Before doing these readings, I never knew how important it was to actually model vocabulary for children; I knew that it was essential to engage in meaningful conversations with children, but I did not realize the importance of the vocabulary we use. The first part of the reading about sophisticated word use that really stuck out to me was how easy it is to model sophisticated words in the classroom; the example about Ms. Barker's classroom made me realize that the routines that the children go through throughout the day is a good time to model this vocabulary. The children are already familiar with the activities they will be doing, so I think it is a great idea to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary during these times. Through reading this article, I have realized that I tend to "dumb down" what I say when I communicate with children, and in order to help children build their vocabulary it is essential to model this sophisticated vocabulary. Also, I have realized that my vocabulary is not too sophisticated, so I need to build my own vocabulary in order to be able to model it effectively with children.
In the Vocabulary Lessons article, research found that "5th grade students who engage in just 10 minutes of independent reading a day read 622,000 more words each year than students who do no independent reading" ( Blachowicz & Fisher, 2004, p. 67). Even though I should not be that surprised because I know that a lot of words can be read in 1 minute, I still find this shocking. I think it is essential for schools to have some sort of D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read) program, even if it is just for 10 minutes a day. This would help children develop their vocabulary and expose them to so many new words. Also, since some of these children are not engaging in purposeful conversations at home, they are missing out on a lot of vocabulary; if schools implemented this program, it would significantly help with all of the students' vocabulary development. Another aspect of this article that I found particularly important is teaching children how to use a dictionary. This tool is incredibly important in vocabulary development, and if children do not know how to use it, they are missing out on a great resource.
The book provides the reader with many useful examples of how to incorporate vocabulary into the classroom. Also, the book suggests to provide as much real experience as possible, that way the children will be able to relate what they are learning to their own lives. The book suggested to bring in real things and anchor words to them, after all of these items are brought in, the class could play a game of 20 questions asking about one particular object. This would allow the children to think about the items that they are already familiar with and attempt to apply these characteristics to the new objects. I think games are a great way to keep the children engaged and build their vocabulary at the same time.
I'm glad you are thinking about modeling sophisticated vocabulary for your students. They so often surprise us with what they can handle! I completely agree with you about the importance of independent reading. It makes me sad to hear that it has been dropped in many schools.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with what you said about not being aware of the vocabulary we use with children. I know from previous experiences I have been more concerned with actually having a conversation with children than the words I am using in that conversation. I also feel that I tend to dumb down the words that I am using when talking with children, and I feel that the readings have proved us wrong because children can handle learning a more sophisticated vocabulary if it is modeled properly. Like you mentioned, children do not only expand their vocabulary with conversations but reading as well. I also feel the drop and everything and read idea is great and should be used in all schools. I agree that games are another way to help the children with expanding their vocabulary.
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