Growing Words: An Integrated Framework for Building Vocabulary Knowledge in the Early Grades

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:45 pm - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Literacy Development and Achievement across the Lifespan

Abstract

This paper proposes an integrated framework for vocabulary instruction that draws from Perfetti’s Lexical Quality Hypothesis (LQH) and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. Rather than treating vocabulary as isolated knowledge, the framework conceptualizes word learning as a multifaceted and recursive process shaped by internal lexical representations and varied instructional contexts. It identifies five interconnected components of vocabulary instruction: foundational word knowledge, semantic networks, inference strategies, context use, and cumulative exposure over time. Each component aligns with a distinct instructional focus, guiding educators in matching teaching practices to the cognitive, linguistic, and developmental demands of vocabulary learning. Designed for practical classroom application, this integrated framework provides a developmentally grounded roadmap for fostering deep, flexible, and enduring vocabulary knowledge across the early grades.

Authors

• Sen Wang, Boston University

• Elizabeth Burke Hadley, University of South Florida - Tampa