Creating a Culture of Language in the Classroom

Hi folks!

Thank you to those who have signed up to this newsletter; I hope it will prove insightful over the coming weeks.

We know that the first term is all about getting the ground running with your culture, and the same is true of the type of language you use in the classroom. Start as you mean to go on with Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary.

For those not aware:

· Tier 1: Everyday words. Useful for analogies and explanations, but should never be the final word.

· Tier 2: Academic vocabulary that is not subject-specific. You should strive to use these words, but it is not a hill to die on if synonymous Tier 1 vocabulary will achieve the same effect.

· Tier 3: Subject-specific vocabulary. This is the gold standard. Even if you help introduce it via Tier 1 and 2 words, you want your pupils to remember the Tier 3 version.

Exams will increasingly use Tier 3 vocab in questions, and not offer any alternative language (e.g. expressing as a product of prime factors). Why on earth would we teach to primarily learn phrasing that won’t be on the paper? If we believe that their long term memory is limited, don’t waste it with a redundant definition!

So, how can we set out our stall?

Firstly, make clear your intent to use complicated words. If your class is more academically-minded, be clear as to what the purpose is. We want to expand your vocabulary, keep that high standard, and de-clutter the learning process by getting straight to the meat of the matter. If you have a more anxious class who struggle in their literacy, then make it known that we will help as much as possible, but we’re always going to come back to those ‘fancy’ words (as I call them, feel free to have fun in naming them). Show them lots of examples, like factors and multiples questions, where it just says ‘do the thing’ with no follow-up, and so why actually learning the hard way is the easier method.

I would also consider some method of making these words stand out. This could range from highlighting these words in notes, earmarking important pages, using the inside cover as a glossary, or even getting one of the thin vocabulary books used in MFL classes to serve as their mathematical dictionary. Tell them the importance, and let them carry it all the way to Year 11!

Have any ideas of your own? Please feel free to suggest, through comments, replies, emails, or even social media to get the word out to more people! Any suggestions I find will get included in future posts.

Thanks all, see you next week!