concept of depth of processing to see how it relates directly to vocabulary instruction. Let's take a look at some common practices for vocabulary learning and determine whether they call for depth of processing, as opposed to superficial processing. Emphasize that depth of processing for vocabulary is not a solitary pursuit. The further up we go on Bloom's taxonomy, the more necessary, and natural, it is to have students communicating with each other about the words. It is necessary to provide students with thoughtful processing experiences.
