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Foreword
to Words Are Wonderful
(continued)
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[2
page, 28kb Acrobat PDF File]
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There
has been substantial debate about the numbers of words children
need to
acquire. My research indicates that on average, children
acquire roughly 750 root word meanings per year—a little
more than two per day.3 Unfortunately,
one-quarter of all children learn no more than one root word
meaning per day before third grade.
By this time, they are already behind the average by two thousand
words. My research has also shown that children acquire words
in roughly the same order. This means that for at-risk children,
we
need to concentrate on words most often known by children who
are on level. So by third grade, teachers need to help at-risk
children
acquire word meanings faster in order to narrow the gap. Making
progress requires both direct explanation of many new words and
help in extending word meanings with prefixes, suffixes, and
compounding; and in using context to clarify or select meanings. Dorothy
Grant Hennings’s Words Are Wonderful is a valuable teaching
tool for all children, whether at risk or on-level. One particular
strength
of her program is the direct instruction of about 330 words
a year, presented in context. Since children with relatively
small vocabularies
need to learn an additional 600 words a year or more to “catch
up” to their peers, Hennings’s inclusion of 330
words for direct instruction or monitored learning is a far
stronger start than most vocabulary programs
offer.
A
second strength of Words Are Wonderful is the attention paid
to many words with multiple meanings. Once the meanings
are learned, using context can be very helpful in determining
which
of the possible meanings of a word applies. Providing direct
instruction in using context with multiple meanings is another
strength of
the program.
Finally,
Words Are Wonderful contains many needed tools for teaching
children about prefixes and suffixes.
As White and
his associates show, about 20 prefixes and suffixes account
for a large majority of derived words.4 The
combination of direct
explanation of a variety of prefixes and suffixes, with
uses of these affixes
illustrated in context, has proved quite effective. Dorothy
Hennings’s
program provides many examples of this type of teaching.
Words
Are Wonderful offers the level of vocabulary intensity
needed for long-term
success. When we have such effective curriculum tools
for the primary years, we will be in a much better position
to prevent
children
from falling behind in vocabulary in the first place.
About
the Author
Andrew Biemiller is Professor, Institute of Child Study, Ontario
Institute for Studies in Education, University of Ontario
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Notes
1
Beck, I., Perfetti, C., and M. G. McKeown. 1982. Effects of
long-term
vocabulary instruction on lexical access and reading
comprehension. Journal of Educational Psychology 74: 506–521.
2
The sad evidence regarding home effects are best presented
in Betty Hart and Todd Risley’s Meaningful Differences
in the Everyday Experience of Young American
Children (Baltimore, MD: Paul Brookes Publishing Co, 1995).
3
See A. Biemiller and N. Slonim, "Estimating Root Word
Vocabulary Growth in Normative and Advantaged Population:
Evidence for Common Sequence of Vocabulary Acquisition," Journal
of Educational Psychology 93, no. 3 (2001): 498-520.
4
White, T. G., M. A. Power, and S. Whilte. 1989. Morphological
analysis:
Implications for teaching and understanding vocabulary
growth. Reading Research Quarterly 24: 283–304. |
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Free
ready-to-use lessons for your classroom!
 |
NEW!Words
Are Wonderful: An Interactive Approach to Vocabulary, Dorothy
Grant Hennings
Recommended for Grades 3–5
This
three-part series is a collaborative, research-based
approach to building vocabulary skills for students
in grades 3–5. Words Are Wonderful introduces
new words through challenging reading selections in
multiple genres. As students discover the joy and power
of language, they learn to understand and identify
the parts of words—roots, prefixes, and suffixes—and
unlock the meaning of words that are unfamiliar.
The
wraparound Teacher’s Guide for Words Are Wonderful provides
reduced student pages, a wealth of strategies and enrichment
activities, as well as suggestions and activities for
students’ individual learning styles.
Words
Are Wonderful features
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Extensive
teaching suggestions in the wraparound teacher’s
guide |
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New
words presented in context at the
beginning of each lesson |
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Multi-genre
selections drawn from social studies, geography,
science, biography, myths, fables, fairy tales,
and poetry |
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A
comprehensive oral component—students
hear, use, and discuss new words, clap syllables,
and read chorally |
| • |
Critical
thinking, discussion, and writing about
words and relationships |
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A
review lesson at the end of each unit and
a glossary at the end of the book |
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Writing
Workshop topics |
Book
1 for grade 3 is available now. Book 2 for grade 4 will
be available in spring 2003. |
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