Choosing Words to Teach
As we’ve mentioned, comprehension is a student’s ability to understand what he or she has read. Vocabulary therefore plays an important role in reading. Before you decide which words to teach, you need to be aware that there are two types of vocabulary: receptive and expressive.
- Receptive vocabulary consists of words that a student understands when heard or read.
- Expressive vocabulary consists of the words that a student uses correctly and appropriately when spoken or written.
Students typically have a much larger receptive vocabulary than their expressive vocabulary. This is because children are able to understand infrequently-encountered words within the context of the spoken and written sentences.
A child may understand the meaning of a text, but may not be able to explain the meaning because their expressive vocabulary is more limited than their receptive vocabulary. A student does not fully know a word until he or she can use it expressively. Vocabulary words differ from sight words in that they are particular to certain texts and areas of study.
Sometimes you may find textbooks—particularly science and history text books—that contain language that is at a much more advanced reading level than your students are ready to learn. In this case you may have to explain the content or use grade appropriate written handouts.
It is important for teachers to introduce potentially unfamiliar words that are in the text. For example, during a science lesson students are expected to read about different reptiles. The words reptile, scales, alligator, crocodile, turtle, and lizard are encountered often within the text (Be mindful that these words may not be in the text's included "important-to-know" lists). The teacher should create pre-reading activities that introduce these words and involve the students in defining them with “kid-friendly” definitions. In this way the students can help to build their own understanding of the vocabulary.
According to Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (2002), you can expect your students to learn about 10 words per week in class. However, with ELL students and students who are struggling readers, you may need to teach only five words at a time.