It was interesting to read an article on the BBC website earlier in the month on how pupil attainment was being held back by a narrow vocabulary. The report went on to say that academics have found that four out of ten pupils in their first year of secondary school have such a limited vocabulary that it negatively affects their learning. It was reported that 91% of English teachers, 90% of History teachers, 86% of Geography teachers and 78% of Religious Studies teachers in secondary schools said a ‘word gap’ was holding back pupils’ progress.

Lionel Bolton, of Oxford University Press, said, “Whether a child is 11 years old and in Year 7, or 16 years old and in Year 11, if there are words in a task that they do not understand, they will struggle to complete the task.”

“The 11-year-old is likely to be able to ask for help or access a dictionary; a 16 year old in their GCSE exam cannot.”

“And if they do understand all the words in the task, if their vocabulary is lower than their age, their written response may be less articulate, less effective, and ultimately achieve a lower mark.”

What then can we do to help our children improve their vocabulary?

Studies suggest breadth of vocabulary is strongly influenced by the number of words a child comes into contact with on a daily basis. This includes conversations with parents, siblings and friends. So, simply talking with our children improves their vocabulary.

Obviously, reading is another key aspect to improving a child’s vocabulary. Children should be encouraged to read widely in as many genres as possible. It is important that children read classic texts as well as contemporary texts to help them understand older vocabulary.

As well as the two methods written above, at Norfolk House School we teach discreet lessons on vocabulary in Years 3, 4 & 5 in preparation for 11+. It is clear, however, that these lessons will benefit our pupils not just in the 11+ examination but into their secondary school life.

Ian Morgans
Head of Pastoral Care