how we learn vocabulary implicitly and explicitly

Bonjour

There was a second interesting point from Natalie Kirton’s presentation, following on from last week’s comments on vocabulary. She asked how we learn vocabulary implicitly and explicitly. In other words in what ways do we learn new vocabulary by soaking it up, and what in what ways do we deliberately direct our attention to learning vocabulary?

Natalie gave the following as some examples of implicit learning:

· When we read meaningful print

· Talking time

· ‘Talking’ print

· Fun print

· Real experiences

· Listening to text

· Listening to music, news items, TV…

Examples of explicit learning included:

· Explicit teaching

· Reading to children

· Print-rich environment

· Deliberately applying strategies

· Visualising

· Focussed talking

· Language experiences

· Discussion about books

· Focussed listening to music, news items, TV…

Amongst these are some indicators for us as parents. To help our children learn vocabulary we need to read with them and to them, we need to give them a wide and deep range of experiences and talk with the children about them. If this is not in the language they are learning at school, so what! The richer their first language is, and the richer their experiences are the more they have to transfer to their second language.

Chris