What is Word Aware?

“Word aware” is a learning and teaching tool to support the development of children’s language and vocabulary.

How is “Word Aware” delivered in our centre:

We implement “Word Aware” once a week in the centre, where we explore, learn and practice using a new word or concept in a variety of fun and engaging experiences.

We have a visitor each week who tells us a story about our new word – He is called “Concept Cat”

We use repetition and offer different activities to deepen our understanding of the word or concept.

Below are some of our words of the week that we have been learning about through “Word Aware”

The word of the week is “new”

14th September 2021

Please see below, our Makaton champion Beth demonstrating how to sign the word of the week.

Concept Cat told us his story of his “new” shoes

We talked about and looked at photos of Concept Cat’s “new” shoes and “not new” shoes.
We then looked at some other items that were “new” and “not new“.

Home Link:

Can you find something that is new in your house?
- - a new toy
  - new shoes
  - new fruit in the fruit bowl
How do you know that it is new?
- - Is it clean and fresh?
  - Has it just been bought from a shop?
  - Was it just made?
I wonder if you can now find something that is “not new”.

We would love to see some photos of anything you have found in your home that is “new” or “not new”.

The word of the week is “friend”

7th September 2021

Here is concept cat with the Makaton symbol for “friend”.

Our makaton champion has demonstrated how to sign the word “friend”.

Home link –

Can you teach someone at home our word of the week? Why not sign it to them.
Try talking to your child about who their “friends” are at nursery.
What do you think makes a good “friend”?
We would love to see any drawings or hear any stories of what you and your “friends” like to do together.

Previous Words of the week

The word of the week is “same”

18.11.20

Definition: not different, but similar

I wonder what will happen in concept cats story about “same”?

What can you find in your house that is the same?

Can you hear anything that is the same?

What about your hands, are they the same? What about your family members hands, are they the same as yours? What else can you find?

Is there anything that is not the same?

11.11.20

The word of the week is “empty”

Definition – “Containing nothing”

I wonder if you can tell a family member or friend our word of the week?
Can you find something in your house that is empty? How do you know that it is empty?
Concept cat is telling us his story about empty today, I wonder what will happen?

Yesterday we re-introduced Word Aware in the centre.

05.11.20

Our word of the week this week is “Full”

Definition: containing as much or as many as possible

Our returning children were excited to see Concept Cat again and our children who have joined us this year were intrigued to meet him.
We had our story and took part in an activity to deepen our understanding of the word “Full“