Vocabulary

Vocabulary is the understanding of what a word means and being able to properly use words while speaking, listening, writing and reading (Reading Rockets, n.d.-a). Beyond that, having a solid understanding of vocabulary means knowing how that "word fits into the world" (Read Naturally, n.d.). Young children begin to acquire vocabulary through incidental learning which happens when they listen, talk, hear books read aloud, and eventually read books on their own (Read Naturally, n.d.). As they enter school, more intentional learning occurs as they are provided direct instruction in learning new words.

The goal of vocabulary instruction is to ensure students can effectively communicate their thoughts and feelings and comprehend spoken and written language. Incidental and intentional vocabulary learning support students reading development and comprehension (Read Naturally, n.d.). Explicit vocabulary instruction supports students ability to understand and recall the meanings of new words. Frequent exposure to words also increases the ability for students to remember new words and their meanings and students are also more likely to use them (Butler, et al., 2010). Students require instructional opportunities that provide them the opportunity to develop vocabulary, meaningful connections to words, and strategies for them to understand words in context (Butler, et al., 2010). Vocabulary development is essential as student's progress from elementary to upper grades and require a more robust vocabulary in various subject areas.