According to Sternberg (1987), most of the words we know we were not taught nor seek in the dictionary, but most of the vocabulary is learned from context. Reading is considered an ideal way to the acquisition of vocabulary words, because common words of low or moderate frequency, appear more frequently in reading texts than usual in conversation. The student has the opportunity to study the context, establish hypotheses and verify them, and infer meanings, safely. People who read more know more vocabulary.
I believe that reading results in a thorough knowledge of vocabulary; The choice of authentic texts will provide students with the possibility of finding words in a variety of contexts, which will assimilate their semantic and syntactic properties of a much deeper way. More importantly, consider that the encounter with these new words in context (considering that the rest of the text is understandable) allows students to make connections between new information and existing information, which certainly helps deploy this new knowledge into their long term memory.
The vocabulary in the freedom to communicate, to express ourselves and of some way reflects our literary life. With a vocabulary well built, we expose our ideas more clearly and therefore we are better understood.
Through the study of morphological words, I think that is very valid and efficient way to build vocabulary. When analyzing the root word, and helping the student to understand the significance of this, numerous other words will emerge. So, this is a point where learning was constructed and I believe it will be hardly forgotten.
Silvia, I wonder what are your thoughts on word study. I think it is important in all classes to set aside time to study how words work, their meanings, their relationship to one another, and how they are built. Often vocabulary is brushed to the side or 'covered' by copying definitions in notes somewhere and then rarely used again. However, time spent actually studying words, their roots, and parts in context really builds a student's vocabulary thus improving fluency and reading comprehension.
ReplyDeleteWith shame, I admit that until this afternoon I had never imagined how it is to live in the world without words. I had also had never stopped to think of the word as a figure of speech, if I may refer to it in that way. In Portuguese, one word (Ex: Latin parabola, which in turn derives from the Greek parabole), may be defined as a set of letters or sounds in a language, the idea associated with this set. Yes, it is fundamental to the study of semantics to know the origin of words and derivations, the relationship of one word with another, and the formations of new words. With the acquisition of this knowledge, I will be able to teach in a more efficient way and this will help me to choose safe and efficient techniques for teaching vocabulary, reading comprehension.
DeleteHi Silvia,
ReplyDeleteI know I'm really excited to start trying out the vocabulary strategies so that I can help students build up their vocabulary. You mention some techniques, one of which is,"analyzing the root word, and helping the student to understand the significance of this, [so that] numerous other words will emerge." This ties in with the idea of making vocabulary learning fun! Like you said most words don't come from the dictionary, but from our learning them from reading and using them.