ABSTRACT
Vocabulary refers to the words we know and use to communicate with others. Sometimes speaking and listening vocabulary are referred to as oral vocabulary, and reading and writing vocabulary are referred to as print vocabulary. It is important for children to have large oral vocabularies, so they can understand the words they are reading. Children should be taught word-learning strategies so they can add to their repertoire of vocabulary more rapidly. All children can benefit from small-group instruction in vocabulary. Children who come to school with limited oral vocabulary may benefit most, since they have the most to gain from learning new words. Students at all reading levels can be taught how to figure out word meanings.
