Robert Marzano and Isabel Beck are two influential education researchers who study vocabulary development in children. I won’t be able to do them justice in a short article so you may want to go directly to the source to learn more. Both researchers have books, papers and videos that are easy to find with a simple internet search.
In the book Classroom Instruction that Works (Marzano, Pickering and Pollock, 2001), the authors list five key generalizations about vocabulary instruction:
- Children must encounter words in context, more than once- Reading or hearing a word once or twice isn’t enough. Most children need to be exposed to a new word at least six times before they understand.
- You must actively teach your child new words- Children who were told about new words BEFORE encountering them in context (like in a book) are much more likely to learn the word the next time they encounter it.
- Associate the word with an Image- Kids are more likely to remember a word they can tie to an image. When working on new words, show your child what you are talking about (a picture in a book or the actual item).
- Teaching new vocabulary helps children do better in ALL subjects, not just reading- Many “academic” words are used in multiple subjects. Learning those words will help your child in math, science and social studies. The information below about Dr. Beck’s research will also address this point.
- Teach your child new words just before she will need them- Before heading to the playground, a park or on a vacation, talk with your child about words she may encounter. It’s a powerful way to learn new words.
Dr. Isabel Beck has researched how to best teach children difficult vocabulary and she has some great tips. Dr. Beck believes we should focus on what she calls “tier 2” academic words. Let’s define what she means:
- Tier 1 words: The social language we naturally pick up by interacting with other people. Very little instruction needs to be done in this area. Most children quickly learn these words through exposure.
- Tier 2 words: Words that appear frequently, in multiple academic subjects and readings, but are rarely encountered in social conversations. To have the biggest impact when working with your child, focus on direct instruction of tier two words (start with the list at the bottom of this article). These words often have more than one meaning, depending on how they are used. For example, a ruler can be a measuring device or the leader of a country.
- Tier 3 words: Content specific words that have only one meaning. For example: Isotope, electron, continent and trapezoid. Dr. Beck suggests teaching these words as needed, when children encounter them in school work.
Dr. Beck recommends two things when teaching your child Tier 2 words:
- You must be able to explain the word to your child in a simple way. If the language you use to explain is more difficult than the word you are trying to teach, it won’t work.
- Your child must understand the underlying concept. For example, if your daughter understands the word “happy,” she can easily learn ‘ecstatic’. If she knows “sad,” then she can learn “forlorn.”
“Obstacle” is another example Dr. Beck uses. This word occurs frequently in multiple subjects throughout school. If your four-year-old understands the concept of “It’s in my way”, she can easily learn the word “obstacle.”
I have included a list of common tier 2 words below, but there are MANY more. Search the internet for additional lists and begin working on them today!
Tier 2 Words
It's Christmas at your home and your daughter wants to know what's in the big present under the tree. You could say:
"You want to know what's in this big present? You sure are curious! It is a big one. I would even say it's gigantic. You can open it after dinner. Look at all this food! We're going to have a feast!"
In that 10 second conversation, you dropped in three Tier 2 words from the list (curious, gigantic and feast). You did it in a fun, natural and organic way.
You also tied all three words to something your child already knows:
- "I Want to know..." was tied to 'curious'
- 'Big' was tied to 'gigantic'
- "all this food..." was tied to 'feast'
Once your daughter has heard the word 'curious' a few times, you can read a 'Curious George' book to help the word stick.
Have conversations like this with your child, follow up with reading and writing examples, and point out the word when you encounter it "in the wild," like at the store or on a sign. You will help her learn some very difficult words at an early age.
Remember to keep it fun and natural! Your child will develop a rich and robust vocabulary that will help pave the way for success in school and life.