FEATURE: INNOVATVE TEACHING PRACTICES
Lay the foundations for life-long learning by helping children discover the joy of words
Anyone who has taught English to primary
school pupils will be well aware of how tricky it can be sometimes. What makes our language so rich and fascinating is precisely why it takes so long for children and non-native speakers alike to master it. During pupils’ primary school years, when they
are learning to read with phonics, they need the vocabulary and comprehension skills to read with confidence – whether in a test, for pleasure or studying different subjects. The challenge of building vocabulary, both in
terms of breadth and depth, is compounded further since some children are exposed to books and engaging conversations at home, while others are not. Perhaps it is reassuring to think that the
I
n our final feature this month, former teacher, education consultant and lecturer
Charlotte Raby looks at the importance of teaching vocabulary in context, and taking time to explore its nuances, for a rounded education.
challenges of learning English as a first language are not confined to the UK alone but are mirrored in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the US too. Little wonder when we have a lexicon of around 250,000 words (and more than a million when technical terms are included). Not only that but our language is filled with
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idioms with no literal meaning – just think how many ways there are to describe the weather and how it varies according to regional dialects, from ‘blowing a hoolie’ to ‘raining cats and dogs’.
Closing the word gap We know that statutory testing is central to monitoring pupils’ progress and school performance, but simply ‘teaching to test’ is unlikely to spark a love of words, nor ironically, drive success. A priority for early years teachers is closing the
word gap, which continues to put children at a disadvantage from the start. Imagine what it is like for a child who lacks the vocabulary to fully understand what they are reading. A child who doesn't comprehend one in ten words will be at a disadvantage in reading tests, and in life, and this connects to reading fluency. A child who is not a fluent reader is unable to
think about words as they read them which limits their chance of success in primary school tests. KS1 reading tests, require a reading speed of 90 words per minute, and the KS2 reading test needs
September 2019
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