Alvarado, Myra
July 20, 2013
Article Critic
Dr. Romelia Hurtado De Vivas
Diane, A. Carlo, M., Dressler, C., & Snow, C. (2005). The Critical Role of Vocabulary Development for English Language Learners. LEARNING DISABILITIES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, 1-8.

This article was written to study the impact of vocabulary on ELL students in the classroom and the importance of it. In recent years, there has been numerous studies on ELL students and the impact on their learning when vocabulary has been a main focus in the curriculum. Testing our students and finding out where they need to be and where they are in literacy is crucial in building a core curriculum that revolves around vocabulary and each individual student. Building vocabulary with our ELL students is critical as they learn a new language, because it will make transfering what they already know easier. Not only do they need to learn new vocabulary but also they need to gain the meaning of the vocabulary, the semantacs of the word, and the several word uses. In order for a student to actually “know” a word they need to learn all of the mechanics and usages of the word and be able to identify it not only in reading, writing, but also when they speak. To be able to do this ELLs need to be taught strategies on how to use decoding, context clues, and cognates that will help them infer the meaning. Second-language acquisition research has identified transferas an important process involved in the acquisition of a second language. Transfer is defined as “the influence resulting from similarities and differences between the target language and any other language that has been previously (and perhaps imperfectly) acquired” (Odlin, 1989, p. 27). Cognates are words that sound, are spelled, and have a similar meaning in both languages, for example television and televisión. Cognates is the first strategy that should be taught to ELL students to help them transfer what they already know in their own language to the second-language they are learning. This will make it easier to aquire new vocabulary and understanding of the word. There is aproximately 10,000 to 15,000 cognates, about a third of all vocabulary, that an educated person knows (Nash 1997). This research shows that teaching cognates to our ELL students is crucial in order to form a base in teaching a second-language. It will benefit the student when reading and comprehending, because many of the words they may read are cognates and will facilitate the transfer of information in both languages.
Learning strategies to teach ELL students how to aquire new vocabulary is essential to be an efficient teacher. Teaching vocabulary to the students so that they fully understand the word in depth is critical so that they can master the word and be able to use it. Also, as a teacher we need to gain knowledge on different learning styles and techniques so that we can fully hit all of our students and reteach the same strategy in different ways so that all children have the opportunity to learn. Vocabulary is a huge part of literacy and needs to be taught so that our children will become better readers. In order to learn in all subject areas the students need to learn how to read. To improve reading we need to increase our vocabulary no matter if you are a student who is English speaking only or an ELL. Learning how to teach new strategies to our students will make learning a new language easier and will ensure the success of each student. I will take this strategies with me as I encounter ELL students in my classroom an make sure to teach and reteach the vocabulary in depth. I will be using the countless strategies I learned to teach the words is depth and use them in many activities so that the new vocabulary is learned in many ways. Creating prior knowledge will facilitate the student’s learning and will encourage for more retention. Using technology to reinforce the vocabulary is also a great way to enhance the learning experience. Making sure to teach my ELL students the basic vocabulary and cognates before moving on is critical when transfering information from one language to another. That is one of the most important strategies that I learned on the importance of vocabulary in the classroom.