We can’t stress enough the importance of vocabulary in ELA instruction. Although often an afterthought to novels and essays, consistent exposure and practice with vocabulary actually is a strong indicator for student success in the classroom and beyond. For decades, research has shown that students with larger vocabularies tend to access and comprehend complex texts more effectively, as well as write with greater precision.

But vocabulary alone is not a cure-all for literacy. Research suggests that while vocabulary instruction can significantly improve the most important ELA skills, it does not automatically create skilled readers and writers. Successful vocabulary instruction lies in how it’s taught, not in specific words learned.

This raises an important question:

What can vocabulary instruction realistically accomplish, and what can’t it do on its own?

1. It DOES expand students’ word knowledge; it DOESN’T improve literacy through exposure alone.

Clearly, if you’re using a vocabulary program, your students are constantly being exposed to new words. Every word they learn expands their knowledge and their arsenal of words to choose from to express themselves. However, asking students to memorize lists of words makes retention more transient than intended.

To give vocabulary more staying power, try using distributed practice throughout the year (Edmonds et al. 2021). After introducing a word, revisit it days and weeks later across subject matter. Use it in reading quizzes, short stories, news articles, and PowerPoints. Repeated experience with language and spacing out this repetition strengthens long-term retention in students and helps them build more vocabulary knowledge.

2. It DOES support reading comprehension; it DOESN’T replace reading volume.

Having a broad vocabulary is the foundation for reading comprehension. When students understand complex and precise vocabulary words, they can devote more cognitive resources to making meaning from text rather than decoding new words. Research suggests that vocabulary knowledge helps students determine the meanings of unfamiliar words and access increasingly complex texts (Rasinski et al., 2011).

However, this doesn’t simply happen automatically. Just because students are armed with more vocabulary knowledge, doesn’t mean they can neglect reading practice. Students need to be given the opportunity to see their vocabulary in various contexts through reading. The more students read, preferably long-form texts, like novels, the stronger their reading comprehension, attention spans, and capacity for analysis become.

In addition, frequent exposure to lengthy, complex texts allows students to practice decoding unfamiliar words, which, over time, becomes less of a daunting experience and more like second nature as part of the reading process. Vocabulary instruction works best when connected to ample, authentic reading experiences rather than being taught in isolation.

3. It DOES improve writing quality; it DOESN’T instantly transform writing.

The more vocabulary words a student understands, the better their writing becomes. Research has shown that there is a significant relationship between a student’s vocabulary knowledge and the ability to communicate ideas clearly and effectively (Samsidar et al. 2022). A larger vocabulary gives student writers access to more precise language for stronger descriptive detail. It also allows students to express themselves and their ideas in a sophisticated, confident way.

However, knowing words and using them in writing are effectively different skills. While having the vocabulary to write descriptively is the foundation to writing well, students also need to hone their skills in organizing their ideas, developing arguments, and using appropriate sentence structures to get these ideas across. Providing focused grammatical instruction can help students understand appropriate syntax use. Again, a copious amount of writing practice is key. Students need opportunities to use newly learned words in speaking and writing, not to simply recognize them on assessments.

4. It DOES help students learn new words independently; it DOESN’T work best as memorization.

While learning lists of new words exposes students to a broader vocabulary, they need a stronger foundation to actually improve literacy. Teaching vocabulary through Greek and Latin roots allows students to unlock the meanings of thousands of related words (Rasinski et al. 2011). For instance, once students learn that bio means “life,” they will be able to understand that the words biology, biography, and biodiversity all have to do with life in some capacity. Rather than memorizing isolated definitions, when students study these word families, they will find unfamiliar words less daunting to decode, read, and eventually use in their writing.

When teaching vocabulary, a focus on morphology is the most effective way to give students the tools to decode words independently (Rasinski et al. 2011). Morphology focuses not only on root words, but also on prefixes and suffixes that will become more familiar over time. It helps students understand that most words are made up of smaller parts that can be mixed and matched for new meanings. As they learn more about the morphology of words, students will be able to revisit this knowledge as they expand the complexity of texts they read and write about across disciplines.

 Vocabulary is Essential

The most effective vocabulary instruction is not about teaching more words. It’s about helping students build a network of knowledge they can use and learn from for years to come. Vocabulary instruction is the foundation of literacy, but connecting it to reading, writing, and speaking creates the strongest structure for learning success.

Our vocabulary programs were proudly created with research in mind. Vocabulary from Latin and Greek Roots focuses on morphology and word families, which students can rely on to help them decode any new words they encounter. Vocabulary Power Plus is our classic vocabulary program that uses a variety of exercises to repeatedly expose students to words in different contexts. Check out the philosophy behind our vocabulary programs here.

Resources:

Edmonds, A., Gerbier, E., Palasis, K., & Whyte, S. (2021). Understanding the distributed practice effect and its relevance for the teaching and learning of L2 vocabulary. Lexis, (18).

Rasinski, T. V., Padak, N., Newton, J., & Newton, E. (2011). The Latin-Greek connection: Building vocabulary through morphological study. The Reading Teacher, 65(2), 133–141.

Samsidar, A., Fauzi, R., Sharmila, K., & Patak, A. A. (2022). An investigation of vocabulary knowledge on students’ writing performance. International Journal of Humanities and Innovation (IJHI), 5(4), 124–133.