Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Vocabulary Building: The Ultimate Skill & The Key to Vocabulary Success

In Prior Knowledge: The Missing Pieces to the Big Picture, I mentioned that math fact memorization is essential to math because it creates reference points for higher math learning later on.  The same is true for vocabulary building, except that it encompasses all manner of subjects.  

 That's why maintaining a well-funded vocabulary bank is a fundamental literacy skill. 

A Wealth of Knowledge

Think of vocabulary building as maintaining a line of credit:

You have been awarded with an unlimited amount of words to spend, and you pay back what you have used by depositing new words into the account.

The Key to Vocabulary Success

Learn new words however you learn them best, but the only way your deposit will be credited to your account is through using those words:  
  • Incorporate new words into daily conversations.  It's ok if the word sounds forced at first.  In fact, this is ideal.  It shows you are practicing.

  • Use the new words in some form of writing.  Think of writing new information down as engraving it on the brain.

  • Play games that you can insert the word into (Scrabble, Pictionary, Bingo, etc.)

Class Discussion

We learn new languages by building vocabulary like you would teach your native language to a child learning to speak.  

Which foreign languages are you learning?


Happy Homeschooling!
Mrs. Redd







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