use context to clarify meaning of unfamiliar words

Students’ prior knowledge plays a major role in their vocabulary development. Support your students by responding to what they say in other languages, encouraging them to show you what they mean, and supporting them to find the English words. If there are no resources available, ask someone who knows the language to translate particular words and sentence-starters for use in class. Provide reading and writing opportunities in other languages by using resources such as Tupu or Fōlauga.

These words may be in languages other than English. Make links throughout the day to reinforce new understandings. Knowledge and use of high-frequency and academic language will help students deal with cross-curricular texts.īuild on students’ growing vocabulary by highlighting how words and phrases are used in different curriculum contexts. Words carry most of the meaning in texts. Vocabulary-rich talk in the classroom helps students to develop their curiosity about words and to enjoy discovering and using them. It requires planned and ongoing instruction across the curriculum. Since words carry most of the meaning in oral and written language, vocabulary knowledge is critical for literacy success. A child’s vocabulary size has been directly linked in longitudinal research to their reading comprehension abilities.

As children become proficient readers their vocabulary will expand through literacy experiences. In their reading and writing, students draw on what they understand and use in listening and speaking. It is important to help children develop their oral vocabularies, which includes using correct subject specific vocabulary. As children develop their vocabulary they may use new words incorrectly. It is very likely that a child’s receptive vocabulary (the words they understand) will be larger than their expressive language (the words they use when talking). It is more than just “knowing” a word, in that, the person must understand a word can be used in different contexts to reflect different meanings. Vocabulary develops through oral language.

Use context to clarify meaning of unfamiliar words