Resources

Improving Vocabulary Across Curriculum

With the completion of Collaborative Strategic Reading, this resource focuses on improving vocabulary across the curriculum to improve student comprehension of the material.

Why Vocabulary?

Words are the essential foundation for everything we do to learn- every aspect of learning is tied to vocabulary and the ability to understand. Therefore, it is imperative that teachers expose students to a multitude of both content-related and generally useful vocabulary words. Higher vocabulary tends to correlate with improved comprehension, IQ, writing, and communication. Furthermore, in order for a student to comprehend the material on any given page, that student needs to know 90-95% of those words.

How Do We Improve Vocabulary?

Because vocabulary is so important, teachers need to instruct students in their vocabulary development through direct instruction and meaningful interactions. The National Reading Panel suggests that students with a language-based learning disability require 8-10 meaningful exposures to words to retain their meanings; 14-16 for an English Language Learner. For suggestions on how to provide students with meaningful exposures through direct instruction as well as insight into which words should be taught, click here.

How Does This Connect To Landmark’s Teaching Principles™?

Vocabulary instruction lends itself well to the second teaching principle: Use Multisensory Approaches. Good vocabulary instruction consists of many different formats of exposures. For the full text of the Landmark Teaching Principles™, including “Use Multisensory Approaches,” click here.