Core Word of the Week Approach

Core Word of the Week: What It Is & Why It Matters

One approach to teaching Core Vocabulary is to use a “Word of the Week” approach - choosing one word and then trying to use it throughout your week so your child knows what the word means and how to use it in different activities. For example, when teaching the word "go", you can use it in many ways: I want to "go" see grandma; I need to "go" to the bathroom; Please make the music "go"; Can I get out of my wheelchair and "go" the floor; "Go" away! Once you learn one word, you can keep adding new words to build your child’s vocabulary!

Tips for Using a Core Word of the Week Approach:

Choose one word for a week (or more) and try to use it throughout as many activities as you can each day.
Point to the symbol and say the word, but don’t demand that your child uses the symbol just yet (we talk to children for a long time before they “say” their first words!).
Provide as many models as you can (research indicates that a child needs at least 50-100 models of a word before they begin to use it – some children may need more models!).
When you become familiar with the word of the week, add a new word.
Keep modelling the previous ones as often as you can - the more you model, the easier it will be to “find” the words.
Once your child is using some single symbols, you can begin to model symbol combinations (“expand” or “model up”). Try to model one step above what your child is doing.
It can help to plan how you are going to model your “word of the week” – write down some ideas for how you can use this word throughout your day. You may want to use visual reminders such as post-it notes throughout your home to remind you to use the core word.