Ep #7 Vocabulary Development
Show Notes
Did you know that English has well over a half a million words? Let that number sink in for a minute. This is far more than French which has fewer than 100,000 or even German which has around 185,000. Half a million words! That’s a lot of vocabulary.
Obviously, you can’t expect your child to learn all the words; even 100,000 would be way too many. But you do want your kids to have good vocabularies, the kind that helps them read with comprehension, write with confidence, and converse with intelligence. The problem is that vocabulary programs often fall short with their canned approach of word lists, exercises, and tests. While they offer a good launching point, what students really need is more interactive engagement to help them cultivate a fascination with words.
But interactive engagement takes time, you say. And you are right, but probably not as much time as you think. In this episode, you’ll find strategies that take no more than 10 minutes. Now I know you can find 10 minutes in your schedule for something as important as vocabulary development.
In this episode you will learn
· why the same level workbook can work for students of different ages
· why you may need to change your pace and adjust your goals
· how to use a “canned” workbook to spark engagement
· zero prep games that make vocabulary fun (and memorable)
If you are ready for an easy way to spice up your vocabulary instruction, then you’ve come to the right place.
Links mentioned
Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction by Isabel Beck, Margaret G. McKeown, and Linda Kucan
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/129578.Bringing_Words_to_Life?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_22
Academic Vocabulary in Middle and High School: Effective Practices across the Disciplines by Donna Ogle, Camille Blachowicz, Peter Fisher, and Laura Lang
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25073660-academic-vocabulary-in-middle-and-high-school?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_34
Ep #7 Vocabulary Development
Show Notes
Did you know that English has well over a half a million words? Let that number sink in for a minute. This is far more than French which has fewer than 100,000 or even German which has around 185,000. Half a million words! That’s a lot of vocabulary.
Obviously, you can’t expect your child to learn all the words; even 100,000 would be way too many. But you do want your kids to have good vocabularies, the kind that helps them read with comprehension, write with confidence, and converse with intelligence. The problem is that vocabulary programs often fall short with their canned approach of word lists, exercises, and tests. While they offer a good launching point, what students really need is more interactive engagement to help them cultivate a fascination with words.
But interactive engagement takes time, you say. And you are right, but probably not as much time as you think. In this episode, you’ll find strategies that take no more than 10 minutes. Now I know you can find 10 minutes in your schedule for something as important as vocabulary development.
In this episode you will learn
· why the same level workbook can work for students of different ages
· why you may need to change your pace and adjust your goals
· how to use a “canned” workbook to spark engagement
· zero prep games that make vocabulary fun (and memorable)
If you are ready for an easy way to spice up your vocabulary instruction, then you’ve come to the right place.
Links mentioned
Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction by Isabel Beck, Margaret G. McKeown, and Linda Kucan
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/129578.Bringing_Words_to_Life?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_22
Academic Vocabulary in Middle and High School: Effective Practices across the Disciplines by Donna Ogle, Camille Blachowicz, Peter Fisher, and Laura Lang
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25073660-academic-vocabulary-in-middle-and-high-school?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_34