"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world." Ludwig Wittgenstein Vocabulary is a tool for thinking and learning about the world. Children with a rich and large vocabulary have more information about their world which can support their knowledge development. Many studies show that vocabulary is the best predictor of reading comprehension and linked to overall school achievement (Lowry, 2021). At age one, children recognise about 50 words; by age three, they recognize about 1,000 words; and by age five, they recognize at least 10,000 words (Shipley & McAfee, 2015). Research from a large study in the 1990s found that while some young children had been exposed to 45 million words by age four, other four-year olds had only been exposed to 13 million (Weitzman & Greenberg, 2010). As kaiako we have enormous opportunity both formally and informally to offer children opportunities to hear many words in meaningful every day conversations. In Talking Together / Te Kōrerorero (2020) a few of the strategies to expand vocabulary is to use specific words - not general terms, to use a variety of words for the same thing (synonyms), and for kaiako to be intentional when developing language. An example of this is when you observe a child with a specific interest you can plan to add language that expands their bank of specific words. Another way kaiako can be strategic and intentional when expanding language is to consider creating word webs during planning. Talking Together / Te Kōrerorero (2020) suggest kaiako place a topic in the centre of a page and then identify a range of interrelated ideas including names, actions, descriptors, question words, words for feelings and location words. These words can also include te reo Māori words or phrases as well as expanding on children’s home languages. Also when planning Making words ‘sparkle’ – expanding vocabulary December 2022 { 32 }
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