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##  Vocabulary's Influence on Successful Writing. ERIC Digest D157.              

There is extensive research indicating that a rich vocabulary is a              critical element of reading ability. Laflamme (1997) states that                recent research has identified vocabulary knowledge as the single               most important factor in reading comprehension. There is, likewise,             no shortage of studies documenting a strong link between reading and            writing. "Reading and writing are two analogous and complementary               processes in that both involve generating ideas, organizing ideas               into a logical order, drafting them a number of times to achieve                cohesion, and revising the ideas as is appropriate" (Laflamme, 1997,            p. 373). The processes are so closely aligned that some researchers             even advocate teaching reading and writing simultaneously, rather               than as two separate subjects (Laflamme, 1997). 
If the writing                process is inextricably linked to the reading process, and the                  reading process is heavily dependent upon vocabulary, it naturally              follows that the writing process is likewise dependent. This digest             will explore some of the ways vocabulary influences writing ability,            and how teachers can use vocabulary development specifically to                 improve writing skills. VOCABULARY AND WRITING: FINDING THE RIGHT             WORDSIn some ways, the ability to write effectively hinges upon             having an adequate vocabulary even more than does the ability to                read. Once students have learned to decode words, they may be able              to read and pronounce many words that are unfamiliar to them. They              may even be able to determine accurate meanings of unfamiliar words             simply by examining the context in which those words are used.                  During the writing process, however, a student does not have the                luxury of examining the context in which a word is used; he or she              is creating the context. Therefore, the writer must be able to                  spontaneously recall words that are known not only by sight, but                that are understood well enough to use correctly. "Mayher and                   Brause (1986) have stated that writing is dependent upon the ability            to draw upon words to describe an event" (Corona, Spangenberger, &              Venet, 1989, p. 18). 
The breadth and depth of a student's                     vocabulary will have a direct influence upon the descriptiveness,               accuracy, and quality of his or her writing. As Ediger (1999)                   notes, "variety in selecting words to convey accurate meanings is               necessary in speaking and writing, the outgoes of the language                  arts" (p. 1). Corona, Spangenberger, and Venet (1998) concur: "At               any level, written communication is more effective when a depth of              vocabulary and command of language is evident" (p.26). PRINCIPLES             OF VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENTBecause words are the writer's most                important tools, vocabulary development must be an important and                ongoing part of classroom learning. Laflamme (1997) offers several              key principles that should guide the creation and implementation of             a comprehensive vocabulary development program. 
1. Teachers must              offer direct instruction of techniques or procedures for developing             a broad and varied vocabulary. This instruction can be provided both            formally through the language arts program, and informally through              various classroom interactions-such as story time-with                          students. 
2. New vocabulary terms must be connected to students'              previous knowledge and experiences. If students are unable to                   contextualize new words by attaching them to words and concepts they            already understand, the words will likely have little meaning to                them. And as Ediger (1999) points out, "if meaning is lacking, the              chances are pupils will memorize terms and concepts for testing                 purposes only or largely" (p. 2). 
3. Students should be able to               contextualize the vocabulary terms they have learned and use them in            society (Ediger, 1999, p. 7). In order for students to do this                  successfully, they must first learn to become comfortable using                 these words in the classroom. Students should be required or                    encouraged to incorporate new vocabulary terms into their oral and              written reports and presentations. 
4. Practice and repetition are             important methods by which students can become familiar with new                words and under- stand how they may be used correctly (Laflamme,                1997). Students should be frequently exposed to the same words                  through practice exercises, classroom use, and testing. 
5.                    Teachers should model an enthusiasm for and curiosity about new                 words through their own behaviors and attitudes. Teachers who are               enthusiastic about vocabulary development will automatically look               for "teachable moments" throughout the day, pointing out interesting            words as they crop up in texts, stories, or conversation; asking                students to explore alternative ways of expressing concepts; and                helping identify colorful, descriptive ways of speaking and                     writing. 
6. Schools, teachers, and students must be committed to              vocabulary development over the long term. The teaching of                      vocabulary must be an interdisciplinary project, integrated into the            curriculum at every level. USING VOCABULARY TO IMPROVE WRITING                SKILLSWhile improved vocabulary can enhance students' writing               skills, there is no guarantee that it will do so automatically.                 Improvement in vocabulary will result in improved writing skills                only if the teacher is able to create a classroom that takes writing            seriously. "In such a classroom, process and environment are closely            intertwined and interdependent. The process does not come alive                 unless the environment is conducive to it" (Corona, Spangenberger, &            Venet, 1998, p. 24). The following are techniques teachers can use              to create a writing-centered classroom. 
1. Sharing vocabulary-rich            literature. Sloan (1996) explains that in her quest to help her                 students become better writers, she "went to the best source for                teaching good writing: good books" (p. 268). By having students                 read (or reading aloud to them) books, poems, and stories that                  contain interesting vocabulary, teachers can both introduce new                 words and provide a forum for discussing them. 
2. Helping students            become aware of and look for interesting words. There are many                  different forms this can take. For example, students could pair up              and look through books for words that catch their attention, then               write down common words that the author could have used instead.                Other methods include having students: write words they encounter on            an "Interesting Word Wall" (Sloan, 1996. P. 268); create a word bank            through words-of-the day that are taken from classroom                          literature (Corona, Spangenberger, & Venet, 1998, p. 25); record or             act out energetic verbs; or write unfamiliar words                              in "literature-response journals" for later exploration (Manning,               1999, p. 3). 
3. Offering a variety of writing opportunities. "A               writer-centered classroom emphasizes using written expression to                communicate ideas. Writing is an important part of all areas of the             curriculum" (Corona, Spangenberger, & Venet, 1998, p. 29). The                  authors go on to note that students have a greater investment in                their writing when they are given choices about their assignments.              Such choices may include journal or diary entries, weekly logs                  summarizing journal entries, book reports, outlines, poetry,                    autobiographies, short stories, or any number of variations on the              above. 
4. Providing ample time for students to fully experience               the writing process (Corona, Spangenberger, & Venet, 1998). The                 teaching of writing should be approached as a process that must be              studied in depth, and substantial blocks of time should be devoted              to writing. 
5. Allowing students to conference with teachers and              fellow students (Corona, Spangenberger, & Venet, 1998). When writing            topics are chosen, students should meet with their teacher to                   discuss ideas and answer questions. The teacher's role is to                    encourage, build on existing strengths, and help the student expand             his or her abilities. Conferencing with fellow students gives the               budding writer the opportunity to share ideas, brainstorm, and                  rework his or her project. REFERENCESCorona, Cathy;                       Spangenberger, Sandra, & Venet, Iris (1998). Improving Student                  Writing through a Language Rich Environment. M.A. Action Research               Project, St. Xavier University and IRI/Skylight, 61 pages. 
Ediger,            Marlow. (1999). "Reading and Vocabulary Development." "Journal of               Instructional Psychology", 26(1), 7-15. 
Laflamme, John                        G. (1997). "The Effect of Multiple Exposure Vocabulary Method and               the Target Reading/Writing Strategy on Test Scores." "Journal of                Adolescent & Adult Literacy", 40(5), 372-384. 
Manning,                        Maryann. (1999). "Helping Words Grow." "Teaching PreK-8", 29(4),                103-105. 
Mayher, J.S., & Brause, R.S. (1986). "Learning through               Teaching: Is Testing Crippling Integrated Language                              Education?" "Language Arts", 63(4), 390-96. 
Sloane,                           Megan. (1996). "Encouraging Young Students to Use Interesting Words             in Their Writing." "The Reading Teacher", 50(3),                                268-69. 
Digest #157 is EDO-CS-00-08 and was published in November             2000 by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English and                          Communication, 2805 E 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47408-2698,                  Telephone (812) 855-5847 or (800) 759-4723. ERIC Digests are in the             public domain and may be freely reproduced. Additional copies may be            ordered by contacting the ERIC Document Reproduction Service                    at (800) 443-3742. 
This project has been funded at least in part              with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education under                  contract number ED-99-CO-0028. The content of this publication does             not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department            of Education nor does mention of trade names, commercial products,              or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.                   **Title:** Vocabulary's Influence on Successful Writing. ERIC Digest D157.              **Document Type:** Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs) (071); Information Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073); **Available From:** ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication, Indiana              University, 2805 E. 10th Street, Suite 140, Bloomington, IN                     47408-2698. Tel: 800-759-4723 (Toll Free); Web site:                            http://eric.indiana.edu.                                                     **Descriptors:** Class Activities, Elementary Secondary Education,  Vocabulary                   Development,  Writing Improvement,  Writing Instruction, Writing                Skills                                                                       **Identifiers:** ERIC Digests                                                                 
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