MODULE 5

DEVELOPING VOCABULARY SKILLS AND SPELLING SKILLS

 What is vocabulary?
Vocabulary refers to the words we must understand to communicate
effectively. Educators often consider four types of vocabulary: listening,
speaking, reading, and writing. Listening vocabulary refers to the words we need
to know to understand what we hear. Speaking vocabulary consists of the words
we use when we speak.
 How to improve your vocabulary and writing skills?

1. Learn the roots of words. To build a strong foundation for your vocabulary,
it’s helpful to understand the roots of words.

2. Focus on practical terms and words. You can also look for clearer ways to
express yourself instead of relying on clichés that may be difficult for others
to understand or skew your meaning.

3. Create word associations. Forming associations can help you recall words
you’re learning with more ease. These associations can also ensure you
remember the word long term.

4. Complete regular vocabulary tests. At the end of each week, create a quiz
that includes the vocabulary words, root words or other language aspects that
you’ve been studying. Taking a quiz or test can increase your ability to retain
new words. Every time you learn a new root or word, create a flashcard. On
one side of the card, write the word, and on the opposite side, write the
definition. You can practice recalling the definition from the words and vice
versa.
 5. Take a writing class. Take a writing course online or at a local adult
educational institution that incorporates assignments and tests to help you
boost your ability to communicate effectively through writing. If you
complete a writing class, take notes on any new words you learn throughout
the course

 What is comprehension?
The action or capability of understanding something.

 What are the different comprehension skills?

1. Decoding
2. Fluency
3. Vocabulary
4. Sentence construction and cohesion
5. Reasoning and background knowledge
6. Working memory and attention

 What is a spelling strategy?

A spelling strategy is a means for a child or young person to retrieve an accurate

spelling choice using a method compatible with their learning style. They may
choose a different strategy for different words. The spellings children and young
people say out loud are not always what they write down.

ACTIVITY
1. What is vocabulary?
Vocabulary refers to the words we must understand to communicate effectively. Educators often
consider four types of vocabulary: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Listening
vocabulary refers to the words we need to know to understand what we hear. Speaking
vocabulary consists of the words we use when we speak.
2. How to improve your vocabulary and writing skills?
  Learn the roots of words
 Focus on practical terms and words
 Create word associations
 Complete regular vocabulary tests
 Take a writing class

3. What is comprehension?
The action or capability of understanding something.
4. What are the different comprehension skills?

 Decoding
 Fluency
 Vocabulary
 Sentence construction and cohesion
 Reasoning and background knowledge
 Working memory and attention

5. What is a spelling strategy?

A spelling strategy is a means for a child or young person to retrieve an accurate spelling
choice using a method compatible with their learning style. They may choose a different
strategy for different words. The spellings children and young people say out loud are not
always what they write down.

ANALYSIS

A larger vocabulary can be a stepping stone to higher levels of language fluency.

Put simply, the more vocabulary you know, the easier it will become to improve your language
skills. For starters, this knowledge will allow you to access a wider range of learning materials
designed for both native and non-native speakers. It will also help you understand these words
from their context, naturally expanding your vocabulary and improving your language skills
without needing to spend time looking the words up in a dictionary or asking someone for an
explanation. On top of this, the more vocabulary words you understand, the more you’ll be able
to decipher the meaning of new words by breaking them down into their morphemes (smaller
parts). (See Nation, 2008). A good example of this is the word, ‘unhappy’. If we break down
this word, we have [un-] and [happy]. If we know that the prefix [un] is a derivational morpheme
(i.e.. it inverts the meaning of the morpheme it’s attached to), then we can work out the meaning
of the word itself.

APPLICATION
 A rich vocabulary is associated with greater academic performance.
Many ESL students are studying English because they want to attend an English-speaking
university, excel at higher level study and land a well-paying job. A large vocabulary can help
them do just that. As you have seen above, a wide vocabulary is associated with a greater
performance across all aspects of foreign language learning, including speaking, reading, writing
and listening. It’s important to note that this applies to both native speakers and second language
students. This is why we encourage children to read widely in their native languages- the wider
their vocabulary, the greater their chances to perform well academically. This also applies to
learners of a foreign language. A recent study titled ‘Investigating the Relationship between
Vocabulary Knowledge and Academic Success of Arabic Undergraduate Learners in Swansea
University,’ highlighted this, saying; “[The findings illuminate] the importance of vocabulary
knowledge, not just as a predictor of academic achievement but also as a predictor of both
intelligence and foreign language aptitude.”

REFLECTION

Vocabulary knowledge is perhaps the most important factor when it comes to reading
comprehension, both for native and non-native speakers. For example, if you sit down to read a
book and you don’t know the vocabulary used, you’ll struggle to understand the meaning of the
text. You might end up looking up the words in a dictionary, guessing the meaning of the words
from their context, or you might simply give up and find something else to read. This can be
disappointing, disheartening and also shatter your confidence. This connection between
vocabulary size and second language attainment has been widely researched over the years. One
of the most interesting of these was a 2010 study that discovered that a surprising 64% of
variance in the reading score was due to vocabulary size.