Selecting a small number of key words to introduce to children is a common method of vocabulary teaching, but time is limited so choosing these words carefully is important. Resource Sheet 4 is a bookmark for children to collect words as they read and then share in class. As the language used in books is often very different to that used in conversation, much of the rich language children learn comes not from explicit vocabulary teaching, but from reading. Dog, for example, might refer to a common pet, but it might also mean to follow someone persistently. Learning the meaning of an individual word is trickier than you might think – so much depends on the context. Resource Sheet 3 introduces some common morphemes and gives space for children to find some of their own. Learning some of the most common morphemes can help to unlock the meaning of many different words. By adding them together, we can create words that carry a distinct meaning (unhappiness). They include roots (happi), prefixes (un) and suffixes (ness). Morphemes are the smallest units of grammar that convey meaning. Resource Sheet 2 gives an example word web and a blank template for children to use as they learn new words around the same topic. 2 | Create word websīuilding a word web helps children to think carefully about the meaning of a new word and how it is connected to the words they already know. These can then form the basis of a class discussion, with everyone talking about the exotic new language displayed each week. Having a wordarium on display (see Resource Sheet 1), where children jot down a new word on a sticky note and exhibit it, can motivate pupils to collect words. This might be in the classroom, the books they read, in conversation, or on television. 1 | Display fascinating wordsĪ great first step is helping children to be aware of any unfamiliar or interesting words they encounter. That doesn’t mean, however, there aren’t some ways we can help children to learn new words directly, and here are seven such approaches to building children’s vocabulary in the classroom. Most of children’s language development and vocabulary growth will come from organic sources, rather than direct teaching: the conversations they have with their families and their peers, and with adults at school, and through the books they read and those that are read to them. When children write, a wider vocabulary gives them a rich palette with which to express their ideas, choosing a word to communicate with elegance and precision. Not surprisingly, educational research suggests a strong relationship between vocabulary and comprehension, where a broad vocabulary (knowing lots of words) and a deep vocabulary (knowing those words well) correlates with better understanding. One key aspect of a child’s language development is the growth of their vocabulary – the words they can understand and the words they use to communicate. Teachers in particular are attuned to the importance of helping children develop both the ability to understand spoken and written language, acquiring a control of language that enables them to express their ideas and feelings clearly. Vocabulary development is suddenly a hot topic in education, yet schools have long recognised the relationship between language development and children’s academic success.
#The ultimate vocabulary free#
Download James’ free Vocabulary Boosting Activity Pack for KS1 and KS2 that accompanies this article, here.
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