1. Word Aware Teaching vocabulary
across the day, across the curriculum  
Anna Branagan and Stephen Parsons
Introduce who you are. 1 1

2. Turn to the person next to you and tell them: Your favourite word
Introductions
Turn to the person next to you and tell them:
Your favourite word
Why it is your favourite word
Make sure you have a favorite word yourself. After they
have completed this exercise tell them that this is obviously
an ice-breaker exercise but it is also an integral feature
of the approach. People that enjoy words become good word
learners. We will talk about the ‘Fun with words’ section
towards the end of the day but the main feature
of it is to enjoy words. The day will be dotted with games.
The games chosen are aimed at KS2 because you are adults
and KS1 involve role playing. There are lots of games for
younger children in the book. 2 2 2

3. What do we need to do with words?
Understand them
Speak them
Write them
Read them
When we talk about words today we mean all four types of words: writing, reading, speaking and understanding. Children need to be able to use the words in each way (speak, understand, write and read). Children need to have a good foundation of understanding and speaking in order to read and write words.

4. Spoken language Important for life! Important in the classroom
Many children with poor skills
Higher demands for employment
This is your chance to shine. 4 4 4

5. What employers are looking for in 2018?
Most frequently cited skills as mentioned in job ads. The top two are especially communication based.
Scheduling means time management. 5 5 5

6. Vocabulary impacts on curriculum
‘Rich development and understanding of mathematics vocabulary is essential for students to become actively engaged in mathematics past mundane computational requirements to thorough understanding and meaning making.’
Riccomini, Smith, Hughes & Fries, 2015
The lonk between vocabulary and literacy is evident, but vocabulary is also closely related to other curriculum areas, such as maths. Think of maths and the specific technical vocabulary. Similarly for science. 6 6 6

7. Simple view of reading proficient readers Well developed language
Word recognition
processes
Language comprehension
Well developed phonics
Poor phonics
The simple view of reading is now a well established construct for viewing reading. To be proficient readers children need to have developed both word recognition skills (phonics) and good language skills.
None of the other 3 quadrants is good. If a child can decode but not understand then they can’t access what they read. If a child can’t decode then they can’t access text.
Gough and Tunmer 1986
Poor language 7 7 7

8. Vocabulary and literacy
Systematic review of 45 studies.
5,907 children in total.
Vocabulary strongest predictor of reading
Grammar and phonological awareness also important predictors.
Hjetland et al 2018
Vocab assessment
Follow up reading assessment
Average age
5.2 years
9.0 years
These researchers looked at 45 studies and summarised the results. On average they assessed children’s language skills when they were 5 and then followed up their reading when they were 9.
To be a proficient reader at 9 children need vocabulary, phonological awareness and grammar skills. 8 8 8

9. Vocabulary and literacy
‘As age increases, the role of word decoding
as a predictor of reading comprehension
decreases and the role of listening
comprehension increases’
Lervag, Hulme and Melby-Lervag 2017
Children with poor vocabulary do well with reading up to about 8 years and then drop rapidly as they do not have the vocabulary. Hirsch, 2003
Phonics gets children off to a good start. It give children the ability to decode and access the words on the page, but as children get older language becomes the key driver. Some children do quite well with reading in early part of primary, but when they reach upper primary they do not have the vocabulary and so their comprehension drops.
How do we prevent this: focus on language and vocabulary in particular 9 9 9

10. Hirsch, 1996 This shows the impact of poor spoken language on reading.
Blue line is children who start school with good spoken language. They learn to read easily and it takes off.
Red line is children who start school with poor spoken language. Their reading progress is much slower.
Children with poor spoken language have poor reading outcomes and the gap increases with age and becomes a life long gap.
Hirsch, 1996

11. The attainment gap
Children who are behind in language development at age five are six times less likely to reach the expected standard in English at age eleven, and 11 times less likely to achieve the expected level in maths.
DfE, Dec 2017
UK evidence but shows the link between early language and academic achievement. 11 11 11

12. Vocabulary in Early Years
Vocabulary at 24 months is very strongly associated with later performance at school entry
Roulstone, Law et al 2010
In UK 20 month gap in vocabulary at school entry between wealthiest and poorest
Waldfogel and Washbrook (2012)
The impact of vocabulary starts early, with vocabulary at 24 months underpins other areas of school performance as this research indicates. But also the gap starts early 12 12 12

13. Relationship between vocabulary and poverty
Vocabulary at age 5 is highly predictive of educational success and earnings at 30 (Feinstein and Duckworth, 2007)
And we know that vocab impacts on a whole series of indicators. Vocabulary at 5 impacts on academic outcomes and then financial, employment and mental health. 13 13 13

14. Vocabulary impacts on social mobility
‘Language skills, and in particular vocabulary skills, may play a key role in the continuing drive to reduce the gap in educational attainment between groups from differing socio-economic backgrounds’
(Spencer, 2016)
We know there is a huge vocabulary gap between rich and poor, and we know that this impacts on life outcomes, so if we can improve student’s vocabulary we will be helping the close the attainment gap. 14 14 14

15. Biemiller in Baumann and Kame’enui (2004)
Vocabulary gap
At 7 years old
the top 25 percentile
… know
root words
… each day learn
3 new root words
At 7 years of age the top quarter know many words. These are the ‘born talkers’; often girls. They have many words and learn many more seemingly without effort. The bottom quarter come in knowing relatively few and learn less each day. This is sometimes called the Matthew effect ‘the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.’ Some children will catch up naturally once in school, but for many this gap (unless addressed) will be insurmountable. There will of course be children who are well below the 25th centile and will have significant difficulties with vocabulary. Remind participants that 25th percentile is low average not those with special needs.
e.g.: play
Biemiller in Baumann and Kame’enui (2004) 15 15 15 15

16. Issues with vocabulary teaching
For students with poor vocabulary, simple exposure is not enough
Many students do not read enough
Students with poor comprehension skills are less able to infer word meaning from context
a comprehensive approach to vocabulary instruction that acknowledges and develops the various facets of knowledge that words represent
Ford-Connors and Paratore, 2015
Those who need the most help with vocabulary often do not benefit from the very tasks that we know help them. Enriched vocab environment may be too overwhelming, they may not read enough (and particularly for pleasure), they may not be abe to access inference skills.
These authors call for an approach, such as Word Aware…. 16 16 16

17. Vocabulary within the curriculum
‘Pupils’ acquisition and command of vocabulary are key to their learning and progress across the whole curriculum. Teachers should therefore develop vocabulary actively, building systematically on pupils’ current knowledge.’
National curriculum in England: complete framework for key stages 1 to 4 - for teaching 1 September 2014 to 31 August 2015
Greater focus on vocabulary in this curriculum and despite grand statements –Vocabulary is mentioned 92 times in the brief overview, but it still doesn’t tell you how to teach it. 17 17 17

18. Fun with Words Nominate one person to scribe (easy task) Spin a letter
Spin a category
Think of 5 words starting with that letter in that category
Call out when you have them!
Having fun with words is really important, so here is our first game!
(This needs to be set up before the session starts.)
On a white board stick two spinners next to each other (they usually aren’t magnetic so you will need to use blue tack).
Draw two rough circles around them. Split the circles into 4. In the first circle write four letters (e.g. s, m, t, b). In the second circle write 4 categories (e.g. verbs, adjectives, food, countries and cities, girl’s names, clothes).
Both spinners are turned. Tell people to work in groups and they need to write down 5 things beginning with the specified letter from the specified category. (e.g.: countries beginning with ‘s’) The first group to get to 5, calls out.
Try this 3 or 4 times.
At the end discuss how children will be using both their semantic (meaning) and phonological (sound) knowledge for this game. 18 18 18

19. Can make a difference!
The evidence is clear – we can make a difference. ‘consistent and daily attention to words builds students’ literacy growth.’ Block and Mangieri (2006)
Although the task is daunting, by selecting and teaching the right words we can have an impact but it needs a co- ordinated effort. To close the gap for students with poor vocabulary it takes a concerted effort that can not be done by one teacher in one year. It needs to be whole school year on year.
We will be touching on evidence today, but there are projects in the pipeline as well. You may get in touch with Stephen and Anna if you need any support with evidence gathering. 19 19 19

20. Can make a difference! Carlo, August et al 2009
Lesaux, Kieffer et al 2010
Snow, Lawrence and Wright 2009
All showed that regular whole class vocabulary work impacts on range of students, including lower SES, EAL and monolingual.
Common themes: direct teaching and strategies
More evidence to support whole school vocabulary approach. And it impacts on children with higher need. The man themes of the approaches are direct teaching and strategies. 20 20 20

21. Levels of intervention
Universal provision All children
Targeted provision
Some children
Specialist
Provision
Few children
Explain the 3 levels
Word Aware is a universal level intervention: for all children. By supporting and being differentiated it can support all vocabulary learners. There is section on small groups (targeted level) but this is best put into place as additional to universal provision.
RCSLT Position Paper 2006

22. WOW!
Make words count
This is how you let children know that both spoken and written words are important.
If a visitor came into your school, would they know that words were valued?
Make words count is the background, the enriched
environment that makes words a priority. Very important! 22 22

23. Make words count Jointly appreciating authors’ use of vocabulary.
WOW!
Make words count
Jointly appreciating authors’ use of vocabulary.
The author uses the word ‘inconsolable’. What a great word. You know just how upset the person is.
Are there any words in this page that you really like?
Julia Donaldson used the word ‘clambered’. Why didn’t she just used the word ‘climbed’?
Schools are often very good at this – it is just good practice.
But needs to be consistent across the school.
Donaldson, J. (2002) ‘Room on the Broom.’ London: Macmillan Children’s Books 23 23

24. Make words count Reward student’s use of powerful vocabulary.
WOW!
Make words count
I like that word! You can add it to the word wall.
Reward student’s use of powerful vocabulary.
Wow that was a great word! Why did you choose that word?
That word is worth a whole class ‘Ooh la la!’
Fancy words get a chorus of ‘Oh la la’: came from a school in the Forest of Dean.

25. WOW!
Make words count
Put a jewel on students work when they use sparkling vocabulary.
The challenge of this is to find flat gems so that you can write on the next page. Follow the link on our Pinterest page for a link to flat ones Schools say that boys like them as well as girls and it works best if one or two words are highlighted on one piece of writing. Show piece of writing with gem stuck on highlighted word (one in the resources file on dropbox).

26. Make words count Class environment
WOW!
Make words count
Class environment
Non-fiction and fiction books that go with the same theme.
‘Information station’: give words a profile and the tools also
Briefly discuss what these activities are. Any fair could
have one or two vocabulary activities. Great as it also
communicates with parents. 26 26

27. Make words count Newton Primary School Word Wizard 27272727 WOW!
This is a school in Scotland where a staff member dressed up as a word wizard and children pinned words to his cloak
Newton Primary School Word Wizard 27 27

28. WOW!
Make words count
Halloween disco, kids popped balloon, read spooky word
or simpler: assemblies
Same school, this year children popped balloons and got given a word.
Simpler is to have classes nominate words for assemblies.
Newton Primary School 28 28

29. Make words count Dressing up as a favourite word Effervescent Tornado
Make words count
Dressing up as a favourite word
Effervescent Tornado
Instead of world book day have a vocabulary parade.
There are handouts for parents on ideas for vocabulary
parade, including hat parades. There are also slide show
to inspire the school.
(Vocabulary: Make words count) 29 29

30. Make words count Building a tree of words.
WOW!
Make words count
Building a tree of words.
Add any interesting words in any language.

31. Ask who has had a ‘no pens day Wednesday’. This isn’t just vocabulary
Ask who has had a ‘no pens day Wednesday’. This isn’t just vocabulary. The aim is to keep lessons the same e.g. literacy and maths not just art, PE and drama. It is great and quite challenging to think outside the box. Is can be stretching for children: it isn’t an easy option for children. Lots of lesson plans and resources on the website.

32. Talk to me about the word ‘pier’
WOW!
Make words count
Develop vocabulary on trips by giving each child a sticker that says ‘Talk to me about the word ...’  
gobble
hutch
silky
Talk to me about the word ‘pier’
gentle
Have a group of children with the same word. Discuss
when the word comes up in the trip. Adults can talk
about the word as well. Afterwards children can talk
about what they learnt. Where they heard it etc
stroke
care 32 32

33. Character Slinky
WOW!
Write characteristics of real person or fictional character on folded paper.
Using craft activities reinforces vocabulary.
Great to reinforce vocabulary and prompt writing.
This can be made up as a example to show. 33 33

34. Make words count Read and act our stories.
WOW!
Read and act our stories.
Encourage children to imagine their own stories
General good early years practice. Use objects where possible

35. Make words count Home corner Introduce new vocabulary
WOW!
Make words count
Home corner
Introduce new vocabulary
Use whisper words
Activity: Think about the words you might use in the home-corner. Remember they need to be goldilocks words. Ask participants to think of two goldilocks words for the garage or airport. Then feedback to the group. Take children to the home corner and introduce those words and then of course let them play. Add the words to the home corner so other adults are reminded also.
‘Whisper words’ are just words that are whispered words that children could use in their play. The idea of ‘Whisper Words’ needs to be introduced as a whole class, but is a good way of expanding children’s use of words, as well as reviewing words.

36. Make words count Develop interactive play by adding stopping points
WOW!
Develop interactive play by adding stopping points
In the bike riding area add:
Mechanic’s workshop/ pit stop
Petrol station
Car wash (Gross, 2013).
Some children spend a lot of time just going round and round the playground on bikes. Look at ways of fostering some interaction. You may need to model what to do.

37. Make words count Highlight key words before doing a task pouring
WOW!
Make words count
Highlight key words before doing a task
Think of goldilocks words before you start a task. Have them out to remind you to use them. Think of verbs and adjectives as well as nouns.
pouring
kneading
stirring 37 37

38. Make words count at secondary
WOW!
Make words count at secondary
Class teachers can support vocabulary learning by identifying one or two key words in each lesson. Choose words that are really important and will be used again and again. These words are discussed and written on the board.
Key word:
fluctuate
Make words count is the background, the enriched
environment that makes words a priority. Very important! 38 38

39. So many ways to talk Say ‘I want a cup of tea’ in the manner of
Stammer
Mumble
Rasp
Exclaim
Huff
Moan
Question
Can others guess?
Do this in small groups.
page 169

40. Parents Home support for vocabulary makes a difference Have fun with
Words: play games
When talking about words, adults should use comments rather than questions
The more contact there is with parents the better, but
conveying these key messages is important.
These key principles can be done as part of a parent
workshop or can be just got across with other information
sharing 40 40

41. Value every language spoken
Children need to hear a good language model. Adults need to speak to children in the language they are truly fluent in. A strong home language supports English language learning.
It is really important that any vocabulary work at home is done in the home language. If children understand the meaning in their home language then all they have to do is learn the label. That is a simple process compared to learning it from scratch. 41 41

42. Make words count 42424242 Have a couple made up to show around.
WOW!
Make words count
Have a couple made up to show around.
Great for encouraging parents to discuss words. 42 42

43. All adults can encourage children to ask about new words.

45. Contact details
Contact us for more information, support, courses or on-site training.
Website:
Twitter: @WordAware
Pinterest:
These are how to keep up to date with vocabulary,
learn more and access support. 45 45