Differences in vocabulary acquisition might be particularly noticeable at age 5, but it doesn’t stop there. Teachers report that the word gap is increasing across primary education and into secondary. Suzanne O’Connell reports

The Why Closing the Word Gap Matters report (May 2018) has a clear message for school leaders. If you want to challenge disadvantage then improving vocabulary must be a priority, and not only when you’re age five.

Whereas recent government reports and funding decisions have centred on tackling the so-called “word gap” in the early years and before, the evidence is growing that the advantages of being “word-rich” impact throughout our lives.

The research for the report, conducted by Oxford University Press (OUP), indicates that teachers in both primary and secondary schools are concerned about the influence that having a limited vocabulary has throughout a child’s education. The remedy for this, recommended in the report, is a diet of good books and context-driven immersion in a language-rich environment.

Register now, read forever

Thank you for visiting Headteacher Update and reading some of our content for professionals in primary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.

What's included:

  • Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcasts

  • New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here