Vocabulary is knowing the meanings of words for things, feelings, concepts, and ideas. Background knowledge, as we talked about previously, facilitates the development of vocabulary.

One way to encourage children’s vocabulary development is to teach it explicitly using a multimodal approach.

Using strategies such as movement and realia (using concrete objects and materials) helps children latch on to and remember new vocabulary.

For children with disabilities who are multilingual learners, two approaches that have been successfully implemented by a variety of professionals and family members to increase oral language and vocabulary skills are Shared Interactive Book Reading (SIBR) and Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT).

• Shared Interactive Book Reading (SIBR) is an evidence-based practice where adults use child-centered language facilitation strategies–such as making comments on what a child is interested in, asking questions, and expanding on what the child says–while reading books with children.
• Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT) is a naturalistic, play-based method where adults typically follow a child’s lead and respond to the child’s communication efforts by providing differing levels of instructional support, such as time delays, open-ended questions, choice questions, and directly asking a child to repeat a model.
• Learn more about these strategies in the Big 5 Vocabulary Supplement by the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning.

Watch this video interview (5:37) with an educator who teaches at a Salish Language Immersion program as she describes how she uses gestures and realia to teach vocabulary.

Now it’s time to watch a video (create an account to watch) of vocabulary development in action. As you watch, think about the following questions:

• How does Ms. Ngan teach vocabulary in a variety of different ways?
• What strategies does Ms. Ngan use to engage students in the read aloud?
• How does incorporating movement help students learn vocabulary?

references

Cultivate Learning, University of Washington. (2019). Educator Interview—Vocabulary Development. [Video file]

National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning (2019). The Big 5 Highly individualized teaching supplements: Vocabulary. [PDF]

Teaching Channel (2013). Frontloading for English language learners. [Website]