How Teachers Can Transform Vocabulary Learning
Revolutionary insights from literacy expert Dr Freddy Hiebert reveal why traditional methods aren't working—and what to do instead
Australian educators are discovering what Dr Freddy Hiebert has known for years: flashcards and word lists aren't just ineffective—they're actively hindering student progress. The literacy researcher and CEO of Text Project recently shared groundbreaking insights with Australian literacy consultants that could revolutionise how teachers approach vocabulary instruction across the country.
The Demise of Lists: Why Traditional Methods Fail
Dr Hiebert's message is uncompromising: "Lists and flashcards are not the way to address vocabulary." She describes attending professional development sessions where organisers inevitably ask, "Which list would you recommend?" Her response surprises many: "I don't. You didn't get it. Don't use lists."
This approach stems from decades of research showing that isolated word memorisation fails to build the deep, interconnected understanding students need. Instead of treating vocabulary as a collection of separate items to memorise, Hiebert advocates for understanding how language systems work—an approach that transforms struggling readers into confident word detectives.
The 2,500 Word Family Secret
At the heart of Hiebert's revolutionary approach lies a powerful statistic: approximately 95% of words in English texts come from just 2,500 morphological families. These aren't individual words but interconnected systems where understanding one member unlocks numerous related words.
Consider the family built around "help." Once students grasp this root, they can decode "helper," "helpful," "unhelpful," and "helpless" without memorising each separately. Rather than learning five distinct words, they've acquired a generative system that continues working throughout their reading lives.
"If you don't have capability with those most common words," Hiebert warns, "you're basically in serious trouble when it comes to accessing that extra vocabulary that makes texts meaningful." These word families form the foundation that enables students to tackle more sophisticated, rare vocabulary encountered in academic texts.
Understanding English: The Bratwurst in a Baguette
Hiebert uses a delightful culinary metaphor to explain English's complexity: imagine a German bratwurst in a French baguette with Greek yogurt sprinkled on top. "That's the story of English," she explains, highlighting how our language draws from multiple linguistic traditions.
This isn't merely interesting trivia—it's practical knowledge that helps students understand spelling patterns and vocabulary development. Anglo-Saxon roots create compound words like "cowboy" and "firehouse." French influences contribute academic phrases such as "water cycle." Greek elements provide consistent meaning patterns in words like "biography" and "geography."
When teachers share these insights, students develop systematic thinking that applies across their reading. They begin recognising that unusual spelling patterns like "que" endings come from French, while compound words often carry metaphorical meanings that can't be decoded literally.
Semantic Maps: The New Word Web
Instead of lists, Hiebert champions semantic maps—visual organisers that help students see how ideas connect. When exploring cats, for example, students might map how they move (leap, pounce, stalk), their colours (tabby, calico, ginger), and their features (paws, claws, whiskers).
"The research on helping people organise ideas around mapping is very compelling," Hiebert notes. "In an age when we have so much information, helping kids see how they can organise information is really important."
The power emerges when students build these maps themselves, adding vocabulary from different texts—from simple decodable books to rich literature. They discover how knowledge grows and connects across reading experiences, transforming vocabulary learning from passive memorisation to active construction.
Two Worlds of Words: Stories Versus Information
Hiebert's research reveals crucial differences between narrative and informational text vocabulary that should shape teaching approaches. In stories, authors use varied, sophisticated words to paint vivid pictures. Characters might "lumber" rather than simply "walk," or "eavesdrop" instead of "listen." Students often understand the basic concepts but encounter new words for familiar ideas.
Informational texts present different challenges. Vocabulary organises around specific concepts often learned primarily in school—photosynthesis, democracy, ecosystem. These concepts themselves may be new to students, requiring teachers to build background knowledge alongside word recognition.
Understanding this distinction helps teachers adjust their instruction. When reading stories, they can focus on word relationships and nuanced meanings. With informational texts, they need to build conceptual understanding that supports vocabulary development.
Technology as a Thinking Partner
Hiebert embraces artificial intelligence as a powerful vocabulary tool, using programs like Claude to create semantic maps and organise word relationships. Teachers might ask AI: "Which of these words are really important to generalise to other topics?" or "Can you put them into important categories?"
This approach transforms technology from a definition-lookup tool into a thinking partner that helps identify patterns and relationships. Students learn to ask sophisticated questions about vocabulary rather than simply seeking quick answers.
Building Word Consciousness in Australian Classrooms
The implications for Australian educators are profound. Rather than viewing unknown words as barriers, teachers can help students see them as treasures to collect during independent reading. Vocabulary instruction integrates seamlessly with reading and writing, as students experiment with word families across different contexts.
Hiebert reminds educators that children are naturally powerful learners who don't need explicit instruction for every pattern. "Human beings are smart, kids are brilliant," she emphasises. Students need opportunities to notice patterns and make generalisations through extensive reading of thoughtfully selected texts.
This research-backed approach offers Australian schools a compelling alternative to worksheet-heavy programs, honouring both English's complexity and students' intelligence while transforming vocabulary learning from memorisation into joyful investigation.
Listen to Podcast 1 here.
Listen to Podcast 2 here.
Dr. Elfrieda "Freddy" H. Hiebert is a distinguished literacy researcher and educator, currently serving as the President and CEO of TextProject, Inc., a nonprofit organisation she founded in 2010. TextProject is dedicated to advancing literacy among beginning and struggling readers by providing open-access resources and research-based strategies, particularly focusing on vocabulary development and text complexity. readingsimplified.com+13readinghalloffame.org+13home.edweb.net+13textproject.org+3en.wikipedia.org+3readinghalloffame.org+3
In addition to her role at TextProject, Dr. Hiebert is a Research Associate at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she continues her work in literacy education. tcpress.com+2teacher.scholastic.com+2independent.academia.edu+2
Dr. Hiebert's extensive career includes positions as a teacher educator and researcher at several universities, including the University of Kentucky, University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Michigan, and University of California-Berkeley. Her research primarily focuses on early reading acquisition, vocabulary development, and the use of appropriate texts to support literacy. readinghalloffame.org+2textproject.org+2textproject.org+2readinghalloffame.org+1home.edweb.net+1
Recently, Dr. Hiebert has been exploring the integration of artificial intelligence in vocabulary instruction. She has presented webinars and authored articles on how AI can assist in selecting high-utility vocabulary words, organising words for deeper understanding, and creating customized practice materials for students. home.edweb.net+7weareteachers.com+7opentools.ai+7opentools.ai+1weareteachers.com+1
Dr. Hiebert's contributions to literacy education have been recognised with several awards, including the William S. Gray Citation of Merit from the International Reading Association and induction into the Reading Hall of Fame. readinghalloffame.org+2home.edweb.net+2en.wikipedia.org+2
For more information on Dr. Hiebert's work and resources, you can visit TextProject.org.