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Higher level strategies to support vocabulary learning and word finding

Many young people with communication difficulties have difficulty understanding, learning and recalling vocabulary. These young people need explicit teaching of words and strategies to understand and recall words in conversations and when in education or employment. This applies to everyday, curriculum, PSHE and behaviour contract vocabulary.

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Vocabulary strategies

  • Explicitly teach the meaning of important words (nouns, verbs, concepts) for curriculum, PSHE, and behaviour vocabulary. This can be done individually or in a group. Teach:
    • what it means
    • what it sounds like
    • how many syllables
    • break down the word into syllables and highlight the first sound of each syllable
    • related words
    • put the word into a sentence
  • Clap the syllables of the word, for example, pho-to-syn-the-sis
  • Repeat, repeat, repeat – repetition is crucial to help the young person remember the word
  • Use familiar and consistent vocabulary where possible
  • Link less familiar words such as ‘dissolve’ to more familiar words, for example, ‘mix’
  • Provide a sound cue, for example, for ‘spanner’ you would say ‘spa…’
  • Encourage the young person to:
    • say when they can’t think of the word
    • gesture or do an action
    • describe the word or object, for example, what it looks like, where you find it, what you do with it, when you do it
    • think of what category the word belongs to
    • think of characteristics
    • think of another word it relates to, for example, cereal, cheese, butter
    • use a search engine online to help find the word that might be right, for example, ‘supermarkets in Sheffield’

The Confident Teacher

Alex Quigley is a blogger and the proud author of ‘Closing the Reading Gap’, ‘Closing the Writing Gap’, and ‘The Confident Teacher’.

After over fifteen years in the classroom, he now supports the cause of education from the other side the school gates. Check out his blog: 10 Creative Ways to Teach Vocabulary

For more information please contact the Speech and Language Therapy Service at Flockton House on 0114 226 2333.

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Disclaimer

Please note: this is a generic information sheet relating to care at Sheffield Children’s NHS FT. These details may not reflect treatment at other hospitals. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professionals’ instructions. If this resource relates to medicines, please read it alongside the medicine manufacturer’s patient information leaflet. If this information has been translated into another language from English, efforts have been made to maintain accuracy, but there may still be some translation errors. If you are unsure about any of the guidance in this resource or have specific questions about how it relates to your child, always ask your healthcare professional for further advice.

Resource number: SL251

Resource Type: Article

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