Vocabulary that sticks

[plain jane]

My fourth grader did Word Roots by CTC this year and while she did fine on the daily assignments, come time for the reviews everything she had done was in one ear out the other.  Neither her, nor my 8yo rising 2nd grader are intuitive when it comes to vocabulary and simply reading to them above their levels has helped much, if at all.

 

I really need some sort of recommendation to help these two (5th and 3rd in the fall) with their vocabulary.  My second grade is especially awful.  When asked to describe anything he's still at the "big" "small" stage- even my K'er can use better words to describe some objects.

 

What have you used that actually sticks.  I'm getting a bit concerned because my older child is getting, well, older, and since she will be using WWS next year I know it will be demanding.  She does currently use a thesaurus to edit her writing but I would also like to build on her "word bank" inside her head.

[ElizabethB]

McGuffey readers, 1879, read the vocab and definitions before and after. Start at the level where they don't know about 1/2 of the words that are defined after the passages.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

Whatever program you use, make sure the vocabulary is used outside the program as well,

 

Vocab used is vocab remembered.

[HS Mom in NC]

Here is a recent thread in which I posted links to other threads on the topic of vocabulary:

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/513832-vocabulary/

[Beth in Mint Hill]

I love, love, love these workbooks:

Vocabulary From Classical Roots

 

Using something like this, along with reading aloud great books, will help develop their vocabulary. Surround them with sophisticated words...make sure they are asking you often: "What does that word mean?"  ;)

[Beth in Mint Hill]

I love, love, love these workbooks:

Vocabulary From Classical Roots

 

Using something like this, along with reading aloud great books, will help develop their vocabulary. Surround them with sophisticated words...make sure they are asking you often: "What does that word mean?"  ;)

[Momof3littles]

Have you considered the rfwp vocab? My son has retained the vocab from Caesar's English well so far.

[MiMi 4under3]

I have two books that I read aloud to my kids; Pinochhio, which contains 1,000 PSAT/SAT words, and Wizard of Oz, which contains 1,850 SAT words.

 

 

These books are amazing!!  My kids remember every word because of the mental image formed in their minds while listening to the story. The definitions are footnoted on each page.

 

 

The Pinocchio Intermediate Vocabulary Builder, and The Wizard of Oz Vocabulary Builder.  Both are by Mark Phillips.

 

 

[almondbutterandjelly]

What kind of learners are they?  My visual learner did better with things like Vocabulary Cartoons (Scholastic) or Garfield's Vocabulary Escapades.  I am also intrigued by Marie's Words, which timberdoodle.com carries, although we haven't gotten it.  Queen Homeschool carries some picture based vocabulary books also.  We used Super Duper Publications Core Curriculum Vocabulary Cards for awhile.  Best of luck!