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Common Core Vocabulary, Tier I, II and III Words
COMMON CORE TIER VOCABULARY INFORMATION
Common Core State Standards: Focus on Tier 2 & Tier 3 Academic
Vocabulary
Tier 1 Basic words that commonly appear in spoken language.
Because they are heard frequently in numerous contexts and with nonverbal
communication, Tier 1 words rarely require explicit instruction. Examples of
Tier 1 words are clock, baby, happy and walk.
Tier 2 High frequency words used by mature language users across
several content areas. Because of their lack of redundancy in oral
language, Tier 2 words present challenges to students who primarily meet them
in print. Examples of Tier 2 words are obvious, complex, establish and
verify.
Tier 3 Words that are not frequently used except in specific
content areas or domains. Tier 3 words are central to building knowledge
and conceptual understanding within the various academic domains and should be
integral to instruction of content. Medical, legal, biology and
mathematics terms are all examples of these words.
