Monday 11 April 2011

Vocabulary Trick

We found a great trick for improving vocab. DD8 is an avid reader and reads texts above her age - which means she sometimes stumbles across words she doesn't know the meaning of.
Cue her new 'word book' - in an effort to appear less like a vocab lesson and more like something fun, I purchased a small pink (her favourite) polka dot notebook and made a big show of wrapping it up and giving to her at the weekend (outside of school time). It contained a little note telling her that when she came across a word she didn't know the meaning of she was to write it down and we could discuss it.
Over the weekend she found four new words and dutifully popped a word per page in her little book, bought them to me and discussed them (as instructed)

Today she found her little pink book in one of her workboxes along with DH's very large dictionary (I'm still surprised it fitted in the drawer). Although she knew vaguely what the new words meant she had to look each up in the dictionary and write the correct meaning in her little book.
I know this went down well as:
  1. She carries it everywhere with her.
  2. I now have two more children clamouring for their own 'word books', one of whom doesn't even read yet : )

8 comments:

mryjhnsn said...

What a brilliant idea! Kudos! I'm really enjoying your blog and thank you for joining the Tailspin Hop

Unknown said...

This is a great idea! We just started doing a vocabulary word of the week. We talk about it at dinner and the kids take turns trying to use it in a sentence :)

Unknown said...

I had heard of a special notebook for "demon" spelling words, but I wasn't sure about it working for my son. This is a much better idea, and will be much easier to use.

Your blog was featured as A Shining Blog. Here is the link: http://lynishiskid.blogspot.com/2011/04/shining-blog_11.html

Mary said...

What a genius idea!!

The Adventurer said...

May have to give this a try with my 9 yr old. haven't heard of it before.

Amy said...

What a wonderful idea...we are just embarking on the reading journey. Can't wait to use this for my new reader!

Christie said...

we do something similar, but this seems more fun! I think I will have to incorporate it as well! Thanks!!
Christie

Cindy said...

Great idea!

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