Living By Learning About Vocabulary

Last night, long after she should have been asleep, I found my 11-year-old daughter sitting up in bed. I asked her why she couldn’t sleep, and found out that she was the victim of a vivid imagination. She couldn’t fall asleep because she was spinning stories in her head.

I love that she is so imaginative, but the daily shadows under her eyes suggested that she needed more sleep. I suggested a solution that has often worked for me – reading college textbooks. She tried to read the Columbia History of the World, and found it quite interesting despite not understanding most of the words. So interesting, in fact, that she decided this would be a good time to improve her vocabulary.

It was 11:00 PM, and I was faced with a dilemma. Do I seize this golden opportunity to promote vocabulary development, or do I insist that she has to go to sleep right now?

Perhaps a better mom than I would insist on sleep, but I remember well the many nights at her age when I stayed up until 1AM reading. So, I asked her if she wanted me to bring her one of the stack of vocabulary building books.

No, she had another suggestion. She wanted to read the encyclopedia. Okay. Well, we have the online Encarta (but I wasn’t going to let her get on the computer at that hour) or the Scholastic Children’s Encyclopedia.

I had already moved this book to her brother’s room thinking that she had outgrown this reference source, but she insisted that she would learn new vocabulary this way. And she was right.

As always, the best learning occurs when a person wants to tackle the subject. It also helps to have a variety of resources.

While building your vocabulary is an ongoing process that reflects your interests and experiences, the following list provides some entertaining ways to target your learning.

Vocabulary Building Resources

The best way to build a child’s vocabulary is to read aloud. Over the years we have covered a lot of books and words this way. Right now, I’m reading Little Women to my daughter and Arabian Nights to my son. Usually, I read one book to both kids. Last holiday season, the kids learned about the true meaning of Christmas – and picked up many, new vocabulary words – when I read The Christmas Carol.

Vocabulary Building Books:

• Painless Vocabulary – My daughter likes this book as the lessons are quick and entertaining.
• No Fear Vocabulary: Just The Basics – This book features “zany stories” to keep you interested, but I think these appeal to teens, not tweens.
• No Boring Practice, Please! Grades 4-6 – The words aren’t too challenging; but the exercises are fun.
• Building Your Vocabulary And Making It Great! – This is a good resource for an educator, but isn’t likely to appeal to a student. It includes word lists, roots, prefixes, and vocabulary games.
• Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop – These leveled vocabulary books are accompanied by an Online Audio Program that allows students to hear the pronunciations.

Online Vocabulary Resources:

• Vocabulary Workshop – Leveled word lists, audio pronunciation guides, and games.
• Vocabulary University – Thematic word lists, book word lists, games and puzzles.
• The Word Detective – This is an interesting blog on word histories.
• One Look Dictionary – Compare word definitions in a browser of over 100 dictionaries.
• Vocabulary Coach – Word lists and games.
• SAT Institute - Daily word lists and SAT advice.
• Free Rice – An addictive word challenge where each time you get the correct answer, 20 grains of rice are donated to fight world hunger. Read about this online game at How to Build Your Vocabulary – And Feed The World.

Do you have other suggestions for building vocabulary? Please post your suggestion with the comments link below.

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