Building Better Vocabularies Through STEM Education

Helping to develop a child’s literacy skills is one of the most important things parents and educators can do to prepare them for a successful future. So crucial is the ability to read at an early age, that according to research from The Annie E. Casey Foundation, students who are not proficient readers by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school than proficient readers.

Typically, third grade represents the final year students spend time in class learning how to read. From fourth grade on, the expectation is that students should begin reading to learn. If a student is not a proficient reader by this time, as much as half of what they’re learning could be incomprehensible.

One helpful way to grow a student’s reading comprehension is to enroll them in a STEM program that not only teaches them how to innovate, but also introduces new vocabulary and places these words in a recognizable context.

The Value of Context

In a quality STEM program, each day students participate in hands-on activities as a way to conceptualize technical concepts. Often in these environments, students are introduced to words they have never heard before. This experience not only expands vocabularies, but because students are interacting with these new terms (building a strong “foundation” out of popsicle sticks for example), this increases the likelihood that they will understand what these new words mean. The hands-on challenges, especially in our flagship summer experience, Camp Invention® support not only comprehension but greater retention of new terminology.

The Power of Description

One of a scientist’s most important jobs is to describe the results of their experiments. Because accuracy is essential, these researchers must use descriptive and detailed language. For example, if two chemicals are mixed together, and the result produces the strong smell of rotten eggs, it would be much less helpful for a scientist to describe the smell as “bad.” More detail provides scientists with a more accurate depiction of what they’re observing and allows them to act accordingly. In STEM programs, students are encouraged to use this same amount of detail in their descriptions and are therefore able to expand their vocabulary. By using guiding questions provided throughout all of National Inventors Hall of Fame® (NIHF) education programming, our participants are always encouraged to express themselves verbally and are given the opportunity to practice communicating their ideas.

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The National Inventors Hall of Fame® is committed to inspiring the next generation of innovators. Learn more about all of our education programs by visiting our website.