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Research points to four practices that teachers can use to expand students' vocabularies and improve their reading. eaching vocabulary is not a hard sell. One of the longest, most clearly articulated lines of research in literacy education describes the strong connection between readers' vocabulary knowledge and their reading comprehension (National Reading Panel, 2000). Educators and parents also recognize the importance of vocabulary instruc-tion. Developing a strong vocabulary not only promotes reading comprehension but also enables us to actively participate in our society. People often consider a strong vocabulary the hallmark of an educated person. Pick up any in-flight magazinc and you will find articles and ads selling programs and books that promise to help you “increase your vocabulary" and “learn to speak like a CEO," reinforcing the importance of vocabulary in preparing students to enter the …