Diaphragming Sentences: A Case for Word Control
Janet Allen · 2023
The strategies shared here are consistent with research on how we learn new words, connect them to our existing knowledge, and retrieve them when we want to use them in reading, writing, and speaking. In the area of vocabulary, however, they drew blanks. Most teachers therefore continue their traditional practices. The connection between reading comprehension and word knowledge has been clear for many years. The relationship between word knowledge and comprehension is unequivocal.” Recent research showing the connection between word knowledge, concept development, and prior knowledge and the impact these have on reading comprehension indicates that some drastic changes in our teaching methods are warranted. Given the time teachers spend asking students to find and give back definitions in the hope that it will improve reading comprehension, it is especially important to highlight research on the connection between definitional information and comprehension.