May 25, 2011

Vocabulary and Your Child

(A sample letter to parents)


Dear Parents,

            I look forward to an exciting year of adventure as I explore new places, people, and events in a variety of books and literary works with my students. To make this journey interesting, your children will be learning several vocabulary words that they may be unfamiliar with or have an unclear understanding of. Their reading adventures will be far more exciting if they review these words frequently and learn to properly use them in context.
The Objective

My goal is not for my students to memorize mundane lists of words and definitions. Vocabulary is so much more than that. It is understanding words as they relate to particular events or places in time. It is knowing how to use to words to effectively communicate an idea or to retell an event or experience. My goal is to develop in each of my students a strong and broad vocabulary. This will not only increase your child’s reading comprehension, but will also foster confidence when speaking publically. Student comprehension will be assessed formally with tests that will ask them to match words with definitions and/or write the definition of assigned words. They will also receive informal assessments in which they will be asked to use several of our vocabulary words in sentences and short stories.

My 5 Keys to Effective Vocabulary Lessons
1.    Direct Learning: Students will learn many new words with the aid of glossaries and reference books such as dictionaries and encyclopedias.

2.    Recognizing Word Parts: Students will learn to identify root words, suffixes and prefixes, as well as compound words to assist them with determining the definition of a word in context.

3.    Engagement: Students will learn a great deal by engaging in conversational usage of the vocabulary words assigned.
4.    Listening: Students will learn the context of the words assigned by listening to stories read/told by myself or other adults in the classroom.
5.    Reading: Students will keep a journal of unfamiliar words they encounter in their own readings, what they determine the definition to be, and what the dictionary definition actually is.

You Can Help!

I have no doubt your children will be thrilled with the new adventures we will be taking in literature this year.  With your help these adventures will be all the better. Please take time to review the vocabulary words with your child in the evening. You can improve their understanding by using the word in a sentence for them and test comprehension by having the child use the word in a sentence or short story. For instance, if the word is “marathon” you may say to your child, “The runners are all getting excited about the Boston Marathon next week. Can you tell me a story about a marathon?” Your child may respond with something such as “A marathon is a really long race. The runners keep going for hours and sometimes eat and drink while they run. They are really tired when they are done!”
Try not to coax your child’s response, but rather allow them to creatively express their understanding of the word. If your child is having difficulty expressing any of the assigned words, please feel free to contact me. Your child will be bringing home a new vocabulary list the first day of every week as well as a list of literary works we will be exploring. My contact information will appear on all lists that come home so that you have it handy if needed. I also encourage you to review your child’s vocabulary reading journal, discuss with them the stories we have read in class, and inquire about their own written works. This will not only instill a more positive self-image in your child of his/her abilities, but will also open the door for many great discussions.
I look forward to an exciting year and working with you as we lead the students to success!

Mrs. Melissa Nelson


The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” -Michelangelo

Post ID: WGU REAT6