For the Practitioner

Abstract

In recent studies of children's language development, Evanechko and Maguire (1972) explored the dimensions of children's word knowledge based on categories developed by Osgood (1953). The present author suggests that these categories of meaning could be used as a basis for developmental vocabulary lessons which go beyond merely attaching a synonym to a new word, but rather would give students practice in using words in context and provide ways for students to see relationships between words. Modified descriptions of twenty of these categories are presented and suggestions are offered for the application of these meaning categories in the teaching of vocabulary at different age levels and in many subject areas.