Vocabulary

A focus on explicitly growing a rich and increasingly sophisticated vocabulary is central to strong language development, particularly for learners who do not come from a literacy-rich background.  Addressing the vocabulary deficit for those affected by disadvantage early and robustly is a key factor in securing equity of access to excellence in language development.  Closing the Vocabulary Gap (Quigley, 2019) provides useful guidance for schools, including these key considerations:

• A rich vocabulary is a very important for comprehension, communication, and academic achievement.

• Teachers should actively teach and introduce new words to learners, rather than expecting learners to learn new words as they come across them.

• Words can be categorised into three tiers:

  • • • Tier 1: Basic, everyday words (e.g., house, cat, run).

      • Tier 2: High frequency words founds in many subjects (e.g., authority, establish).

      • Tier 3: Subject-specific words (e.g., ‘photosynthesis’ in science).

• All tiers are important, however, Tier 2 words bridge the gap between everyday language and academic language and are particularly beneficial for students' academic progress.

• Vocabulary should be taught within meaningful contexts, in rich reading and discussion environments where learners can understand how words are used in context.

• Word learning strategies are useful, such as context clues, word parts (prefixes, suffixes and roots), and word webs, to help students understand and remember new vocabulary.

• Regular exposure and review of vocabulary words are crucial for remembering them.

• Reading widely exposes students to diverse vocabulary, which can be further strengthened through writing opportunities.

Useful resources

• • Suzie Jabarian has shared her vocabulary work through the Partneriaeth literacy week and sessions that have been very well-received.

  • Each cluster can develop its own agreed lists of subject/AOLE-specific vocabulary for year 6-7 transition, which will need to include shared definitions for Tier 3 vocabulary.

  • Current resource developments for Welsh learners includes the Meistroli flashcards linked to the Continwwm vocabulary, which aim to develop metacognitive approaches to improving language learning, as well as recall and retention. 

  • PowerLanguage for Schools schemes of learning and resources guide a well-considered, systematic development of vocabulary, and phrases as vocabulary, for general language learning, as well as theme-specific vocabulary.

VOCABULARY: NEEDED IF MORE CHILDREN ARE TO READ WELL  Biemiller (2011) 

Vocabulary has long been recognized as a strong determinant of reading success. However, until they reach about Year 4, children’s vocabulary knowledge is largely determined by informal factors such as parental interaction and other incidental sources such as TV. In this article, the following topics are addressed: 

(a) individual differences in vocabulary acquisition, 

(b) the amount of vocabulary needed for successful learning, 

(c) the predictable sequence of vocabulary acquisition, 

(d) the need for direct instruction for vocabulary growth, and 

(e) promising methods for promoting vocabulary knowledge.