Page 29 - The East Sussex Way

Section Three: Vocabulary at the Point of Transition

The importance of a broad and robust vocabulary cannot be
overstated. If we empower pupils with vocabulary, we give them the
means to live an ambitious and successful life, both academically
and socially. An articulate pupil is one with the potential to become
a powerful, resilient and well-rounded member of society.

The ‘vocabulary leap’ between Year 6 and 7 needs to be carefully
planned for to ensure pupils have the best chances of success across

all curriculum areas. Research clearly identiÞ es a gap in language
– ‘the word gap’ – which appears in primary and builds over time.
Pupils who do not achieve age-related expectations at the end of
key stage 2 are likely to be most at risk of falling further behind.

The Oxford Language Report (2020) carried out extensive research,
including 3,500 surveys, Þ nding that 87% of teachers agreed that
increasing academic requirements at the point of transition are a key
challenge, and school closures due to Covid-19 have only widened
the word gap (OUP, 2020). Unless addressed, the vocabulary
problem will impact pupils’ enjoyment of school, their academic

outcomes, their self-esteem and their personal relationships. With
language underpinning so many variables in a child’s life, it is
imperative that we challenge this situation and provide opportunities
for pupils to develop a commanding vocabulary which masters both
breadth and depth (Lemov, Driggs, & Woolway, 2016).

There is a strong correlation between language acquisition and
academic success across the curriculum. Vocabulary is fundamental,
not just for speaking and communicating, but for reading and

comprehending. Pupils need to develop a rich vocabulary which
continually grows through their language and literacy experiences
and will support them in oracy and when comprehending and
constructing increasingly challenging texts.

Stronger links between primary and secondary schools will streamline
the vocabulary journey; curriculum connections and consistent
language across the key stages will smooth transition. Multiple
encounters of words in different contexts will embed key vocabulary.
Pupils will be more likely to use language for their own purposes, both
in written and oral forms.

It is not enough for pupils to know a word: to truly understand the
meaning of a word, and own it, ‘is to know not just its deÞ nition, but
its different forms, its multiple meaning, its connotations and the
situation in which it is normally applied’ (Lemov, Driggs, & Woolway, 24