What needs daily work but is never complete? Your child’s vocabulary.
Here are three ways to help her learn new words every day:
Here are three ways to help her learn new words every day:
- While your middle grader is reading, have her look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary. Then, she can draw a simple picture to help her remember the meaning. Example: “Equilibrium” (balance) could be a child sitting in the middle of a balance beam
- Make the daily crossword puzzle a family activity. Or try guessing definitions at Fake Out (www.eduplace.com/fakeout) or playing word puzzles at Vocabulary University (www.vocabulary.com/VUlevel2S140.html). These are fun ways to build your youngster’s personal word bank.
- Leave word books, such as Word Smart, in the family room. In the evening, flip open the book and ask a question, such as “Who knows what ‘caustic’ means?” Have your middle grader challenge you next. Your enthusiasm will be contagious.
Source: Middle Years November 2007. Reprinted with permission from Resources for Educators, a division of Aspen Publishers, Inc.