Research confirms the clear connection between having a strong vocabulary and being a skilled reader.

Building vocabulary is one of the five components of the DOE’s new citywide reading programs steeped in the science of reading. And for English language learners in particular, acquiring new words is inextricably tied to their ability to construct meaning from what they read.

Helping students expand their vocabulary is crucial. But experts say merely looking up what a word means in a dictionary is not enough. When we learn a new word, we have to see it used in context, use the word ourselves and have repeated exposure to the word to really grasp and remember its meaning.

Technology tools can offer powerful support for vocabulary development by providing multiple methods to encounter, practice and learn new words.

Digital word walls: Many of us have physical word walls displayed in our classrooms, but those lists remain in school. Creating a digital word wall lets students use the word wall anywhere, anytime. These digital word walls can also include context examples, images, synonyms, translations, pronunciations and more. Students can even collaborate online to build digital word walls. Padlet, Google Slides or Canva would all be well-suited to this task.

Visuals and videos: Images aid comprehension, especially for younger students, English language learners and students with disabilities. Two visual online dictionaries are Opdome for simpler words and Visual Vocabulary by Pathway to English for higher-level concepts.

Vidtionary and Movieclips, a YouTube playlist that houses short film excerpts organized by theme, are both strong collections that help students understand complex words and ideas. Always preview clips to ensure content is appropriate for your classroom.

Practice sets: Quizlet is an excellent vocabulary tool, but it recently instituted costly fees that led many educators to abandon it. Two alternatives with free services are Knowt and Vocabulary.com.

Knowt lets you create your own vocabulary list or select from its word sets on a wide variety of subjects. Students can study with flashcards, take practice quizzes or build a study plan. There’s even free prep for SAT, ACT and AP exams. Vocabulary.com has both custom and pre-existing lists. Or you can try its “InstaList” tool: It will automatically create vocabulary words from any text you input. Lists include definitions, usage examples, spoken word and flashcards with pronunciations.

Context connections: Online thesauruses display synonyms, but Visuwords goes further by demonstrating how words are connected. Looking up a word generates a web made up of synonyms, similar words and related ideas and concepts.

Just for fun: Freerice is a vocabulary game sponsored by the United Nations World Food Programme. The vocabulary words the game generates are random, though you can choose among categories or difficulty levels. You can also create student teams. Playing results in food donations measured in grains of rice, which students also find motivating.