One of the critical skills taught regularly, and at nearly all grade levels, at Hillcrest is vocabulary knowledge. While students often complain that vocabulary is “just busy work” or is “just a way to get grades in STI, teachers of all subject areas know that in order to comprehend what they read and learn, students must first understand what words mean, both individually and when placed together. This skill is crucial not only in school, but also in the work force, where employers value educated employees who can make informed decisions on their own.
For many decades, vocabulary instruction was rarely a planned part of classroom instruction; instead, student questions often led to “teachable moments,” after which students were directed to a book’s glossary or a dictionary. Numerous studies have shown that this “method” did not result in long-term retention. People of all ages need multiple exposures to words in a variety of contexts before they understand, remember, and apply them. According to Scholastic.com, “Vocabulary is critical to reading success for three reasons:
1. Comprehension improves when you know what the words mean. Since comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading, you cannot overestimate the importance of vocabulary development.
2. Words are the currency of communication. A robust vocabulary improves all areas of communication — listening, speaking, reading and writing.
3. ….When children and adolescents improve their vocabulary, their academic and social confidence and competence improve, too.
For these reasons, Hillcrest teachers will continue to promote the regular learning of vocabulary at every level: elementary, middle school, junior high, and high school. Furthermore, teachers of all subject areas — not only English and language — will use a variety of instructional methods to improve students’ vocabulary knowledge so that when they leave HCS, they will be prepared and successful, no matter where life leads them.
