The Effectiveness of Word Power
Communicating with others is an essential tool for anyone who is trying to gain understanding and form relationships with others. Whether children or youth are working towards understanding more of the English language, or are developing skills to expand their vocabulary, it is the concept of building new levels of communication through reading and writing that becomes essential. One level needed for communication is using word power to help with different types of communication. However, to do this effectively, children need to begin building a different type of vocabulary.
It is found that word power allows children and adults to communicate more effectively within their career and personal relationships. This also allows for accurate and fluent communication to be used. The more vocabulary a child has, the more likely they will be able to express themselves and ensure they are sending out the right message. To do this, children need to build vocabulary and word power concepts through continuous development. Understanding different grammar meanings, combined with having the capacity to be fluent in the different grammatical aspects is the first step to getting children to communicate effectively and with expression[1].
In order for this to be taught correctly, the concept of vocabulary has to develop and move past boundaries of what a child or youth believes their limitations are. One way in this can happen is the interaction that occurs among children and youth. Specifically, children are able to become cognizant of specific words from parents, friends and teachers. However, it has been noted that this limits the expansion of vocabulary, as it does not invite alternative words that may be used outside the conversations with children.
To have complete word power development among children and youth, ‘hybrid’ concepts need to be introduced into learning vocabulary. Adding in word learning options, as well as providing an understanding of how words and vocabulary fit together at a new level, allows children to expand their vocabulary and grammar. By combining cognitive factors into this, children are able to make dramatic improvements with their communication levels, combined with better understanding of the English language[2].
Anyone who knows children or youth who want to improve their vocabulary abilities, can begin with understanding the concept of providing new recognition and cognitive processes for learning. The result is the ability to have a sense of word power, where a combination of grammatical concepts and conscious choices of words can be used for powerful communication.
[1] Rudzka – Ostyn, Brygida. (2003). Word Power: Phrasal Verbs and Compounds; A Cognitive Approach. Walter de Gruyter.
[2] Hollich, George, Kathy Pasek, Roberta Golinkoff. (2000). “Breaking the Language Barrier: An Emergent Coalition Model for the Origins of Word Learning.” Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development (262), (65), (3).
