Vocabulary
We use and follow the three-tiered model of vocabulary development (Beck Et al, 2013) which classifies words into Tier One Words-the most basic words, Tier Two Words- high frequency words that occur across a variety of domains and Tier Three Words- subject specific.
We ensure pupils experience repeated exposures to both tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary through a planned teaching approach so that they are able to develop connections between words, their meanings and their origins.
Pupils engage with words in real-life contexts and are encouraged to use new vocabulary accurately in their independent writing.
At Athersley North, we teach Vocabulary as part of a strategy that teaches pupils the academic words that they need to succeed within the classroom and in the wider world.
We believe that we are providing pupils with a much richer and diverse vocabulary.
When it comes to vocabulary knowledge and school success, ‘word depth’ has a greater emphasis than the ‘breadth’ of vocabulary knowledge. Helping pupils to improve and widen their academic vocabulary is essential if outcomes are to improve.
Bedrock
Talk Through Topic
Speak Like an Expert
Frayer Model
Top Ten
Key Stage 2 pupils follow the Bedrock Vocabulary Curriculum.
Bedrock Vocabulary is an online curriculum that teaches vocabulary whilst encouraging reading.
Each lesson introduces pupils to between three and five new words. New words are shown in multiple contexts and alongside synonyms and antonyms to help pupils relate new words to ones they already know, embedding understanding.
In EYFS, Talk Through Topic is a teaching strategy that provides pupils with the vocabulary that they can use in every day play activities.
Five or six Tier Two words are selected each week and chosen to link to specific themes.
Teachers model how to pronounce the words and give simple meanings, using words and pictures.
Pupils should begin to use the vocabulary independently as the week progresses.
Speak like an Expert is an assessment tool that we use as a retrieval or plenary activity to assess a pupil’s understanding of a topic by their ability to use subject specific vocabulary with accuracy.
A Frayer Model is a graphic organizer that helps students determine or clarify the meaning of vocabulary words encountered while listening, reading, and viewing texts. It is used before reading to activate background knowledge, during reading to monitor vocabulary, or after reading to assess vocabulary. We use the Frayer Model in school when introducing new vocabulary in our English units.
In every subject, we have identified the key words that pupils need to know and understand to help in our learning. We call these our ‘Top Ten’. We review these words at the start of every lesson and decide which words from the ‘Top Ten’ are going to be focused on in the lesson. Teachers use actions and visual cues to help pupils remember the meaning of the words.
