Big Words Make You Smart

Vocabulary is an important predictor of intelligence and income. Children should begin sounding out multi-syllable words as soon as they are able to read CVC pattern words.

It boosts their self-confidence. My students, especially those who have struggled with reading in the past, take real pride in being able to read what I call “college words”. It also gives me a chance to expose them to more challenging vocabulary from the very first. Explicit vocabulary instruction is important. Besides this, I am convinced that children have not truly internalized a phonics pattern until they can apply it to an unknown word. Most importantly, it sets kids up to learn vocabulary in context during their independent reading.

In my Complete Phonics program, word attack sentences are provided with the very first lessons. By lesson 20, each lesson has seven word attack sentences. This way each student can practice sounding out a difficult word using the given phonics pattern. Here is an example from lesson 30:

1. Bess can unplug the lamp.
2. Jan will undress the doll.
3. Dad must dig up the crabgrass.
4. Mom had a plastic cup.
5. The kitten finds big dogs distressful.
6. The sad man is glum.
7. Mom and Dad sat in the grandstand.
   

I explain to the students that they need to break the words into syllables or “vowel chunks”. Then they sound out each part of the word. Next, they blend the syllables until they can say the word smoothly. At this point, they return to the beginning of the sentence and read it through while looking for clues to the word's meaning.

In this example, the students are reviewing s, r, and l consonant blends. Notice that sentence 6 has a one syllable word for word attack practice. I chose glum because it is a word with which the children may be unfamiliar. Most native speakers will already know the meaning of undress and unplug. These words give me a chance to discuss the meaning of the prefix un-. 

I especially like the word distressful. It has three syllables, so it is particularly challenging. And, as often happens during reading, the sentence gives a hint as to what the unknown word might mean, but it doesn't give a synonym or definition. This gives us a chance to discuss what the word might mean. How do most kittens feel about big dogs? In the end, I would explain that when something is distressful it makes you feel bad and maybe a little scared or nervous. Then I would have the students practice using the word in a sentence. 

The words crabgrass, plastic, and grandstand are more for practice with sounding out than for explicit vocabulary instruction. I always explain the meaning of each word or call on a student to give the word's meaning.