As a new teacher, what do I need to know about vocabulary instruction?

 1) Vocabulary is vital for comprehension. Due to this close association between the two, vocabulary instruction must take place during and throughout the reading process to ensure students comprehend the text. This also helps to build a stronger vocabulary.

2) Using the active-learning approach while teaching vocabulary helps students to stay engaged and to better understand the vocabulary at hand. One way to use student-centered instruction is to have students compare and contrast words by sorting into categories.

3) Teaching vocabulary in word families, rather than teaching single words is an effective instructional approach. Using word study allows students to reveal consistencies and patterns within groups of words.

4) It is important to help students to understand that some words (homophones) have multiple meanings. Using context clues is an effective way to determine the meaning of the homophone in a text.

5) The generative approach is an important concept that promotes teaching students that although complex texts will have words they do not know, their generative word knowledge can help them understand the meaning of new words.