Vocabulary

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​Vocabulary is an important focus of literacy pedagogy and refers to the knowledge or words, including their structure (morphology), use (grammar), meanings (semantics), and links to other words (word/semantic relationships).

Oral vocabulary refers to words that children tin can sympathise or use while speaking and listening. Oral vocabulary is closely related to their reading vocabulary, which is the words that children can recognise and utilize in their reading or writing.

Words all have:

  • meaning, which tin vary co-ordinate to context
  • phonology – that is, sounds
  • morphology – that is, word parts
  • syntax, that is, the way in which words are bundled to form phrases or sentences
  • uses, which may be multiple, depending on context.

The importance of vocabulary

Children need to have a rich vocabulary that continually grows through linguistic communication and literacy experiences, in lodge to comprehend and construct increasingly complex texts, and engage in oral linguistic communication for a variety of social purposes.

Focussing on vocabulary is useful for developing noesis and skills in multiple aspects of language and literacy. This includes helping with decoding (phonemic sensation and phonics), comprehension, and also fluency.

Theory to do

Learning vocabulary is a continual procedure of language and literacy development, which begins in the early years of life, and continues through schooling and beyond. Sinatra, Zygouris-Coe, and Dasinger (2011) annotation that:

Kno​​​​wledge of vocabulary meanings affects children's abilities to sympathise and use words appropriately during the language acts of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Such knowledge influences the complexities and nuances of children'due south thinking, how they communicate in the oral and written languages, and how well they will understand printed texts. (p. 333)

It is crucial that children have explicit and robust educational activity in vocabulary, to back up their verbal and written communication. The explicit teaching of vocabulary allows students to admission academic linguistic communication and discourse, and facilitates their comprehension of increasingly complex texts.

Evidence base of operations

Vocabulary plays an important role in oral language development and early literacy (Hill, 2012). Paris (2005) identifies vocabulary as i of the unconstrained skills, pregnant that it is a skill that we continue to develop over our life span. Konza (2016) notes the importance of explicit education of vocabulary to support students to become confident in a discussion's meaning and utilize in context so that it will become part of their own repertoire.

Constructive means teaching of vocabulary involve the post-obit chief components (Sinatra, Zygouris-Coe, & Dasinger 2011):

  • explicit teaching of appropriate vocabulary words (encounter tier 2 vocabulary below)
  • multiple exposures to same words in varying contexts (speaking/listening, reading, writing)
  • working with a partner or pocket-size group to analyse words
  • story retelling using key vocabulary from texts
  • employ of props or concrete objects to explain vocabulary
  • explicit discussion of comprehension together with vocabulary
  • ensuring vocabulary instruction is embedded across the curriculum.
Supporting EAL/D learners to develop vocabulary

Increasing EAL/D learners' vocabulary is crucial in developing school literacies and participating in learning activities across the curriculum. EAL/D learners may already have the words to describe a known concept from their prior learning or by experiences. This knowledge tin can be transferred to English by using translation as a learning process.

Some strategies for translating vocabulary in the classroom include:

  • using printed bilingual dictionaries or home language picture dictionaries
  • using online translation tools or dictionaries
  • creating a 'translation' or 'domicile language' column on vocabulary or spelling lists
  • displaying multilingual word walls or vocabulary lists in the classroom
  • checking translated vocabulary lists with family members, same linguistic communication peers or Multicultural Education Aides.

Translation lonely is not a sufficient strategy to help students acquire how to use new vocabulary. Students require ongoing support to infer the meaning of words using contextual clues, and to interruption words into morphemes and understand how each office relates to the significant of the give-and-take.

Developing translation and vocabulary learning skills and strategies also helps EAL/D students continue to develop their abode language and literacy, which in turn supports learning in English language. During the translation process, students may discover gaps in their vocabulary, and get aware of the differences of pregnant between words and grammatical structures in different languages.

Boosted ways of supporting EAL/D students' vocabulary development include:

  • identifying and educational activity key vocabulary in context beyond all subject areas
  • providing opportunities to reuse key vocabulary in a range of texts and situations
  • providing displays of vocabulary and concepts, with illustrations and/or translations in the classroom. The teacher might need to demonstrate how the students could use the displays in their learning
  • explicitly education comprehension strategies for inferring and checking the meaning of new words that are encountered in reading, listening and viewing
  • playing discussion games such as I spy, Hangman or Bingo to reinforce vocabulary
  • discussing techniques and tools for recording and remembering vocabulary such as Apps or personal dictionaries
  • using graphic organisers to allocate words into definitions and characteristics, with examples, non-examples and notes in English and/or abode languages.

Multilingual graphic organisers, word walls or cognate charts scaffold EAL/D students' understanding of English words and make other languages visible in school spaces. Students who speak English as a first language may be able to use these strategies with the vocabulary that they are learning in school.

The 'form, meaning, and use' (Larsen-Freeman & Celce-Murcia, 2016) model can too exist used to assistance EAL/D learners understand:

  • the 'course' (the word parts, the spelling, the audio of the discussion)
  • the 'significant' (the concept of the word)
  • the 'apply' (how the discussion is used in a judgement).

If EAL/D students are literate in their home language, they may include the 'grade, pregnant and use' model alongside drawings, images or known phonetic symbols to develop their bookish vocabulary in both English language and their home languages. If a instructor or a back up staff shares some of the home languages of the students, they will be able to cheque students' translations for accuracy. Otherwise, the teacher can enquire students to identify and explain whatever differences between their languages and English.

Links to curriculum

Foundation

Reading

  • Recognise that texts are fabricated upwardly of words and groups of words that make meaning (Content clarification VCELA144)
  • Explore the unlike contribution of words and images to pregnant in stories and informative texts (Content description VCELA145)

Speaking and listening

  • Understand the use of vocabulary in familiar contexts related to everyday experiences, personal interests and topics taught at school (Content description VCELA167)
Level 1

Reading

  • Place the parts of a simple sentence that represent 'What'due south happening?', 'Who or what is involved?' and the surrounding circumstances (Content description VCELA178)
  • Explore differences in words that represent people, places and things (nouns, including pronouns), happenings and states (verbs), qualities (adjectives) and details such as when, where and how (adverbs) (Content clarification VCELA179)

Speaking and listening

  • Understand the utilise of vocabulary in everyday contexts likewise as a growing number of school contexts, including advisable use of formal and informal terms of address in different contexts (Content description VCELA202)

Writing

  • Recognise and know how to use simple grammatical morphemes in word families (Content description VCELA191)
Level 2

Reading

  • Understand that nouns represent people, places, things and ideas and include mutual, proper, concrete or abstract, and that noun groups/phrases tin be expanded using manufactures and adjectives (Content clarification VCELA216)
  • Learn some generalisations for adding suffixes to words (Content description VCELA217)
  • Analyse how different texts use nouns to represent people, places, things and ideas in particular ways (Content clarification VCELY223)

Speaking and listening

  • Understand the apply of vocabulary nigh familiar and new topics and experiment with and brainstorm to make witting choices of vocabulary to suit audience and purpose (Content description VCELA237)

Writing

  • Understand how texts are fabricated cohesive by the utilize of resources, including word associations, synonyms, and antonyms (Content description VCELA224)
Level three

Reading

  • Recognise most loftier-frequency words, know how to use common prefixes and suffixes, and know some homophones and generalisations for adding a suffix to a base word (Content description VCELA250)

Speaking and Listening

  • Larn extended and technical vocabulary and means of expressing opinion including modal verbs and adverbs (Content clarification VCELA273)

Writing

  • Understand that verbs represent different processes (doing, thinking, maxim, and relating) and that these processes are anchored in time through tense (Content description VCELA262)
Level 4

Reading

  • Read dissimilar types of texts for specific purposes by combining phonic, semantic, contextual and grammatical knowledge using text processing strategies, including monitoring pregnant, skimming, scanning and reviewing (Content description VCELY287)

Writing

  • Incorporate new vocabulary from a range of sources, including vocabulary encountered in research, into ain texts (Content description VCELA293)
  • Recognise homophones and know how to use context to identify correct spelling (Content clarification VCELA296)
Level 5

Reading

  • Sympathize how to use banks of known words, syllabification, spelling patterns, word origins, base words, prefixes and suffixes, to spell new words, including some uncommon plurals (Content description VCELA312)

Writing

  • Sympathize the use of vocabulary to express greater precision of meaning, and know that words can have different meanings in dissimilar contexts (Content description VCELA325)
Level half-dozen

Reading

  • Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (Content clarification VCELA325)

Writing

  • Understand how ideas can be expanded and sharpened through careful option of verbs, elaborated tenses and a range of adverb groups/phrases (Content clarification VCELA351)
  • Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative linguistic communication can express shades of meaning, feeling and stance (Content description VCELA352)
  • Understand how to use banks of known words, word origins, base words, prefixes, suffixes, spelling patterns and generalisations to spell new words, including technical words and words adopted from other languages (Content clarification VCELA354)

Links to Victorian Curriculum - English every bit an Boosted Language (EAL)

Pathway A

Speaking and listening
Level A1

  • Understand that texts are meaningful (VCEALA035)
  • Recognise some familiar words in context (VCEALL048)
  • Recognise and use words from lexical sets related to immediate communicative need, interest or experience (VCEALL026)

Level A2

  • Recognise a small range of familiar words in different contexts (VCEALL129)
  • Use words learnt from a range of classroom and social contexts (VCEALL108)

Reading and viewing
Level A1

  • Select books to look at or read independently (VCEALA038)
  • Apply simple dictionaries and discussion charts (VCEALA040)
  • Rely on content words to empathise the main thought in a text (VCEALL045)
  • Recognise familiar words and phrases (VCEALL046)

Level A2

  • Understand how different types of images in texts contribute to meaning (VCEALA116)
  • Select suitable books to read (VCEALA120)
  • Locate words in a bilingual dictionary or in class word lists (VCEALA121)
  • Focus on both content and functional words to understand the main thought in a text (VCEALL126)
  • Use developing knowledge of English to predict some words or phrases (VCEALL127)

Writing
 Level A1

  • Write some loftier-frequency words related to personal experience and school context (VCEALL076)
  • Contribute ideas, words or sentences to a class or grouping shared story (VCEALA062)
  • Clarify the meaning of a word in home language and ask for the word to be written so it can exist copied (VCEALA066)

Level A2

  • Use loftier-frequency words encountered in classroom activities (VCEALL155)
  • Use some curriculum or content area vocabulary (VCEALL156)
  • Contribute to shared writing activities (VCEALA142)
  • Utilize a range of resources to find words or phrases for own writing (VCEALA146)
Pathway B

Speaking and listening
 Level BL

  • Use words from sets related to immediate communicative need, interest or experience (VCEALL180)

Level B1

  • Use learnt words in speech (VCEALL260)
  • Use the most bones forms of modality (VCEALL257)

Level B2

  • Use, in speech communication, vocabulary and structures learnt from spoken and written texts (VCEALL341)
  • Use elementary forms of modality (VCEALL338)

Level B3

  • Employ a range of vocabulary to convey shades of meaning (VCEALL421)
  • Sympathize how modal verbs express probability and possibility (VCEALL418)

Reading and viewing
 Level BL

  • Use simple dictionaries and discussion charts (VCEALA196)
  • Sequence words to make unproblematic sentences (VCEALL203)
  • Use simple present and past tense verb forms to talk about ongoing, electric current and past deportment (VCEALL204)
  • Use some loftier-frequency adjective–substantive and verb–adverb combinations (VCEALL205)
  • Recognise some common words or phrases (VCEALL206)
  • Build a vocabulary that draws on words of involvement, learnt words and sight words (VCEALL207)

Level B1

  • Experiment with using a picture or simple English language dictionary and/or a habitation linguistic communication–English bilingual dictionary to find words (VCEALA276)
  • Read sentences that use basic subject field, verb and object patterns, where content and vocabulary are familiar (VCEALL283)
  • Identify simple present and past tense verbs (VCEALL284)
  • Use knowledge of base of operations words to read new forms (VCEALL285)
  • Read some familiar words and phrases (VCEALL286)
  • Build a vocabulary that draws on words of interest, topic words and sight words (VCEALL287)

Level B2

  • Use a simple English dictionary or class word list to find words, and/or cheque home language–English bilingual dictionary for meanings (VCEALA357)
  • Read texts that incorporate compound and complex sentences (VCEALL364)
  • Employ cognition of unproblematic tense and negation to translate the meaning of written text (VCEALL365)
  • Apply noesis of judgement construction to predict words or cocky-correct (VCEALL366)
  • Read some common words or familiar phrases (VCEALL367)

Level B3

  • Use an attainable English dictionary to check the pregnant of new words, and/or check meanings in a home language–English bilingual dictionary (VCEALA436)
  • Follow the meaning of complex sentence patterns (VCEALL443)
  • Translate the pregnant of written text that uses a range of tenses and negation (VCEALL444)
  • Use knowledge of judgement structure to predict words and self-correct (VCEALL445)
  • Use knowledge of sentence structure and content to deduce the meaning of unfamiliar words (VCEALL446)

Writing
 Level BL

  • Rely on memorisation and/or home language to think new words and structures (VCEALA224)
  • Apply topic-specific vocabulary encountered in classroom activities (VCEALL235)
  • Utilize basic descriptive words (VCEALL232)
  • Build a vocabulary that draws on words of interest, learnt words and sight words (VCEALL287)
  • Use high-frequency words accurately, although sometimes repetitively (VCEALL234)

Level B1

  • Use a range of strategies to sympathize new or unknown words (VCEALA304)
  • Incorporate learnt vocabulary into writing (VCEALL315)
  • Employ a small range of elementary descriptive phrases (VCEALL312)
  • Build a vocabulary that draws on words of involvement, topic words and sight words (VCEALL287)
  • Use formulaic structures (VCEALL314)

Level B2

  • Employ a range of strategies to understand and learn unknown words (VCEALA384)
  • Utilise modelled vocabulary appropriately (VCEALL395)
  • Use simple extended descriptive phrases (VCEALL392)
  • Select some descriptive vocabulary advisable to context (VCEALL396)
  • Use a varied and appropriate vocabulary (VCEALL394)

Level B3

  • Employ a range of strategies to expand vocabulary (VCEALA463)
  • Use a range of key vocabulary appropriately (VCEALL474)
  • Write using extended descriptive phrases (VCEALL471)
  • Create mood and feeling through the pick of appropriate vocabulary and idiom (VCEALL475)
  • Use some antonyms and synonyms (VCEALL473)

Key concepts

Discussion Classes and Grammatical form and function

Words are categorised into grammatical forms or word classes including the commonly known nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, too as determiners, prepositions, conjunctions. Different word classes have different functions in terms of their grammar (including morphology, and syntax).

Students need to develop understandings of different types of words, as function of their metalinguistic sensation (knowing how language and literacy works, and the words that describe these phenomena).

When introducing vocabulary it is crucial for students to know the type (or grade) of word information technology is. If ever students are unsure, they can be encouraged to check a paper or online dictionary, which will ever provide the word class in the list.

Below is a table which summarises each word form (or form), including their function, examples, and any inflectional or derivational morphemes that attach to these.

Word Class Function Examples Inflections Derivations
Noun (incl Name) person, place, thing, typically objects (concrete and abstract) junk idea rainbow reaction debate earthquake
  • Plural (-s, -es)
  • Possessive (-'s)
 due east.g. -ance -ion
-dom -ness
-ment -ity -ism
-er
Pronoun stand in for nouns or substantive phrases I you they him she this these some their his myself ourselves each other n/a n/a
Determiner specifies the noun. e.m. whose substantive it is or which substantive is meant the a an
her their our
those this that
many more neither
another		 north/a due north/a
Adjective words which typically modify a noun, denoting qualities or states (respond question such as Which one? What kind? How many? Whose?) long pointy kittenish imaginary sisterly
  • comparative (-er)
  • peak (-est)
 -ish -ary -able
-ly -y -ful
Verb generally denote actions, states, processes and events run play determine sorted synchronising thinking
  • third person singular
    present tense
    e.g. (she) walks
    (he) eats
  • past tense (-ed)
 -Ify -ate -ize -en
Adverb modifies (adds meaning) to verbs adjectives, and other adverbs slowly heedlessly very mostly n/a -ly
Prepositions provide additional information by specifying location or space
i.e. they tell us about the relationships between events and things		 in, at, on, off, into, onto, towards, to, about, as, with n/a n/a
Conjunctions used to join words, phrases, or sentences together and or but because whenever after before n/a n/a

When using personal dictionaries (where new vocabulary is added progressively every bit students learn new words), students should be encouraged to record the discussion type in their entries. Calculation an example sentence tin also be useful. These strategies help develop students' independence in their understanding and apply of new vocabulary.

Word Morphology

Morphology is the study of words and their parts. Morphemes (like prefixes, suffixes, and base words) are defined equally the smallest meaningful units of significant.

All words can be broken down into their morphemes:

Some words have besides i morpheme system system (1)
Some accept 2 morphemes systematic organisation+atic (2)
Or 3 morphemes unsystematic united nations+system+atic (3)
Or 4 morphemes unsystematical un+organisation+atic+al (4)
Or more! unsystematically un+system+atic+al+ly (5)

Other examples of words with multiple morphemes are: coil+er driv+ing under+stand+able class+ic+al

Morphemes are important for vocabulary, as well as phonics (reading and spelling) and comprehension. Teaching morphemes is useful considering they help to analyse the parts of words, oftentimes have a consistent purpose and/or meaning, and are often spelt the same across dissimilar words (even when the sound changes).

For more information, see: Word morphology

Word/Semantic Relationships

Teaching vocabulary is also about how words relate to other words. Semantics is the report of word meanings, and includes semantic relationships (how words are related to other words).

Hither are some examples of types of word/semantic relationships:

  • Categories
  • Antonyms
  • Synonyms
  • Connotations
  • Homophones & Homographs
  • Homonyms (words with Multiple Meanings)

The most effective mode to teach vocabulary is to show how new words relate to other words, particularly ones that students already know. It is important to explicitly teach the relationships between words.

For more than information about word/semantic relationships, including Categories, Antonyms, Synonyms, Connotations, Homophones & Homographs, see: Word/Semantic Relationships (docx - 233.6kb)

Choosing Words to Teach - Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3

Vocabulary Words that we explicitly teach should likewise be as functional as possible, so that students accept multiple opportunities to comprehend and use these words. Beck and McKeown (1985) accept categorised words according to 3 Vocabulary Tiers:

For more information, meet: Choosing Words to Teach - Tier 1, 2, three Vocabulary (docx - 209.43kb)

Discussion Etymology

The origins of words and morphemes, and their meanings, is a crucial function of exploring the richness of vocabulary, and how words connect with one another.

Ideas for explicit introductions to concepts

  • Identifying word types
  • Identifying morphemes
  • Edifice words, breaking words down
  • Finding word meaning(s)
  • Semantic/Give-and-take Webs or Maps Period charts and visual organisers for words
  • How well do yous know a word?
    • Recognition
    • Remember
    • Familiarity
    • Use for one context/purpose
    • Use of multiple contexts/purposes

Example Activities

Besides as embedding Vocabulary didactics within the various instruction practices, there are numerous activities that introduce students to concepts of Vocabulary.

References

Brook, I. L. & McKeown, G. Chiliad (1985). Teaching vocabulary: Making the instruction fit the goal. Educational Perspectives, 23(1). eleven-15.

Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. Yard., & Kucan, 50. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. New York: Guilford.

Hill, S. (2012). Developing early literacy: assessment and didactics (2nd ed.). South Yarra, Vic. Eleanor Curtain Publishing.

Konza, D. (2016). Agreement the process of reading: The big vi. In J. Scull & B. Raban (Eds), Growing up literate:Australian literacy research for practice (pp. 149-175). S Yarra, Vic. : Eleanor Curtain Publishing.

Larsen-Freeman, D., & Celce-Murcia, M. (2016). The grammar book: Class, meaning, and use for English linguistic communication teachers (3rd Ed.). Boston: National Geographic Learning.

Nation, P. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge: Cambridge Academy Press.

Nation, P. (2005). Teaching vocabulary. The Asian EFL Journal, seven(three), 47-54.

Paris, S. (2005). Reinterpreting the development of reading skills. Reading Research Quarterly, 40 (2), 184-202.

Sinatra, R, Zygouris-Coe, V & Dasinger, S 2011, Preventing a vocabulary lag: What lessons are learned from research, Reading & Writing Quarterly, 28(4), pp. 333-334