When you\u2019re sitting in front of your student and thumbing through strategies to help improve their vocabulary acquisition, most tutors will immediately launch into teaching memorization skills:\u00a0 root words (prefixes and suffices), spelling, and plain, \u201cyou just need to know this.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, what students are not retaining is a deeper understanding of that word.<\/p>\n
I currently tutor an 8th<\/sup>\u00a0grader named Mary Kate, no, not one of the Olson twins, but a bright student currently studying to pass her ISEE exams.\u00a0 After reviewing her practice test results, I found a common thread \u2013 she\u2019s was above grade level but she wasn\u2019t able to decode or decipher difficult vocabulary terms and that\u2019s when I decided to use the Word Wall method while adding my added touches.<\/p>\n A Word Wall is an interactive tool organized around key vocabulary terms students will need to master.\u00a0 There are many types of word walls:\u00a0 high frequency words, word families, chunking similar words together, etc., but the end goal is that students to get engage and interact with their vocabulary words\u2014so the experience of \u201cmemorizing the word\u201d becomes personalized for them.<\/p>\n I added another element with Mary Kate.\u00a0 Instead of using pictures next to a word, I chose the word \u201cchagrin,\u201d and made her do the following:<\/p>\n While the process is pretty scaffolded, it\u2019s important to go over the steps until the student understands how to do it on their own.\u00a0 After another round, she was able to do the entire process on her own, this time, she picked the word\u00a0debunk<\/i>.<\/p>\n I then asked for feedback, \u201cHow did you like creating your own Word Wall?\u201d\u00a0 Her response, \u201cThat was the most fun I ever had learning vocabulary words, I really like how you asked me to draw it out and explain it to you.\u201d\u00a0 We, high-fived then took it a step further as I asked to play charade with the words.\u00a0 I could see Mary Kate quickly processing information while she thought of how she could physically act out a vocabulary word without speaking.\u00a0 This was my opportunity to teach her test-taking strategies. \u00a0 I gave her 45 seconds to act out each word and she responded afterward with, \u201cputting me on the stop to quickly think like that was so cool.\u201d<\/p>\n What Mary Kate didn\u2019t realize was that I was implementing \u201cquick thinking strategies,\u201d just as she would have to access during her ISEE exam\u2014where she needs to make an educated choice and move on.\u00a0\u00a0Except I made it fun and interactive for her. \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Not only did Mary Kate learn difficult and challenging vocabulary words during our tutoring session, but she was able to internalize it and personalize it for herself.<\/p>\n She was able to master the vocabulary words and use them in context, but more importantly, she experienced the many shades of those words.\u00a0 And that\u00a0 \u201cah-ha\u201d moment is priceless toward learning and retaining vocabulary.<\/p>\n\n