Vocabulary Strategies for Efficient Reading in Nigeria

While it is true that reading occupies a very prominent place in the life of the individual, it is also true that the size of a reader's vocabulary has the capacity to influence both comprehension and fluency during reading activity. The importance of vocabulary acquisition and instruction is, therefore, the burden of this paper. The paper discusses vocabulary strategies and techniques that can enhance the reader's understanding of new words and concepts. Among other techniques, the paper dwells on affixation, conversion and compounding.Most importantly, three central strategies for teaching vocabulary instruction have been identified and discussed exhaustively namely: the need for the teacher to teach the words that already exist in the learner's oral vocabulary, the need to teach words that are not in the learner's oral vocabulary but for which the learner has an available concept and, thirdly, the need to teach words that are alien or new and for which the learner has no available concept or prior experience. The conclusion is that it is necessary to introduce vocabulary development at the very beginning of the instructional unit or lesson and this task can be accomplished by providing language rich activities that teach new words in meaningful contexts.