What is vocabulary?
Vocabulary is a crucial part of language development, starting from the womb up. According to the text, it even mentions that vocabulary development is crucial as children grow and how well they develop as learners. I believe that children in the womb begin developing a sense of language development. It is vital for children to be exposed to a wide variety of vocabulary in order for them to have a better sense of word knowledge as they grow.
I know from my experience with vocabulary, I know lots of words but I usually cannot spell them. I also can use the words in a sentence but I am not sure how to explain the word if someone asks me to explain them, so I usually choose not to use the word. I wish that I had better word knowledge in order to better carry a more intellectual conversation when speaking with someone of importance.
From my experience, I am good with using context clues to figure out what words mean if I am unfamiliar with the word. I do know that some students have problems with this though, especially with state testing. This is why it is crucial for me as a future teacher to constantly teach students new vocabulary. Since I have been in the education program and I have learned how important vocabulary is for students, especially at a young age, I have started trying to teacher my nieces and nephews new vocabulary at younger ages.
Question:
As a teacher, and a terrible speller, should I focus more so on children knowing the words and their meaning as well as spelling? Or should I focus on the context of the word being used and not worry so much about spelling? If I do not focus on spelling, what if the student is unable to recognize the word when it is written in a sentence?
