Vocabulary Strategies for Struggling Readers

Implementing strategic planning in teaching vocabulary will allow students to have a better understanding of language, reading, and comprehension. Read more as I share four important vocabulary strategies to help struggling readers! 

Four Components of Vocabulary

It’s important to align teaching strategies to reflect the four major categories of vocabulary: writing, speaking, listening, and reading. Building skills in one area will automatically develop knowledge in the other subjects.

1. Writing Strategies

Vocabulary is a necessary component of writing. The more experience students have in various types of writing, the more confident they will become in their communication skills. Providing a group of vocabulary words that students must accurately use in an assignment they write is an excellent way to build written vocabulary skills.

Writing letters to those serving overseas, pen-pal writing, poetry, plays, stories, autobiographies, and reports are examples of exercises that will enhance students’ written vocabulary skills. Even including weekly paragraph writing activities are a sure way to boost one’s vocabulary! Grab the print or digital versions here!

2. Speaking Strategies

Speaking is a form of communication in which vocabulary skills, or lack thereof, are evident. Using a variety of speaking strategies is a prime opportunity for teachers to lead by example and deliver an oral performance utilizing a set of vocabulary words. Students can then take turns role-playing a scene in front of the class while applying the vocabulary words within their act.

Other activities to develop speaking skills are classmates conducting interviews with each other, giving speeches, and acting out a play using vocabulary words. Get some other ideas for enhancing spoken vocabulary in step five of Teaching Vocabulary So Students Really Learn It. 

3. Listening Strategies

All of the components of vocabulary are intertwined with each other. Listening is a skill that many students do not spend time honing in school, but it is one of the most important skills students can possess. Listening skills may be taught through asking questions following a verbal reading, video clip, or oral performance. Teachers may ask students to list the order of events, ask questions about small details, and give true or false questions to cultivate listening skills in students.

4. Reading Strategies

Enhancing vocabulary through writing, speaking, and listening skills will inevitably increase students’ reading comprehension. Reading books, letters, textbooks, newspapers, and other forms of content aloud and silently at school and home daily will certainly enrich vocabulary skills. But there are numerous creative ways educators can improve vocabulary knowledge in an engaging way.

Word Work for Big Kids Vocabulary Games is one of many fun ways to teach reading vocabulary skills. Since these activities can be played in most elementary grades and works for both partners and groups, it is an effortless vocabulary tool all educators should keep in their tool kit. 

Vocabulary skills are the foundation of reading comprehension. Students must grasp the words being used in the text for them to understand the reading. Of course, using vocabulary words across all subject areas provide students with the repetition needed to boost their skills. When teachers consistently and strategically incorporate vocabulary education through writing, speaking, listening, and reading, students become more confident and proficient in all of their communication skills.