404 KEY WORDS for the foundations of writing

Oxford Wordlist Plus is Stage 2 of an extensive research study conducted in Australian schools in 2009. It is a list of the top 404 words most commonly used in Year 3 and 4 students’ writing, providing educators with a very contemporary snapshot of students’ diverse worlds and interests. Stage 1 of this research study (2007) produced the Oxford Wordlist, which features 307 of the most frequently used words in the writing of students in the first three years of school. Both lists are freely available to all educators for use in their classrooms.

Direct implications of the research for educators include the Oxford Wordlist Interactive Tool.The Oxford Wordlist interactive tool draws on the database of words collected in both stages of the study, from the first year of school through to Year 4. By examining word use according to a range of demographic profiles and tailoring lists accordingly, educators will be able to prepare their students for more independent control of the writing process and further develop automaticity. Further advice on how educators can best support their students to produce more thoughtful and competent writing can be gained by reading the Stage 2, Summary Report written by leading education expert, Anne Bayetto.