Hi all, thanks for dropping by. To make things easier, I've decided to merge some of my blogs, which, including this one, can now be found at ELT World. I've been getting off my backsides and writing recently, so come over to the new URL and leave lots of lovely comments.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Friday, August 8, 2008
Recent Articles on the ELT World Blog
Monday, August 4, 2008
Improving Your English by Knowing Greek Roots
Commentary from Celia Webb
Greek provides many important prefixes, suffixes, and roots used in the English language. To understand the full meaning of a word, it is essential to know the original meaning of the roots used to form the word. Not only will your comprehension of the word be more complete and accurate, you will understand many more words since roots and other word parts (i.e. affixes, prefixes, suffixes) occur in many English words. For example, Webster's Dictionary has seventy-seven listings starting with the Greek root -chrom-.
Root words are most often combined with other word parts to precisely describe a particular phenomena, action, or thing. Continuing with the root word -chrom- an example of this type of combining is chromolithography =chrom (color)+lithos (a stone)+graphien (to write) which is a method of producing color printed pictures using stone or zinc plates. Many roots are much more productive than -chrom- and certain prefixes (like un- meaning not, lack of, the opposite of as in undo) and suffixes (like -ology meaning a specified type of speaking as in eulogy or the science, doctrine, study of, or theory of as in geology) are in hundreds of words. You can greatly improve your command of English by familiarizing yourself with these word parts.
Your command of English spelling will also be strengthened by knowing the origins of a word. Knowing a word originated from Greek gives clues to some of the tricky spellings in English like the silent initial p- in pneumatic and psychopathic.
Here are frequently used Greek roots and their meanings with an example word. Improve your memory of these roots by copying them into a notebook. Write down the root, its definition, and several examples of its use. You can add examples by looking for more in your dictionary. Practice using the words in sentences when writing and speaking. Look for words with these roots in newspaper, magazine, or books you read and underline them. Create flashcards with the Greek root on one side of the card and the meaning or the reverse. The more often you use the word in some way, the better you will remember it.
-aero- (air) aerobics
-angio- (vessel) angioplasty
-anthrop- (human) anthropological
-astro- (constellation) astronomy
-centre- (center) central
-chrom/o- (color) chromatic
-chron- (time) chronograph
-dem- (people) democracy
-hydro- (water) hydroelectric
-kinesis- (movement) kinetic energy
-leuko- (white) leukemia
-litho- (stone) neolithic
-metre- (to measure) meter, geometry
-morph- (form) morphology
-naut- (sailor, ship) astronaut
-path- (feeling, suffering) pathetic
-ped/o- (child, children) pediatrics (do not confuse this Greek root with the Latin root pedi-meaning foot)
-phil/o-(having a strong affinity or love for) philosopher
-phon- (voice, sound) phonograph
-phos-,-photo- (light) phosphorus, photography
-pneu- (to breathe) pneumonia
-pseudo- (false) pseudography
-psych- (soul, mind) psychoanalyze
-tele- (distant) telephone
-therm- (hot) isotherm
Knowing Greek roots can help you discern the meaning of a word and expand your vocabulary exponentially. Study them carefully and your ability to understand precisely what you read and hear will improve.
About the Author
Celia Webb, President of Pilinut Press, Inc., publishers of advanced readers for children and ESL students. Check out http://www.pilinutpress.com for more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for the company's entertaining and educational books.
Greek provides many important prefixes, suffixes, and roots used in the English language. To understand the full meaning of a word, it is essential to know the original meaning of the roots used to form the word. Not only will your comprehension of the word be more complete and accurate, you will understand many more words since roots and other word parts (i.e. affixes, prefixes, suffixes) occur in many English words. For example, Webster's Dictionary has seventy-seven listings starting with the Greek root -chrom-.
Root words are most often combined with other word parts to precisely describe a particular phenomena, action, or thing. Continuing with the root word -chrom- an example of this type of combining is chromolithography =chrom (color)+lithos (a stone)+graphien (to write) which is a method of producing color printed pictures using stone or zinc plates. Many roots are much more productive than -chrom- and certain prefixes (like un- meaning not, lack of, the opposite of as in undo) and suffixes (like -ology meaning a specified type of speaking as in eulogy or the science, doctrine, study of, or theory of as in geology) are in hundreds of words. You can greatly improve your command of English by familiarizing yourself with these word parts.
Your command of English spelling will also be strengthened by knowing the origins of a word. Knowing a word originated from Greek gives clues to some of the tricky spellings in English like the silent initial p- in pneumatic and psychopathic.
Here are frequently used Greek roots and their meanings with an example word. Improve your memory of these roots by copying them into a notebook. Write down the root, its definition, and several examples of its use. You can add examples by looking for more in your dictionary. Practice using the words in sentences when writing and speaking. Look for words with these roots in newspaper, magazine, or books you read and underline them. Create flashcards with the Greek root on one side of the card and the meaning or the reverse. The more often you use the word in some way, the better you will remember it.
-aero- (air) aerobics
-angio- (vessel) angioplasty
-anthrop- (human) anthropological
-astro- (constellation) astronomy
-centre- (center) central
-chrom/o- (color) chromatic
-chron- (time) chronograph
-dem- (people) democracy
-hydro- (water) hydroelectric
-kinesis- (movement) kinetic energy
-leuko- (white) leukemia
-litho- (stone) neolithic
-metre- (to measure) meter, geometry
-morph- (form) morphology
-naut- (sailor, ship) astronaut
-path- (feeling, suffering) pathetic
-ped/o- (child, children) pediatrics (do not confuse this Greek root with the Latin root pedi-meaning foot)
-phil/o-(having a strong affinity or love for) philosopher
-phon- (voice, sound) phonograph
-phos-,-photo- (light) phosphorus, photography
-pneu- (to breathe) pneumonia
-pseudo- (false) pseudography
-psych- (soul, mind) psychoanalyze
-tele- (distant) telephone
-therm- (hot) isotherm
Knowing Greek roots can help you discern the meaning of a word and expand your vocabulary exponentially. Study them carefully and your ability to understand precisely what you read and hear will improve.
About the Author
Celia Webb, President of Pilinut Press, Inc., publishers of advanced readers for children and ESL students. Check out http://www.pilinutpress.com for more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for the company's entertaining and educational books.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Improving Vocabulary in Three Easy Steps
Advice on how to develop your vocabulary by Celia Webb
There are close to one million words in the English language. That's a lot of words! Too many words for even dictionaries to list (most dictionaries confine themselves to several hundred thousand words). However, the more words you know and use correctly, the higher your perceived education level. In fact, most college graduates do use a wider variety of words. Not only is a broad vocabulary impressive, understanding the definitions and nuances of words helps you understand better and communicate more effectively.
The English language is constantly changing. Words go out of fashion and slip from common usage. New words are always being added. Words get adopted from other languages or are developed to describe a new technology or phenomenon. Keep up with the changes and broaden your basis in the large body of words which continue in usage. You will certainly benefit from making a conscious effort to learn words which are new to you.
You can learn new words by sitting down with a dictionary and working through it from A to Z. You can also get word lists from vocabulary building books which are available at the library or bookstores. However, in both of these methods, you learn words from someone else's priority list. Instead, focus on the words you need to know. Use the steps outlined below to enrich your vocabulary with the words which will mean the most to you - those you encounter every day.
Jot down new words
For the next twenty-four hours, write down any words you read or hear which you do not know. Read the normal items you read like the newspaper, magazines, books, educational material, work material, and advertisements on TV. Any word you come across in your daily activities which you cannot precisely define, add to your list. Be honest with yourself. Most of us guess a word's meaning from the context in which we see or hear it used. If you could not explain the exact definition of the word to your best friend, add it to your list. Try to find at least twenty words. As you write the words down, leave several blank lines before you write the next word.
Look it up
You may have heard your mother say this to you when you asked her what a word meant. Well, it is not an original idea, but it does work. Look each word up in the dictionary. Write down the definition in your notebook. Look at the synonyms if there are any. Jot those down as well. If you want to be really thorough, annotate whether the word is a verb or a noun (it could even be both).
Be a writer
To firmly set the definitions of these new words in your mind, you now need to use them. Practice writing them so you get the spelling correct. Write at least ten sentences which include the word using the definition correctly. After you have written it until you can spell it and can use it in a sentence easily, you will feel much more confident using the word.
Make this process of learning new words a part of your regular routine. If you repeat this process once a week for a year, you will have 1,040 new words in your vocabulary. You can improve your vocabulary. Get started today!
About the Author
Celia Webb is an author, illustrator, and company executive. She and her husband, Mack H. Webb, Jr., founded Pilinut Press, Inc., publishing advanced readers for children and ESL students. Their website http://www.pilinutpress.com offers more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for their entertaining and educational books.
There are close to one million words in the English language. That's a lot of words! Too many words for even dictionaries to list (most dictionaries confine themselves to several hundred thousand words). However, the more words you know and use correctly, the higher your perceived education level. In fact, most college graduates do use a wider variety of words. Not only is a broad vocabulary impressive, understanding the definitions and nuances of words helps you understand better and communicate more effectively.
The English language is constantly changing. Words go out of fashion and slip from common usage. New words are always being added. Words get adopted from other languages or are developed to describe a new technology or phenomenon. Keep up with the changes and broaden your basis in the large body of words which continue in usage. You will certainly benefit from making a conscious effort to learn words which are new to you.
You can learn new words by sitting down with a dictionary and working through it from A to Z. You can also get word lists from vocabulary building books which are available at the library or bookstores. However, in both of these methods, you learn words from someone else's priority list. Instead, focus on the words you need to know. Use the steps outlined below to enrich your vocabulary with the words which will mean the most to you - those you encounter every day.
Jot down new words
For the next twenty-four hours, write down any words you read or hear which you do not know. Read the normal items you read like the newspaper, magazines, books, educational material, work material, and advertisements on TV. Any word you come across in your daily activities which you cannot precisely define, add to your list. Be honest with yourself. Most of us guess a word's meaning from the context in which we see or hear it used. If you could not explain the exact definition of the word to your best friend, add it to your list. Try to find at least twenty words. As you write the words down, leave several blank lines before you write the next word.
Look it up
You may have heard your mother say this to you when you asked her what a word meant. Well, it is not an original idea, but it does work. Look each word up in the dictionary. Write down the definition in your notebook. Look at the synonyms if there are any. Jot those down as well. If you want to be really thorough, annotate whether the word is a verb or a noun (it could even be both).
Be a writer
To firmly set the definitions of these new words in your mind, you now need to use them. Practice writing them so you get the spelling correct. Write at least ten sentences which include the word using the definition correctly. After you have written it until you can spell it and can use it in a sentence easily, you will feel much more confident using the word.
Make this process of learning new words a part of your regular routine. If you repeat this process once a week for a year, you will have 1,040 new words in your vocabulary. You can improve your vocabulary. Get started today!
About the Author
Celia Webb is an author, illustrator, and company executive. She and her husband, Mack H. Webb, Jr., founded Pilinut Press, Inc., publishing advanced readers for children and ESL students. Their website http://www.pilinutpress.com offers more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for their entertaining and educational books.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
How Long Does it Take to Learn a Language?
Nathalie Fairbanks discusses
This is the question I'm asked most often as a language teacher. Inevitably, it leaves me dumbfounded, yet my answer might determine whether someone will or won't embark on a language learning adventure. "How long will it take me to learn Spanish?" (You may substitute the language of your choice for Spanish) I wish there was a formula that I could use to give you a meaningful answer. Since there is no such formula, I can at least give you a list of the variables that would make it up.
1. What's your native language and which language do you want to learn?
If your native language is English and you want to learn Spanish, you will have an easier time than if you were learning Chinese. Spanish is relatively close to English, so you don't need to learn a new script, nor do you need to learn a whole new way of looking at the world. For a native Japanese speaker, on the other hand, it will be easier to learn Chinese than to learn Spanish, as he already knows some of the characters and is somewhat familiar with the culture.
2. How many languages have you learned, and which ones?
If you have been monolingual until now, learning a new language will require more of you than of someone who already knows one or two other languages. Multilinguals have already compartmentalized their brain to create a dedicated space for each language. Plus, they acquired the ability to think in different languages, which is essential for them to be operational in each language. It's an ability that has little to do with how many grammar rules you know and how many words you have learned - it's almost like a personality shift. There are techniques that will accelerate this process, but unfortunately, far too little time is spent on this in the traditional language classroom. Now, if you are learning Spanish and already know French or Italian, you have a better idea of how the language works than if you had previously learned Russian. You'll recognize some vocabulary, a few sentence structures and be familiar with some idioms, as Spanish, French and Italian are all romance languages.
3. How much time will you spend on your learning?
You realize that learning is ultimately your responsibility. There will obviously be a positive correlation between the time you invest in your learning and your progress. Just showing up for class, regardless of whether it's a group class or individual coaching, will not do the job. In my opinion, the teacher's function is to give you outstanding materials to work with, show you how the language works and give you opportunities to practice conversations with a native speaker. Apart from that, you're on your own!
4. Which learning strategies are you using?
This is a variable that does depend on your teacher. If you are learning with someone who only teaches you grammar rules and asks you to memorize pages of vocabulary, chances are it will take you FOREVER (if not longer!) to master the language. If your teacher knows smart and efficient learning strategies, you may be able to hold conversations in your new language within a few weeks. If you have a choice, find teachers who are learning a language themselves. They understand what it takes to reorganize a brain to be able to converse in a new language and they'll relate to your challenges as a student!
5. What level of proficiency are we talking about?
Do you want to travel to the country and be able to buy potatoes at the local market and ask where the bathroom is? Do you need to negotiate a business deal? Do you need to write a dissertation in your new language? These are widely differing skill levels, and reaching them will take more or less time. In short, there is no straightforward answer to how long it will take you to learn a language. A guideline that might be helpful comes from the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in Arlington, VA. This is the institution that trains American diplomats to learn languages for their foreign assignments. The FSI organizes languages into three categories, according to how difficult it is for a native English speaker to learn them. You need to know that most students at the FSI know one or more other languages, study in classes of six, have 25 hours of class a week and about three to four hours to study on their own every day. Here are the categories. (The timeframe listed is required to reach a Level 3, or General Professional Proficiency, in Speaking and Reading.) I. Languages closely related to English (Dutch, French, Spanish, etc.): 23-24 weeks (575-600 class hours) II. Languages with significant linguistic and/or cultural differences from English (Russian, Persian, Thai, etc.): 44 weeks (1100 class hours) III. Languages which are exceptionally difficult for native English speakers (Mandarin, Arabic, Japanese, etc.): 88 weeks (about half that time preferably spent studying in-country) German is listed under "Other Languages" and would take about 30 weeks. If you'd like to see how the language you're learning is categorized, click here <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Language_Learning_Difficulty_for_English_Speakers>;. Is the FSI methodology the most efficient around? After looking at one of their courses, I am not entirely convinced, but it is certainly one of the best and most comprehensive approaches--and it seems to work for the diplomats!
About the Author
Nathalie Fairbanks, President of SpeakEZ Languages, LLC, is the author of The Birkenbihl Approach: Brain-friendly, Accelerated Language Learning, SpeakEZ German I&II, and Spanish I. She publishes Language Learning Express, an e-zine for those who want to discover the secrets of efficient language learning. Get your FREE subscription and e-book "The 7 Language Learning Secrets Your Teachers Can't Share With You" now at www.SpeakEZLanguages.com
This is the question I'm asked most often as a language teacher. Inevitably, it leaves me dumbfounded, yet my answer might determine whether someone will or won't embark on a language learning adventure. "How long will it take me to learn Spanish?" (You may substitute the language of your choice for Spanish) I wish there was a formula that I could use to give you a meaningful answer. Since there is no such formula, I can at least give you a list of the variables that would make it up.
1. What's your native language and which language do you want to learn?
If your native language is English and you want to learn Spanish, you will have an easier time than if you were learning Chinese. Spanish is relatively close to English, so you don't need to learn a new script, nor do you need to learn a whole new way of looking at the world. For a native Japanese speaker, on the other hand, it will be easier to learn Chinese than to learn Spanish, as he already knows some of the characters and is somewhat familiar with the culture.
2. How many languages have you learned, and which ones?
If you have been monolingual until now, learning a new language will require more of you than of someone who already knows one or two other languages. Multilinguals have already compartmentalized their brain to create a dedicated space for each language. Plus, they acquired the ability to think in different languages, which is essential for them to be operational in each language. It's an ability that has little to do with how many grammar rules you know and how many words you have learned - it's almost like a personality shift. There are techniques that will accelerate this process, but unfortunately, far too little time is spent on this in the traditional language classroom. Now, if you are learning Spanish and already know French or Italian, you have a better idea of how the language works than if you had previously learned Russian. You'll recognize some vocabulary, a few sentence structures and be familiar with some idioms, as Spanish, French and Italian are all romance languages.
3. How much time will you spend on your learning?
You realize that learning is ultimately your responsibility. There will obviously be a positive correlation between the time you invest in your learning and your progress. Just showing up for class, regardless of whether it's a group class or individual coaching, will not do the job. In my opinion, the teacher's function is to give you outstanding materials to work with, show you how the language works and give you opportunities to practice conversations with a native speaker. Apart from that, you're on your own!
4. Which learning strategies are you using?
This is a variable that does depend on your teacher. If you are learning with someone who only teaches you grammar rules and asks you to memorize pages of vocabulary, chances are it will take you FOREVER (if not longer!) to master the language. If your teacher knows smart and efficient learning strategies, you may be able to hold conversations in your new language within a few weeks. If you have a choice, find teachers who are learning a language themselves. They understand what it takes to reorganize a brain to be able to converse in a new language and they'll relate to your challenges as a student!
5. What level of proficiency are we talking about?
Do you want to travel to the country and be able to buy potatoes at the local market and ask where the bathroom is? Do you need to negotiate a business deal? Do you need to write a dissertation in your new language? These are widely differing skill levels, and reaching them will take more or less time. In short, there is no straightforward answer to how long it will take you to learn a language. A guideline that might be helpful comes from the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in Arlington, VA. This is the institution that trains American diplomats to learn languages for their foreign assignments. The FSI organizes languages into three categories, according to how difficult it is for a native English speaker to learn them. You need to know that most students at the FSI know one or more other languages, study in classes of six, have 25 hours of class a week and about three to four hours to study on their own every day. Here are the categories. (The timeframe listed is required to reach a Level 3, or General Professional Proficiency, in Speaking and Reading.) I. Languages closely related to English (Dutch, French, Spanish, etc.): 23-24 weeks (575-600 class hours) II. Languages with significant linguistic and/or cultural differences from English (Russian, Persian, Thai, etc.): 44 weeks (1100 class hours) III. Languages which are exceptionally difficult for native English speakers (Mandarin, Arabic, Japanese, etc.): 88 weeks (about half that time preferably spent studying in-country) German is listed under "Other Languages" and would take about 30 weeks. If you'd like to see how the language you're learning is categorized, click here <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Language_Learning_Difficulty_for_English_Speakers>;. Is the FSI methodology the most efficient around? After looking at one of their courses, I am not entirely convinced, but it is certainly one of the best and most comprehensive approaches--and it seems to work for the diplomats!
About the Author
Nathalie Fairbanks, President of SpeakEZ Languages, LLC, is the author of The Birkenbihl Approach: Brain-friendly, Accelerated Language Learning, SpeakEZ German I&II, and Spanish I. She publishes Language Learning Express, an e-zine for those who want to discover the secrets of efficient language learning. Get your FREE subscription and e-book "The 7 Language Learning Secrets Your Teachers Can't Share With You" now at www.SpeakEZLanguages.com
Friday, July 4, 2008
Improve Your Vocabulary by Knowing These Latin Prefixes
Advice from Celia Webb
English contains many words adopted from other languages. In fact, experts estimate 80% of English words originated elsewhere. The biggest influence on English vocabulary is Latin. An examination of the 20,000 most used words reveals 5,000 words contain prefixes and over 80% of these use one of only fourteen of the many different prefixes available. By learning these important prefixes, you can improve your mastery of the English language. You will be able to discern at least a partial meaning of words you encounter for the first time by understanding the basic meaning of its prefix.
Listed below are the most used prefixes, their meanings, and example words. To get the most out of seeing these prefixes, copy them into a notebook. Write down the prefix, its definition, and several examples of its use. You can add examples by looking for more in your dictionary. Practice using the words in your writing and speaking. Look for words with these prefixes in newspaper, magazine, or books and underline them. The more you engage the word in some way (writing, speaking, or underlining), the better you will remember it.
Ab- (away from) abhor, abject, abnormal, absolve
Ad- (to, toward) adapt, adept, adhere, adhesion
Be- (on all sides, overly) bedeck, beset, besmear, besprinkle
Com-, con-, co- (with, together) comfort, commence, compel, complain
De- (reversal, undoing, downward) deceit, decipher, default, deliver
Dis- dif- (not, reversal) differ, difficulty, disable, dishonor
Em-, en- (in, into, to cover or contain) embrace, embroider, engage, engrave
Ex- (out of, former) exalt, examine, example, excerpt
In- (into, not) incline, inconsistent, indecisive, induce
Pre- (before) prejudice, prepare, prescribe, preserve, pretend
Pro- (in favor of, before) proclaim, procure, produce, profound
Re- (again, restore) renew, resolve, reveal, revert
Sub- (under, beneath) subcontract, subculture, subject, subordinate
Un- (do the opposite of) unravel, unroll, unseat, unskilled
Although Latin is considered a dead language by many, it lives on in the English vocabulary. Not only do many existing words originate from Latin, many new words are constructed from Latin prefixes, suffixes, and roots. New words to describe or name scientific processes or discoveries are often formed from Latin. Think of words like computer, internet, and digital radio. For digital television, you need to be familiar with both Latin and Greek, the other big contributor to the English language. You can learn more about Greek contributions to the English vocabulary in my next article titled 'It was Greek to Me: Improving Your English by Knowing Greek Roots'.
About the Author
Celia Webb, President of Pilinut Press, Inc., publishers of advanced readers for children and ESL students. Check out http://www.pilinutpress.com for more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for the company's entertaining and educational books.
English contains many words adopted from other languages. In fact, experts estimate 80% of English words originated elsewhere. The biggest influence on English vocabulary is Latin. An examination of the 20,000 most used words reveals 5,000 words contain prefixes and over 80% of these use one of only fourteen of the many different prefixes available. By learning these important prefixes, you can improve your mastery of the English language. You will be able to discern at least a partial meaning of words you encounter for the first time by understanding the basic meaning of its prefix.
Listed below are the most used prefixes, their meanings, and example words. To get the most out of seeing these prefixes, copy them into a notebook. Write down the prefix, its definition, and several examples of its use. You can add examples by looking for more in your dictionary. Practice using the words in your writing and speaking. Look for words with these prefixes in newspaper, magazine, or books and underline them. The more you engage the word in some way (writing, speaking, or underlining), the better you will remember it.
Ab- (away from) abhor, abject, abnormal, absolve
Ad- (to, toward) adapt, adept, adhere, adhesion
Be- (on all sides, overly) bedeck, beset, besmear, besprinkle
Com-, con-, co- (with, together) comfort, commence, compel, complain
De- (reversal, undoing, downward) deceit, decipher, default, deliver
Dis- dif- (not, reversal) differ, difficulty, disable, dishonor
Em-, en- (in, into, to cover or contain) embrace, embroider, engage, engrave
Ex- (out of, former) exalt, examine, example, excerpt
In- (into, not) incline, inconsistent, indecisive, induce
Pre- (before) prejudice, prepare, prescribe, preserve, pretend
Pro- (in favor of, before) proclaim, procure, produce, profound
Re- (again, restore) renew, resolve, reveal, revert
Sub- (under, beneath) subcontract, subculture, subject, subordinate
Un- (do the opposite of) unravel, unroll, unseat, unskilled
Although Latin is considered a dead language by many, it lives on in the English vocabulary. Not only do many existing words originate from Latin, many new words are constructed from Latin prefixes, suffixes, and roots. New words to describe or name scientific processes or discoveries are often formed from Latin. Think of words like computer, internet, and digital radio. For digital television, you need to be familiar with both Latin and Greek, the other big contributor to the English language. You can learn more about Greek contributions to the English vocabulary in my next article titled 'It was Greek to Me: Improving Your English by Knowing Greek Roots'.
About the Author
Celia Webb, President of Pilinut Press, Inc., publishers of advanced readers for children and ESL students. Check out http://www.pilinutpress.com for more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for the company's entertaining and educational books.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
5 Ideas for Increasing Your Child's Vocabulary While Running Errands
By Celia Webb
Want to help your child learn more words? Do you also want to keep them occupied while traveling to the grocery store, around town on errands, or even on vacation? Here are five word-related activities for increasing your child's vocabulary and avoiding the "Are we there yet?" question.
1. "Find the next letter"
This game works well with small children learning the alphabet. Have your child look for the letters in the alphabet in the proper sequence on road signs, billboards, license plates, and business signs. As they gain confidence with the game, you might introduce a time element. Can they find all twenty-six letters before you reach your destination?
2. "I'm thinking of a .... letter word"
Start this game with short three or four letter words. One player thinks of a word and then announces how many letters are in the word. The other players then guess a word. The first player then compares the guess word with the word he is thinking of to see what letters match exactly in their placement in the game word. The first player then announces how many letters match exactly. For example, if the game word is love and the guess word is sale, then there is one letter (e) of the guess word in the exactly matching position as in the game word. So the first player announces "1 letter". Now the other players in turn try to determine which letter is a match by a process of elimination. To see if the first letter was the match, a player might guess suit. When no letters match, the next player might try to eliminate the second letter as the matching letter and so on. The player who correctly identifies the word wins and is the next one to think up a new game word.
3. "Alphabet words"
Each player must come up with a word which begins with the next letter in the alphabet when it is their turn. You can make this more challenging by giving a category for the words like only animals or only verbs.
4. Use index cards to make flashcards of the new words your child is learning
Have your child shuffle the cards and study each card for the word and its meaning.
5. Bring books and magazines
...for your child to read while you drive. Let them pick out topics they like. New topics and authors will expand their vocabulary. Have them read silently or aloud. Both will help develop their skills as a reader.
These activities will increase your child's vocabulary, letter recognition, print awareness, spelling, and print motivation (the desire to read) which are some of the early literacy skills which make for a firm foundation for reading. They are also a fun way to pass the time. Enjoy!
About the Author
Celia Webb is an author, illustrator, and company executive. She and her husband, Mack H. Webb, Jr., founded Pilinut Press, Inc., publishing advanced readers for children and ESL students. Their website http://www.pilinutpress.com offers more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for their entertaining and educational books.
Want to help your child learn more words? Do you also want to keep them occupied while traveling to the grocery store, around town on errands, or even on vacation? Here are five word-related activities for increasing your child's vocabulary and avoiding the "Are we there yet?" question.
1. "Find the next letter"
This game works well with small children learning the alphabet. Have your child look for the letters in the alphabet in the proper sequence on road signs, billboards, license plates, and business signs. As they gain confidence with the game, you might introduce a time element. Can they find all twenty-six letters before you reach your destination?
2. "I'm thinking of a .... letter word"
Start this game with short three or four letter words. One player thinks of a word and then announces how many letters are in the word. The other players then guess a word. The first player then compares the guess word with the word he is thinking of to see what letters match exactly in their placement in the game word. The first player then announces how many letters match exactly. For example, if the game word is love and the guess word is sale, then there is one letter (e) of the guess word in the exactly matching position as in the game word. So the first player announces "1 letter". Now the other players in turn try to determine which letter is a match by a process of elimination. To see if the first letter was the match, a player might guess suit. When no letters match, the next player might try to eliminate the second letter as the matching letter and so on. The player who correctly identifies the word wins and is the next one to think up a new game word.
3. "Alphabet words"
Each player must come up with a word which begins with the next letter in the alphabet when it is their turn. You can make this more challenging by giving a category for the words like only animals or only verbs.
4. Use index cards to make flashcards of the new words your child is learning
Have your child shuffle the cards and study each card for the word and its meaning.
5. Bring books and magazines
...for your child to read while you drive. Let them pick out topics they like. New topics and authors will expand their vocabulary. Have them read silently or aloud. Both will help develop their skills as a reader.
These activities will increase your child's vocabulary, letter recognition, print awareness, spelling, and print motivation (the desire to read) which are some of the early literacy skills which make for a firm foundation for reading. They are also a fun way to pass the time. Enjoy!
About the Author
Celia Webb is an author, illustrator, and company executive. She and her husband, Mack H. Webb, Jr., founded Pilinut Press, Inc., publishing advanced readers for children and ESL students. Their website http://www.pilinutpress.com offers more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for their entertaining and educational books.
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