We know that a richer vocabulary significantly impacts our students’ success in reading comprehension, writing, speaking and learning in the content areas, yet it often receives relatively little attention in many classrooms (Beimiller 2001).
The discrepancy that exists in students’ oral language even before they begin school is a concern. Hart and Risley (1995) found that three-year olds from advantaged homes had oral vocabularies as much as five times larger than children from disadvantages homes. Louisa Moats (2001) estimated that linguistically advantaged students enter grade one with about 20,000 words, while disadvantaged students were likely to have only 5,000 – a condition she called “word poverty”. Without intervention, this gap continues to widen. Andrew Beimller (2005) suggested however, that because vocabulary deficits are often culturally based, the likelihood of remediation is higher than with other learning problems.
The discrepancy that exists in students’ oral language even before they begin school is a concern. Hart and Risley (1995) found that three-year olds from advantaged homes had oral vocabularies as much as five times larger than children from disadvantages homes. Louisa Moats (2001) estimated that linguistically advantaged students enter grade one with about 20,000 words, while disadvantaged students were likely to have only 5,000 – a condition she called “word poverty”. Without intervention, this gap continues to widen. Andrew Beimller (2005) suggested however, that because vocabulary deficits are often culturally based, the likelihood of remediation is higher than with other learning problems.
The strong link between vocabulary and comprehension is well documented. Nagy (2005) states, “Of the many benefits of having a large vocabulary, none is more valuable than the positive contribution that vocabulary size makes to reading comprehension”. Cunningham and Stanovich (1997) found that the vocabulary of students entering grade one not only predicted their word reading ability at the end of first grade, but also their 11th grade reading comprehension. While vocabulary was predictive of comprehension in later years, word recognition skills were not.
A satisfactory vocabulary and the ability to fluently recognize words may not be sufficient to guarantee comprehension, however both are necessary, and a deficit in either will hinder the ability to comprehend. It is easier for beginning readers to decode and understand an unfamiliar word in text when it is part of their oral vocabulary (Kamil & Hiebert, 2005). Approximately 95% of students in grade three and above can read more words than they can define or explain (Beimiller & Slonim 2001). Beimiller (2005) suggests that vocabulary may be the missing link for many children who have mastered phonics, but continue to struggle with comprehension.
Effective vocabulary instruction has several key components, and students acquire word knowledge both directly and indirectly. Indirect or incidental word learning often occurs as a result of rich oral language experiences and wide reading. A direct or intentional approach includes specific word instruction, word learning strategies and word consciousness (Graves, 2006, Vocabulary Handbook, CORE, 2006). Student-friendly definitions, active engagement and numerous exposures to words in multiple contexts all enhance students’ vocabulary learning.
Want to learn more about teaching vocabulary? A great place to start is Vocabulogic - http://vocablog-plc.blogspot.com. This outstanding online resource posts weekly articles relating to linguistics and word knowledge. Vocabulogic is where we first discovered Wordle (www.wordle.net), the fun, online tool we used to create the word cloud at the top of this article.
References
Beimiller, A. (2001). Teaching vocabulary: Early, direct, and sequential. American
Educator, 25(1), 24-28.
Biemiller, A. (2005). Size and sequence in vocabulary development: Implications for
choosing words for primary grade vocabulary instruction. In Hiebert, E. & Kamil, M.
(2005). Teaching and Learning Vocabulary: Bringing Research to Practice (pp 223-
242). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Biemiller, A., & Slonim, N. (2001). Estimating Root Word Vocabulary Growth in
Normative and Advantaged Populations: Evidence for a Common Sequence of
Vocabulary Acquisition. Journal of Educational Psychology, 93,
Cunningham, A.E. & Stanovich, K.E. (1997). Early reading acquisition and its relation
to reading experience and ability 10 years later. Developmental Psychology, 33, 934-
945.
Graves, M. (2006). The Vocabulary Book: Learning and Instruction. New York:
Teachers College Press.
Hart, B., & Risley, T.R. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday experiences of
young American children. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
Hiebert E. & Kamil, M. (2005). Teaching and Learning Vocabulary: Bringing
Research to Practice (pp 223-242). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Moats, L. (2001). Overcoming the language gap. American Educator, 25 (2), 5, 8-9.
Nagy, W. E. (2005). Why vocabulary instruction needs to be long-term and
comprehensive. In E. Hiebert & M. Kamil (2005), Teaching and learning vocabulary:
Bringing research to practice (pp. 27–44). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Vocabulary Handbook (2006). Berkely, California: Consortium on Reading
Excellence
A satisfactory vocabulary and the ability to fluently recognize words may not be sufficient to guarantee comprehension, however both are necessary, and a deficit in either will hinder the ability to comprehend. It is easier for beginning readers to decode and understand an unfamiliar word in text when it is part of their oral vocabulary (Kamil & Hiebert, 2005). Approximately 95% of students in grade three and above can read more words than they can define or explain (Beimiller & Slonim 2001). Beimiller (2005) suggests that vocabulary may be the missing link for many children who have mastered phonics, but continue to struggle with comprehension.
Effective vocabulary instruction has several key components, and students acquire word knowledge both directly and indirectly. Indirect or incidental word learning often occurs as a result of rich oral language experiences and wide reading. A direct or intentional approach includes specific word instruction, word learning strategies and word consciousness (Graves, 2006, Vocabulary Handbook, CORE, 2006). Student-friendly definitions, active engagement and numerous exposures to words in multiple contexts all enhance students’ vocabulary learning.
Want to learn more about teaching vocabulary? A great place to start is Vocabulogic - http://vocablog-plc.blogspot.com. This outstanding online resource posts weekly articles relating to linguistics and word knowledge. Vocabulogic is where we first discovered Wordle (www.wordle.net), the fun, online tool we used to create the word cloud at the top of this article.
References
Beimiller, A. (2001). Teaching vocabulary: Early, direct, and sequential. American
Educator, 25(1), 24-28.
Biemiller, A. (2005). Size and sequence in vocabulary development: Implications for
choosing words for primary grade vocabulary instruction. In Hiebert, E. & Kamil, M.
(2005). Teaching and Learning Vocabulary: Bringing Research to Practice (pp 223-
242). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Biemiller, A., & Slonim, N. (2001). Estimating Root Word Vocabulary Growth in
Normative and Advantaged Populations: Evidence for a Common Sequence of
Vocabulary Acquisition. Journal of Educational Psychology, 93,
Cunningham, A.E. & Stanovich, K.E. (1997). Early reading acquisition and its relation
to reading experience and ability 10 years later. Developmental Psychology, 33, 934-
945.
Graves, M. (2006). The Vocabulary Book: Learning and Instruction. New York:
Teachers College Press.
Hart, B., & Risley, T.R. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday experiences of
young American children. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
Hiebert E. & Kamil, M. (2005). Teaching and Learning Vocabulary: Bringing
Research to Practice (pp 223-242). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Moats, L. (2001). Overcoming the language gap. American Educator, 25 (2), 5, 8-9.
Nagy, W. E. (2005). Why vocabulary instruction needs to be long-term and
comprehensive. In E. Hiebert & M. Kamil (2005), Teaching and learning vocabulary:
Bringing research to practice (pp. 27–44). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Vocabulary Handbook (2006). Berkely, California: Consortium on Reading
Excellence
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