Model it!

We have two children- an 8 year old daughter and a 6 year old son with autism.  We do not ever simplify of 'dumb-down' our language when talking with our daughter.  I do try to simply and shorten my sentences and demands with my son, "takes shoes to room- shoes, room," because he has autism and language is difficult for him.  With our daughter, however, we always use higher vocabulary words in our conversations and talk about the meaning as we go.  I think teachers are often guilty of 'dumbing down' language and removing the sophistication, then are perplexed by the lack of knowledge in this area.   We must constantly talk to our students and model using vocabulary.  This could be a campus-wide initiative so that we can combine ideas and create a word bank of those ideas to use.  This website discusses how a kindergarten teacher changed the names of the class jobs to be more sophisticated, proper names and the students learned those words because there was meaning connected and everyday use.  It also gives examples from upper grades.  If we just change the vocabulary of the teacher and start using these vocabulary words then students will hear them daily and see visual representation and the words begin to stick.  For instance, use the word adjacent instead of beside.

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/vocabulary-rich-classroom-modeling-sophisticated-word-use-promote-word-consciousness-and

The goal is for students to be word consciousness and when teachers model this adept diction, students begin to foster it for themselves.  It has to be more than just an activity here or there, teachers have to be picky about the activity by making sure it connects experiences and prior knowledge.


Reference:
The Vocabulary-Rich Classroom: Modeling Sophisticated Word Use to Promote Word Consciousness and Vocabulary Growth. (2016). Reading Rockets. Retrieved 8 August 2016, from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/vocabulary-rich-classroom-modeling-sophisticated-word-use-promote-word-consciousness-and