Narrow vocabulary 'hits pupils' grades'

[Photo: from VCG]

Many teachers blame the problem on youngsters not reading enough for pleasure.

Monosyllabic adolescents may be nothing new, but the latest research suggests a big chunk of them do not know enough words to do well at school.

According to academics, four out of 10 pupils in their first year of secondary school have such a limited vocabulary that it is affecting their learning. Many teachers from the 800 secondaries involved in the Oxford University Press research say the problem is worsening.

They blame the "word gap" on too little reading for pleasure. Studies suggest breadth of vocabulary is strongly influenced by the number of words a child comes into contact with on a daily basis. This includes conversations with parents, siblings and friends, as well as what they read.

The report, focusing on schools in England, says the number of pupils with limited vocabulary remains "stubbornly high" across all age groups, despite a range of programmes addressing literacy.  

[The audio clip is from Studio+, produced by CRI] 

(Source: BBC)