THE DIFFERENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT TO TEACHING, READING, AND WRITING THAN YOU MIGHT THINK.
Ok, so let’s get it out of the way upfront: words are not things. They’re not ideas either. Words are actually the tools we use to express our ideas about things.
This isn’t something that the average person thinks about on a daily basis, and may seem unnecessary to consider, until you realise how important it is for effective communication.
Meaning is not in Words
Communication theorists recognize that meaning is not inherent in a word. Meaning is in people. While dictionaries identify the agreed-upon, collective definition of a word (denotation), each person has their own understanding of a word (connotation).
This understanding is shaped by experience, education, and many other conditions.
Let me give you an example.
Think about the word ‘dog’. When most people read that word an image of a dog pops into their mind, quite often accompanied by feelings about the said animal. For those who are afraid of dogs, they may picture something scary and feel anxious, especially if they’ve had the unfortunate experience of being attacked by a dog.
But those who absolutely love dogs may picture a cherished companion and conjure thoughts of fun and happiness. They may fondly think about their pet, or a dog they saw that one time that was great to be around.
Needless to say, the word ‘dog’ means something different to each of those people.
And that’s how it is with all words, those that refer to tangible objects as well as those which refer to abstract thoughts.
Every word has a meaning which society generally accepts so that we can communicate with each other, but also a personalized meaning which each person holds within them.
By now you’re probably thinking, “This is fascinating stuff, but what does it have to do with teaching reading and writing? Surely you’re not suggesting that we teach primary school children these concepts?”
Yes, I am.
Children can understand the substance of this concept without going into the theoretical details, and they should be exposed to a broader understanding of words and how they work.
What I’m advocating is being word conscious and teaching children the value of being word conscious.
Defining Word Consciousness
In an article published in 2008, titled “For the Love of Words: Fostering Word Consciousness in Young Readers”, Michael F. Graves and Susan Watts-Taffe define word consciousness as having an awareness and interest in words and their meaning.
It’s all about getting students excited about words.
Vocabulary is the cornerstone of expression and building a wide and varied vocabulary is a key focus of many teachers and parents. Yet, we often run into the challenge of determining how to impart this wealth of knowledge.
Many educators recognize the value of incidental learning of words in context, which is what parents advocate as they insist on their children reading and reading to their children.
However, if such situations are to have their greatest impact, children need to be word conscious so that when they read they would pay attention to the words and meanings.
When children are interested and excited about how words work and how meaning is created using words, they will independently acquire far more vocabulary than a teacher or parent can present them within a lesson.
How to Develop Word Consciousness in Children
The main component of word consciousness is an excitement about words and this can be fostered in children at any age.
The first step is to have a wide range of reading material available and incorporate time in a child’s schedule when they will engage in the reading material.
The next step is to model the excitement.
Example 1:
When you read to your child or your class, you can point out words you want them to focus on and say things like, “I loved the way the author uses X word to express his/her ideas. Isn’t it fascinating? He/She could have used ‘insert synonym’ but they chose X word. I wonder if it’s because of ‘insert reasoning’.”
Example 2:
Or, you could mention something like, “You know, the word X didn’t always mean Y. Back in the day it just meant Z and as such and such were created, the meaning changed to include that too. Isn’t it fascinating how words work?” This way you can introduce students to the way meaning changes over time and get them thinking about how words work in a fun way.
When children read, they should have a structured approach that helps them review the text for new words, connect the ideas with what they already know, learn more about the difficult words, and implement strategies for figuring out the words themselves.
This curiosity is what leads students to independently learn about words and meanings.
Then, of course, there are always word games. Pictionary and Charades are favorites because they get students active and are lots of fun. Then there are classics like Scrabble, Boggle, and Taboo. All of these can be adapted to age level and engage students with words in ways that encourage them to develop an interest in words.
And finally, students must be given opportunities to use the words they’re learning. Whether they’re included in presentations or written assignments, children should be guided in incorporating their new vocabulary on a regular basis.
Remember, we’re not just building understanding, we’re also facilitating expression.