Minor Assessment 2 – Vocabulary 1
Minor Assessment 2
Vocabulary Instruction Essay
Charissa Phillips
X08550
Alphacrucis College
Parramatta Campus
EDU403: Language and Literacy Acquisition and Development
Due Date: 1 October 2012
Extension Due Date: 15 October 2012
Handed in: 15 October 2012
Word Count: 1002
Declaration of Authorship
I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor material which to a
substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma of a university or
other institution of higher learning, except where due acknowledgement is made in the
acknowledgements.
Signed: Charissa Phillips
Date: 15.10.12
Minor Assessment 2 – Vocabulary 2
_____________________________________________________________________
Task
Write a 1000 word paper on vocabulary and the primary school child. In your paper,
discuss:
1. The importance of vocabulary for literacy
2. How vocabulary acquisition occurs and which factors influence it
3. Principles and strategies for vocabulary instruction in the classroom [Note: refer to
broad strategies rather than describing specific activities]
_____________________________________________________________________
Introduction
Vocabulary acquisition holds a significant place in the life of the primary school
child. During the first seven years of life, an average child acquires hundreds of word
meanings each year. Following those years, children from grade three onwards
require “both fluent word recognition skills, and an average or greater vocabulary” for
sufficient reading comprehension (Biemiller, 2006, p.41). Research suggests that
vocabulary acquisition occurs most effectively through regular meaningful exposure
to words in integrative contexts, with clear understanding and rich adult interactions
(Pinkham, Kaefer, & Neuman, 2012). Evidence shows that vocabulary instruction
positively affects comprehension (Bishop, Yopp, & Yopp, 2009; Kame'enui &
Bauman, 2012). As such, the strategies of story-based vocabulary instruction in the
classroom, as well as rich and extended instruction will be explored.
Minor Assessment 2 – Vocabulary 3
The Importance of Vocabulary for Literacy
Educators and researches have learned that “vocabulary knowledge plays a significant
role in reading comprehension” (Bishop, Yopp, & Yopp, 2009, p.13; Kame'enui &
Bauman, 2012). The knowledge of words is essential for the understanding of a text.
The less we know of individual words, the less understanding we have of the text we
read, thus there is an unequivocal relationship between word knowledge and
comprehension (Bishop, Yopp, & Yopp, 2009). The importance of vocabulary (‘oral
language’) is demonstrated regularly in and out of schools. In the classroom, high
achieving students generally hold the most sufficient vocabularies. Knowledge of
words and the use of language are essential to success in classroom activities because
of their verbal nature. On the completion of schooling, “adequacy of vocabulary is
almost equally essential for achievement in vocations and in society” (Graves, 2006,
p.1).
Vocabulary Acquisition
Due to the importance of vocabulary, children should develop a rich, conceptual
understanding of the meaning of words. To do so, they need to be constantly exposed
to new words within a meaningful context. Firstly, Pinkham, Kaefer and Neuman
(2012) advise that for children to integrate a word into their vocabulary, they need a
clear understanding of it’s meaning together with accurate pronunciation. Secondly,
vocabulary acquisition occurs best through conversations with adults. A principle
Hirsh-Pasek, Michnick Golinkoff, Berk, and Singer (2009) concur with. Adults who
encourage children to talk about and use new words, as well as provide meaningful
responses, help scaffold a child’s linguistic and cognitive development (Pinkham,
Kaefer, & Neuman, 2012). Finally, children increase their vocabulary when they use
Minor Assessment 2 – Vocabulary 4
words on “multiple, interconnected occasions in a meaningful and playful context”
(Pinkham, Kaefer, & Neuman, 2012, p.187; Hirsh-Pasek, Michnick Golinkoff, Berk,
& Singer, 2009). For example, integrating information with a story or concept helps
children understand vocabulary contextually, and not as isolated facts; a proven
theory consistent with memory research in which children retain more when
connecting a learning experience with existing knowledge (Bransford & Johnson,
1972).
According to Neuman & Dickinson (2011), research suggests that vocabulary
acquisition occurs most effectively in classrooms that “mimic the way vocabulary
learning takes place in the home – through events that spark children’s motivation to
learn new words and heighten their engagement” (p.59). As noted before, the context
is often between adults or peers within a meaningful and playful environment.
Substantial evidence, through observational and experimental studies, advocates
guided playful learning with adult supervision to “support both the continued
development of language and the acquisition of emergent literacy skills” (HirshPasek, Michnick Golinkoff, Berk, & Singer, 2009, p.33).
Influencing Factors
According to researchers (Biemiller, 2006; Kame'enui & Bauman, 2012), vocabulary
acquisition is majorly affected by home support. That is, the number of different
words used by parents influences the size of a child’s vocabulary. A child cannot
increase their vocabulary with words they have not encountered. This suggests that a
great deal of vocabulary acquisition is much more a matter of opportunity than of
ability.
Minor Assessment 2 – Vocabulary 5
Another influencing factor of vocabulary acquisition is the source of other languages
a child might encounter i.e. caregivers, day care, school. These sources can affect the
size and fluency of a child’s vocabulary. The wide variation in vocabulary of primary
aged children could also be a reflection of constitutional differences, which would
affect the ease of acquiring new words (Kame'enui & Bauman, 2012).
Principles and Strategies for Vocabulary Instruction
Generally, children enter schooling with varying vocabulary size and educators need
to be aware of this when utilising instructional strategies (Biemiller, 2006; Kame'enui
& Bauman, 2012). Biemiller acknowledges the strategy of story-based vocabulary
instruction with primary aged children. That is, after a story is read, children
understand more word meanings than before, regardless of whether the story was read
only once, was repeatedly read, or was read with word explanations. Evidently,
children gain more word knowledge with the latter two aspects of the strategy, but the
underlying principle is reported to be highly effective.
An effective strategy for explicit vocabulary instruction; that is, direct teaching of the
meanings of words within a text or words that students will often encounter, is to use
“both contextual and definitional information, providing multiple exposures to target
words, and encouraging deep processing” (Kame'enui & Bauman, 2012, p.53).
Another approach, often used within the context of story book reading, is extended or
rich instruction. That is, instruction that goes beyond definitional information by
creating associations among words and encouraging students to actively use and think
about the meaning of words. Research has found that rich instruction improves
Minor Assessment 2 – Vocabulary 6
comprehension of stories which contain those words, as well as increased knowledge
of meanings (Kame'enui & Bauman, 2012; Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2002).
Conclusion
In summary, vocabulary acquisition for children occurs through regular exposures to
words within meaningful, definitional, and integrative contexts, and “embedded
within rich linguistic interactions with adults” (Pinkham, Kaefer, & Neuman, 2012,
p.187). Although there are numerous strategies for vocabulary instruction, evidently,
utilising story-based, explicit and extended or rich vocabulary instruction as a
collective pedagogical approach should foster optimal vocabulary development.
However, ultimately, research results about vocabulary instruction indicate that
regardless of the strategy employed, multiple encounters are required before a word
becomes a permanent part of a child’s vocabulary (Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2002).
References
Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing Words to Life: Robust
Vocabulary Instruction. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Biemiller, A. (2006). Vocabulary Development and Instruction: A Pre-requisite for
School Learning. In S. Neuman, & D. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook of Early
Literacy Research (Vol. 2, pp. 41-51). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Bishop, A., Yopp, R. H., & Yopp, H. K. (2009). Vocabulary Instruction for Academic
Success. Huntington Beach, CA: Shell Education.
Minor Assessment 2 – Vocabulary 7
Bransford, J. D., & Johnson, M. K. (1972). Contextual Prerequisites for
Understanding: Some Investigations of Comprehension and Recall. Journal of
Verbal Learning and Verbal Behaviour , 11, 717-726.
Graves, M. F. (2006). The Vocabulary Book: Learning and Instruction. New York,
NY: Teachers College Press.
Hirsh-Pasek, K., Michnick Golinkoff, R., Berk, L. E., & Singer, D. G. (2009). A
Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool: Presenting the Evidence. New
York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Kame'enui, E., & Bauman, J. F. (Eds.). (2012). Vocabulary Instruction: Research to
Practice (2nd Edition ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Neuman, S., & Dickinson, D. (Eds.). (2011). Handbook of Early Literacy Research
(Vol. 3). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Pinkham, A. M., Kaefer, T., & Neuman, S. B. (Eds.). (2012). Knowledge
Development in Early Childhood: Sources of Learning and Classroom
Implications. New York, NY: Guilford Press.