Presenter Focuses on the Importance of Teaching Vocabulary at 2nd Annual Chall Lecture

It's difficult for anyone--no matter how old--to understand what they read if they can't define the meaning of a word in the sentence.

Educators often struggle with teaching vocabulary, especially to young children. Teachers hand out the weekly word lists and test children diligently, but by grade two many children are already falling behind. Andrew Biemiller, the former director of the master's program in child study and education at the University of Toronto, spoke on this Tuesday, March 7, at the second annual Jeanne S. Chall Lecture, "Words Worth Teaching and Where They Came From."

Chall was a professor at HGSE and a leading expert in her field. Her seminal work on reading research and instruction influenced scholarship on the teaching of reading in schools and universities throughout the country.

Biemiller's current research involves vocabulary development identifying specific vocabulary needed during the elementary years, analysis of developmental factors in vocabulary development, and testing new teaching methods for promoting vocabulary and language development in both primary and junior grades.

"If you haven't heard a word, it's unlikely that you'll learn it."

In his lecture, he pointed out that vocabulary is crucial for reading comprehension and academic achievement. "If you haven't heard a word, it's unlikely that you'll learn it," he said. However, 95 percent of children can read words that they don't understand.

Without teaching vocabulary, many students can fall behind in other subject areas. Biemiller said that by the end of the primary grades many children have dropped one or two grade levels behind the norm in vocabulary. In turn, falling behind in vocabulary, leads to falling behind in reading comprehension by grades three and four, he said.

"We have to face up to the need to teach [vocabulary]," Biemiller said. However, he admitted that there are challenges to teaching vocabulary such as teachers not having the time to sit one on one with a student to review words and meanings, difficulty testing vocabulary, and determining what words to teach.

But, by teaching vocabulary--10 and 12 word meanings a week in the primary grades--a child will be able to identify more words and meanings as they get older. Biemiller's research indicates that with 30 minutes of instruction a day, a child can begin to fill the vocabulary gap that currently exists. "My hope would be that we can close the gap for a great many kids," he said.