What is Vocabulary?
Vocabulary refers to the words we must understand to communicate effectively. There are 4 types of vocabulary: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Vocabulary plays a fundamental role in the reading process, and contributes greatly to a reader’s comprehension. Students learn the meanings to most words indirectly.
Good Vocabulary means that the child:
§ knows word meaning in grade appropriate texts
§ has a strong speaking and writing vocabulary
§ makes connections among words
§ uses the right words to describe
§ can pick appropriate leveled books to read
§ tells stories using first, then, finally or first, then, next, after that, finally
§ uses nonfiction text features to learn new vocabulary on own.
To work on this skill:
§ Play oral and written word exercises and games.
§ Discuss important, useful, and difficult vocabulary before your child reads.
§ Provide opportunities to encounter target vocabulary beyond the context in which your child is taught.
§ Use taught vocabulary words often and in various ways.
§ Use context clues ~ how to figure out what the new word means by rereading the surrounding sentences.
§ Read aloud to your child each day, pausing to discuss new words.
§ Include new and interesting words in daily conversations with your child.
§ Classify and group objects or pictures while naming them.
§ Play verbal games, tell jokes and stories.
§ Have your child read as much as he/she can; the more one reads, the more one learns!