Enhancing
Vocabulary
Development...
...Through Play!
Michelle Barrett, Marieke Favrod & Megan Wiigs, TCDSB
The Plan
• Play, Language, and the ELECT document
• Vocabulary Milestones
• The Who, What, Where, When and Why
• The HOW!
– Vocabulary in action (video clips)
– Words around the room (group activity)
• Bonus Features
• The Plan - for your setting
• Questions
Play, Language and the ELECT
Document
Play:
A naturally occurring, freely
chosen and non-literal activity in
which children are intrinsically
motivated, characterized by
imagination, exploration, delight,
capriciousness and a sense of
wonder, that reflects the unique
experience of children, and
through which children express
their ideas and feelings, and
come to understand themselves,
others and their world.
(p.90)
Play, Language and the ELECT
Document
Play is a means to early learning that
capitalizes on children’s natural
curiosity
and exuberance.
• Take an active role in play
• Promote play that is challenging but also
within the child’s capacity to master
• Create opportunities for play where
children can learn, practice, and extend
their skills
• Promote play as a platform for
literacy, numeracy and inquiry
(p. 77)
Words are more
likely to become
part of the child’s
vocabulary when
they are used in
play.
(p. 48)
Vocabulary Development
1 Year: uses 1 or more words with meaning
18 mos: 5-20 words → mostly nouns
2 Years:
• understands apprx. 300+ words
• uses apprx. 50-100 words
• at least 2 location concepts (in, on, under)
• at least 2 pronouns (I, me, you)
3 Years:
• understands apprx. 500-900 or more words
• uses apprx. 50-250 words
• verbs begin to predominate
Shipley & McAfee (1998)
Vocabulary Development
4 Years:
• understands apprx. 1200-2000 or more words
• uses apprx. 800-1500 words
• knows names of familiar animals, at least four
location concepts, one or more colors
5 Years:
• understands more than 2,800 words
• uses 900-2000 or more words
• descriptive words, opposites, numbers, simple time
and sequence concepts
6-7 Years: understands apprx. 20,000 words
Shipley & McAfee (1998)
?? The What ??
ORAL (versus written) vocabulary
The sun
radiates
heat and
light. See?
?? The What ??
Common vs. uncommon words
boat
yacht
?? The What ??
A variety of words:
e.g. bouquet
Nouns (people, places, things)
e.g. airport
e.g. dentist
Verbs (action words)
e.g. howled
e.g. escaped
?? The What ??
A variety of words:
• Adjectives (describe people, places and things)
e.g. the frustrated boy, the comfortable chair
• Adverbs (describe actions)
e.g. climbed rapidly, stepped carefully
• Concepts
→ Location (through, between, under, behind)
→ Time (morning, afternoon, night, day, later,
before, after, tomorrow, yesterday, today)
→ Sequence (first, next, then, finally)
?? The Who ??
All children, including:
– English Language Learners
– Children with developmental delays
– Children with language delays
?? The Where ??
Everywhere that children learn - everywhere
they are!
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ontario Early Years Centres
Parent & Family Literacy Centres
Child care centres
Early Learning classrooms
Kindergarten classrooms
Primary grades
Individually, in small groups, in large groups
?? The When ??
Activities related to
books:
Read it over and over again
Look at different versions of
stories
Encourage students to join in
Act the story out
Tell it with puppets
Set it up as a centre
?? The When ??
Self-selected play:
Sand table
Should we make a
moat around the
castle?
Water table
House centre
Puzzles
Cars
Your tower looks
sturdy! I think it
can stay up all by
itself.
Blocks
Dolls
?? The When ??
The great outdoors!
Exploring nature
At the playground
Field trips
?? The When ??
Daily routines:
Getting dressed
Descriptive
Words
e.g. sour, crispy,
juicy
Bathroom
Tidying-up
Snack
Sequence
Words
e.g. before, after,
first, next
?? The When ??
Music
Sports & active play
Arts & crafts
Cooking
Special occasions
& holidays
?? The When ??
Toddler at PFLC: Self-directed play
?? The Why ??
• “Words are more likely to become part of the
child’s vocabulary when they are used in play.”
ELECT, p. 48
• Links between vocabulary and later academic
success
- Hart & Risely, 1995
• A strong oral vocabulary supports decoding and
reading comprehension
-
National Reading Panel, 2000
Torr & Scott, 2006
Rickets, Nation & Bishop, 2007
Neuman & Dwyer, 2009
?? The How ??
Strategies to use:
Provide
meaningful
opportunities to
USE new words!
Stress – emphasize the word
Explain – teach the meaning of the word
Show – demonstrate what the word means
Relate – connect the word to the child’s own experiences
Retrieve – ask for retrieval
Compare – find synonyms and antonyms
Dramatize – act the word out
Repeat – multiple times, different situations, many opportunities
Toddlers
How does this home day care provider help
these toddlers learn concept vocabulary?
Preschooler
What strategies does this ECE student use to
help this preschooler learn a new word?
Kindergarten
What strategies does Marieke use to help these
kindergarten students learn new words?
School-Age
What strategies does Michelle use to help her
students use new “technical” vocabulary?
What did you notice?
• Different age groups
• Different settings
• Different activities
• Common element: play-based pedagogy
“...where early childhood practitioners
participate in play, guiding children’s
planning, decision-making and
communications, and extending children’s
explorations with narrative, novelty and
challenges”
(ELECT, p. 90)
Words Around the Room
• Each table will be assigned to a flipchart.
• Each flip chart will focus on a different play
activity.
• In your small groups, brainstorm ideas of
words you could highlight in the play activity
→ remember to include a variety of words!
• Think fast! You only have 3 minutes!!
Bonus Features:
Oral to Written
Key Words
Popcorn Words
Word Wall Activities
Your Plan
• Develop a plan to put your knowledge
into action.
–
–
–
–
Which activity?
With which children?
Which words to highlight?
Which strategies will you use?
• Share your ideas with your neighbour.
Questions?
???