Does the learning of vocabulary result increased comprehension?
Despite widespread knowledge that vocabulary development and reading comprehension are related, there are at least three reasons why teaching difficult vocabulary will not improve comprehension. 1. Students don’t need to know the meaning of all the words in a selection in order to understand and enjoy it. 2. Teaching the meaning of some words in a selection is unnecessary because the concept in which the word appears is sometimes rich enough to adequately define the word. 3. Instruction that is offered for difficult “concept words” is too superficial to be helpful. The keys to improving comprehension through vocabulary instruction: Focus instruction on the vocabulary that presents ideas or concepts that are central to the selection and teach vocabulary thoroughly. Encourage students to use context to independently infer word meanings. Clarify the meaning of words for students as needed. Should spelling and vocabulary be formally taught? Although wide reading is the best source of instr
