How important is science vocabulary in everyday reading? Are geographical terms helpful outside of a geography lesson? To what extent are religious terms important for general literacy – spoken or written?
A better question: what is more important than vocabulary developed to understand the world around us?
Three recent reading SATs papers using texts with scientific vocabulary
In their seminal book, “Bringing Words to Life,” Beck, McKeown and Kukan (2002) categorise vocabulary into three tiers:
- Tier One words are everyday, like: clock, baby, walk. These rarely need to be taught except in an EfL context.
- Tier Two words are “high frequency for mature language users and are found across a variety of domains. Examples include coincidence, absurd, industrious and fortunate.” Beck et al.’s book is mostly about these words.
- Tier Three vocabulary are words “whose frequency of use is quite low and often limited to specific domains. Some examples might be isotope, lathe, peninsular and refinery. … These words are probably best learned when a specific need arises, such as introducing peninsular during a geography lesson.” p8.
This is dodging a big bullet. Tier three words are taught in subjects, but they aren’t only experienced there. Real world articles and books, podcasts and documentaries are full of tier three words. Conversations are full of them.
Whose job is it to teach vocabulary?
It takes a whole school.
We can’t teach words separately from the contexts where we need them: or if we do, we can’t expect our students to be able to use them or even recognise them. In lessons, we teach and use technical words in the contexts needed for the subject (typically answering exam questions). It’s less common for subject teachers to set wider reading, discussion or extended writing tasks, especially in content rich subjects like science where curriculum time is often short. If we think literacy is an important outcome, then our students need as much practice reading texts full of tier three words as they do tier two.
A Recommendation
Carve out curriculum time for literacy. It shouldn’t always be English teachers (unless your English teachers are also science, history, RE, and Art specialists – like they are in primary schools). The responsibility should be shared. Secondary teachers, learn from your primary colleagues how to teach shared reading. Use texts rich in vocabulary from the curriculum: rich in knowledge about the world.
I don’t want to hear that there isn’t time: literacy is the most important thing we teach. It is more important than GCSE grades. A laser focus on GCSE outcomes which comes at the expense of reading, writing and discussion is toxic, and likely to be counterproductive. There, I’ve said it.
As always, I’m happy to discuss.
Ben
Reading for Learning 