The Art of Teaching Vocabulary: Explore to Deepen Understanding

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14 July, 2025 —

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The Art of Teaching Vocabulary: Explore to Deepen Understanding

The “Explore” phase of the SEEC model is all about deepening understanding and building a rich web of associations.

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by Shotton Hall Research School
on the 14th July 2025

Alicia McConway

Director of Shotton Hall Research School

Alicia McConway is Director of Shotton Hall Research School and Teaching and Learning Content Lead for the Research Schools Network. Her work is grounded in the belief that evidence-informed practice is the key to unlocking better outcomes for all learners, especially those facing disadvantage. As a linguist with a deep love of vocabulary, Alicia is particularly passionate about the role of language in learning and the power of explicit vocabulary instruction to close the gap and support pupils to think, speak, and write with confidence.

In our last blog, we looked at how to explain vocabulary with clarity and care. But understanding doesn’t stop there. To truly embed a word in long-term memory, pupils need to explore it – turn it over, connect it, and make it their own.

The “Explore” phase of the SEEC model is all about deepening understanding and building a rich web of associations. Here’s how we can do that in the classroom:

1. Explore etymology and morphology
Words have stories. Sharing the origin of a word can spark curiosity and help pupils make connections.

Example: Photograph comes from Greek photo (light) + graph (writing). “So a photograph is ‘light writing’ — that makes sense!”

Tip: Use morphology to build decoding skills. Break down words into prefixes, roots, and suffixes. Pupils begin to see patterns across the curriculum.

2. Build word families
Help pupils see how words are related. This builds schema and supports retention.

Word family for “construct”:

Construct, Construction, Reconstruct, Deconstruct, Constructive

Activity: Create a word web on the board. Ask pupils to add to it over time.

3. Consider synonyms and antonyms
This helps pupils refine their understanding and choose words with precision.

Example: Resilient – similar to tough, persistent, determined. Opposite of resilient? Maybe fragile, defeated, discouraged.

Tip: Ask pupils to rank synonyms by strength or formality. This builds nuance.

4. Explore cross-curricular use
Words often appear in multiple subjects – but with subtle shifts in meaning.

Word: Volume

- In maths: amount of 3D space
- In science: amount of liquid
- In music: how loud something is

5. Use multiple choice questions (MCQs)
Well-crafted MCQs can reveal understanding – and misunderstanding.

Example: Which sentence uses “resilient” correctly?

A) The resilient glass shattered easily.
B) She showed resilience by trying again after failing.
C) Resilient means tired and bored.
D) He was resilient because he gave up quickly.

Tip: Include common misconceptions as distractors. Discuss why they’re wrong.

6. Ask questions to check understanding
Go beyond “What does it mean?” Try:

- “Can you use it in a sentence about your weekend?”
- “How is this word different from ___?”
- “What would be the opposite of this word?”

Tip: Use cold calling or mini whiteboards to check the whole class.

7. Explore memory strategies
Help pupils remember the word with simple, sticky strategies.

Ideas:
- Link to a personal story
- Create a silly image or mnemonic
- Use the word in a chant or rhythm

Example: Benevolent → “Ben is a kind man” (Ben = benevolent)

8. Make It Memorable
The more memorable the moment, the more likely the word will stick.

Try:
- Acting it out / drawing it (where appropriate!)
- Using it in a class joke or story
- Most importantly – revisit the word frequently. Retrieval is key.

Exploring vocabulary isn’t just about knowing more words – it’s about thinking more deeply. When we explore words with our pupils, we’re helping them build a toolkit for understanding the world.

In our final blog in the series, we’ll look at how to consolidate vocabulary – ensuring pupils retain and confidently use the words they’ve learned through purposeful practice and praise.