Strong vocabulary instruction is one of the most essential components in building a strong literacy foundation within education. Whether it be reading the description of a particular food item from a menu, filling out a job application, or decoding the questions on any licensing exam, vocabulary has been—and still remains—one of the most relevant aspects of our everyday lives.
It is critical that we as educators adapt our teaching approaches and remain up-to-date on the latest branches of vocabulary instruction. The intention of this article is to discuss the meaning of effective vocabulary, the difficulties English language learners (ELLs) face when learning vocabulary instruction in comparison to their native English-speaking peers, and effective vocabulary teaching strategies beneficial for ELL students’ literacy development throughout their academic journey.
So the first, and arguably most important question here is: What exactly is vocabulary and what determines if it is
effective instruction?
Defining vocabulary
Vocabulary refers to the words we know to communicate effectively. Vocabulary knowledge, otherwise known as the knowledge of word meanings, is primary in understanding and using language. However, when discussing the different approaches that are constructive in providing our ELL students with effective vocabulary instruction, one of the most central components is to define the actual meaning of "effective" in this context. According to the Journal of Educational Psychology, effective vocabulary instruction can be defined as:
A deliberate process of explicitly teaching words to students through interactive activities that maximize opportunities for them to hear and use new vocabulary in meaningful contexts. This method includes providing clear definitions, ensuring repeated exposure to words in different situations, and engaging students in deep processing of the words' meanings.
An example of how this can be demonstrated is through a “turn and talk” exercise. After reading an intriguing story that utilizes specific vocabulary words within the text, ask students to write a sentence and draw a picture that relates to the definition. This is great for encouraging students to draw connections from their own prior knowledge. The ability to apply effective vocabulary skills is key to the progression of comprehension in all students.
The National Reading Panel implied that vocabulary instruction is considered to be effective when taught both explicitly and incidentally. Further research has also revealed that, for ELL students, targeted instruction aimed to enhance effective vocabulary is crucial. This is to combat the challenges they face navigating through each grade with an abundance of content area texts and challenging academic language. Ultimately, effective vocabulary among ELL students can be described as one’s ability to understand a word’s meaning and apply it in the appropriate context.
Vocabulary’s role in literacy
Research has shown that the words our students know can have a huge impact on their ability to comprehend different texts. In other words, a students’ vocabulary impacts their comprehension abilities. When focusing on students among marginalized communities, we must be very considerate of the linguistic, academic, and social-emotional challenges they navigate while teaching crucial aspects of vocabulary instruction throughout the development of their literacy education.
Even though prior research has given educators access to helpful information that allows them to expand literacy education among ELL students, the gaps in literature pertaining to effective vocabulary instruction are unambiguous and should be considered when selecting vocabulary strategies to target literacy instruction for this particular community of students. The understanding of words is representative of knowledge, and knowledge about the topic of a text strongly predicts a student’s ability to comprehend the text.
This is just scratching the surface as to why it is so vital that ELL students are equipped with constructive vocabulary instruction. To assess if an ELL student comprehended the meaning behind a text is to ask them to orally summarize what they’ve learned. Rather than asking them to complete a cookie cutter, one-size-fits-all assessment that typically requires students to provide written responses, we must be mindful of the linguistic barriers. We should be continuously implementing a sense of
equity into our assessment practices rather than just
equality. This approach allows students to cultivate a more individualized route to express their understanding of a text, which not only enhances conversational skills, but expands their vocabulary knowledge as well.
Having had firsthand experience myself as a student with different, but equally challenging obstacles, I know that having one teacher willing to go the extra mile can and does make all the difference.
Further reading
Claudia Rose Addeo, PhD, is duel certified in both elementary and literacy education. As a neurodiverse leaner herself, Addeo spends much of her time advocating for the community. Addeo was the recipient of the 2024 John Beach Award for Outstanding Achievement in the PhD Literacy Program at St. John’s University. After spending five years working with students ranging from grades K-8, Addeo is now a professor at St. John’s University.
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