Vocabulary Development Using Visual Displays

Kindergarten teachers use a variety of strategies that focus on vocabulary development. A common and effective practice to introduce new vocabulary to kindergarteners is reading storybooks to children, what is commonly known as "read-alouds" (Bus, van Ijzendoorn, & Pelligrini, 1995; Christ & Wang, 2010; Newton, Padak & Rasinski, 2008). Listening to books read out loud exposes children to a multitude of new words. Children's literature has a collective abundance of complex language and rare words (Wooten & Cullinan, 2009) equal to more than those encountered in an average adult conversation or on prime time television (Cunningham & Stanovich, 1998). Read-alouds introduce children to new words in meaningful contexts that make sense in their world. Not only do children's books contain advanced vocabulary, the illustrations give visual context clues that aid in understanding (Christ & Wang, 2010; The Urban Child Institute, 2010). This article discusses the use of graphic organizers after completing read-alouds in the kindergarten classroom, visualizing words, setting the stage prior to the read-aloud, building understanding during the read-aloud, and reinforcing new vocabulary after the read-aloud. It goes on to discuss how teachers can enhance exposure to words through books on tape, DVDs, stories recorded on iPods, literature websites, and applications for iPods, iPads and tablets. The article concludes with recommendations for teachers, children, and families on facilitating growth in vocabulary knowledge.