--- title: The importance of vocabulary --- # The importance of vocabulary Language comprehension - [![Print vocabulary strategy display](https://teaching.lexplore.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Print%20vocabulary%20strategy%20display.png?width=1156&height=805&name=Print%20vocabulary%20strategy%20display.png) Print](https://teaching.lexplore.com/hubfs/Print%20vocabulary%20strategy%20display.png?hsLang=en) --- ## The importance of vocabulary   A large part of reading ability is based on vocabulary. Knowing a lot of words is crucial to being able to absorb and understand what you read, both on the surface and in depth – that is, on, between and beyond the lines. Vocabulary comprehension is also a key between being able to decode words and actually understanding the text. To help the students understand new words, different strategies can be used: - Reread the word, sentence, or paragraph to find clues about the word's meaning. - Read ahead in the text to see if more clues are given that help understand the word. - Ask a friend or an adult about the word if you don't understand. - Look up the word in a dictionary or do a digital search to find its meaning. **Here's what you can do:** Show the students how you approach an unknown word. By modelling and thinking aloud as you try to understand a word, you give them concrete tools. Let the students try the same way with you as support, and then give them the opportunity to try it on their own. When you read a book aloud together, you can create a shared word board to collect all new or difficult words that appear during reading. This gives the students a visual reminder of the words and their meaning while also allowing them to “taste” the words daily. Having these words available on the classroom wall helps the students revisit them and gain a deeper understanding. This activity is a good complement to the exercise ["Teacher's reading aloud".](https://teaching.lexplore.com/teachers-reading-aloud?hsLang=en)         ![20240215_skole_gruppe_klasserom_iStock-1423602678-scaled (1)](https://teaching.lexplore.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20240215_skole_gruppe_klasserom_iStock-1423602678-scaled%20(1).jpg?width=200&height=127&name=20240215_skole_gruppe_klasserom_iStock-1423602678-scaled%20(1).jpg)   --- Back to Lesson plans and exercises