Richer Words, Stronger Communication
Pupils moved beyond “nice”, “big” and “good” to descriptive vocabulary in both speaking and writing.
Context
A Year 1 English focus on lifting everyday spoken and written vocabulary right across the class.
Challenge
Children leaned on repetitive words such as “nice”, “big” and “good” in both speaking and writing, which capped the quality of their ideas.
Evidence & Diagnosis
The pattern was clear in writing books and in everyday oral discussion, where the same handful of words appeared again and again.
Approach
I introduced ambitious vocabulary as a Word of the Day, built vocabulary walls, and prompted children to swap simple words for richer alternatives in the moment.
Impact
By the end of the year, children reached for descriptive vocabulary independently in both speaking and writing, producing richer sentences and stronger writing overall.
Reflection
Vocabulary stuck when it lived on the wall and in daily talk, not just in a lesson slot. I would keep the Word of the Day but tie each word to a story we were reading, so pupils met it in context before they were asked to use it.
