Multi-Word Expressions Occur Infrequently in Picturebooks: Implications for Early Vocabulary Instruction

Alongside reading programs, picturebooks are often used for vocabulary development in early literacy instruction. Teachers typically select individual words to teach based on whether they facilitate comprehension, occur frequently across texts, and are more concrete than abstract (with more concrete vocabulary favored when building core vocabulary). However, research has seen a growing emphasis on multi-word expressions (MWEs) and their fundamental role in language development. Consequently, they have been increasingly emphasized in curricula. This study analyzed a dataset of picturebooks for multi-word verbs, idioms, phrases, fixed expressions, and noun compounds. It further computed how concrete MWEs were. The rationale was that if MWEs were frequent in this print environment, relatively concrete and transferable to children’s wider language needs, they would be similar in profile to (single) words recommended for instruction. This would support increased pedagogical attention alongside single words. Results indicate, however, that MWEs are infrequent and typically abstract in children’s picturebooks. This finding opens a discussion as to whether MWEs need systematic emphasis in early literacy and vocabulary instruction. Given limited instructional time and other priorities, this study concludes that focusing on single words without systematic incorporation of MWEs seems appropriate for early reading pedagogy.