wehave8 Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Do you do a Vocabulary Curriculum? Why or why not? If yes, post what you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I don't for DS4 (homeschooled) and I don't for DS7 (currently in public school) either, although the school probably does (don't know). I did start having him keep a vocabulary notebook a week ago where he's supposed to find a word in one of the books he's read that day, write it down, look it up in the children's dictionary, and copy the definition. So far he hasn't found any words he didn't know though, so I've gone through the things he reads until I find a word I think he probably doesn't know, and then quiz him on it. Then, if he can't answer me, that's the word for the day. A couple of days ago he even got a bonus word because the definition of 'rascals' (his word for the day) had the word 'mischievous' in it, which also needed to be looked up. Maybe some day I'd do an SAT vocab book. We'll see. ETA: my main reason for not bothering with a curriculum is that I think you learn the most vocab just by reading a LOT. I do also have a prefixes/suffixes workbook, which would presumably help with vocab as well (I got it to help with sounding out words since DS7 is a sight word reader). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I'm not voting but I don't intend on using one. I want them to study Greek and Latin and read lots of quality literature. If I decide that's not good enough then I'll change my mind. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Yes. My dd does not pick up definitions from context. She just skips the words. We've used a lot of different ones. My dd is a vsl, so we use ones with pictures. Super Duper Publications makes Core Curriculum Vocabulary Cards, and we used four sets of those. There is a Vocabulary Escapades with Garfield book for middle school that we used; that was a hit. I am eyeing Marie's Words from timberdoodle, but I think I'll hold off another year on those. We have Word of the Week by Queen Homeschool that we'll be using for 9th grade, plus some Mythological Vocabulary cards from Lakeshore Learning Center. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 My DD is like perkybunch's. Unless forced to stop and reflect, she skips unknown words. DS gets vocab from context but not DD. She's used Wordly Wise through level 4 but we will switch to Latin in the fall, and add still more vocab from Greek and Latin roots next year. She also has vocab from math, history, science and lit. This seems pretty common for dyslexic, v-s, and whole to parts learners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFM Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Why not? I find it is mostly busywork. We read a wide variety of books and talk about the new words. Simple. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Yes. My dd does not pick up definitions from context. She just skips the words. That's one of the reasons why I started the vocab notebook for my son. I want him to develop dictionary fluency and the habit of looking words you don't know up. Still working on the fluency (he's taking a long time to find words), but once he gets better at that my plan is to start pushing him harder to find words he doesn't know while he reads on his own. Baby steps. The 365+ words a year are a bonus, since they're just a drop in the bucket (IIRC a well-educated person should know about 100,000 words, which at 365 words/year would take only 274 years to learn). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wehave8 Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 Why not? I find it is mostly busywork. We read a wide variety of books and talk about the new words. Simple. I'm beginning to see this. I am currently using Wordly Wise (older ed., NOT 3000), but with ASL classes, R&S English (just the grammar part of it), AAS, Writing Strands, AAR, read alouds, silent reading, etc., we. just. run. out. of. time! We do have a LOT of conversational vocab. time. Yes, I think I will drop WW. :) Still listening to see what others do. Pam ETA: We did 1 year of Song School Latin and planned on year 2 this year, but we never got to it. Picking it up as soon as ASL class is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 My boys are using Vocabulary Workshop above level because they like it. So it is kind of like a fun road trip workbook. My kids breeze through Wordly Wise supplied by the K12 charter when we were using the virtual academy. My older is doing Word within the word for fun too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsWeasley Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 We probably will after spelling, but we don't right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 We've never done one. I read aloud some books that are heavy in new vocabulary, and I define as we go. We have done root words study, and my boys have done three years of Latin. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather62 Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 No I don't, my children both have a larger vocabulary than their peers. I read to them every day and we listen to audio books in the car. I have always read books that are above their own reading comprehension. I made a perfect score on my Verbal GRE and love learning about new words and share with them. Also, one of my favorite vocabulary books for test prep is Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis. It teaches through suffixes and prefixes and could be used for younger kids too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I don't yet, but with my dd's language difficulties, we probably will at some point. I'm going to start doing some Greek and Latin word roots with her in a few months time, I think. I'm hoping giving her a tool to use (morphology) and training her to use it will help with her lack of logic skills. We'll see... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Not so far. My kids have great vocabularies, just no need for an extra "subject" when they learn loads of words in literature, science, history and Latin. And in choir, piano, art class, at ballet and other sports.... Trying to keep school as simple as possible! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Yes, we do. I have dyslexics that do not intuit the correct meanings of words due to their language processing difficulties. We've done Wordly Wise and I also pull words from their literature and have them work on Quizlet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschoolmom3 Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Not sure how to respond my middle schooler does Spelling Workout which to me has some voc. in it along with Latin so we don't use a voc. curriculum per say....my oldest does Latin and we all do a word of the day off the SAT list but do nothing else. I feel with reading its enough. We never did vocabulary in elementary years except instructing them of a few words they might not know that was in their reading. HTH 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 We use Vocabulary from Classical Roots as well as studying Latin. DS loves words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Tharp Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 My oldest son does not learn vocabulary from context or remember it from conversation, so we use VocabJourney from Voyager Sopris. I also used to make flashcards of words from books he read and reviewed them regularly. That worked well too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jyhwkmama Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 We use Wordly Wise 3000. My kid and I actually enjoy the reading selection at the end of each lesson. However, I do not make hom write the answers to the questions. We sometimes do some of them orally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenDaisies Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 No - we prefer to study it in context in literature or Latin studies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Yes, because I was one of those who overlooked unknown words while reading. At this point in time, I don't know if they are like this. We are using Vocabulary Cartoon Word Made Easy. I'm also using it because I don't think I read to them enough. We just got the reading rainbow app, so that may change. Great app btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Nope. It's redundant when reading gobs of high quality literature and studying Latin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syllieann Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 We are doing vocabulary cartoons right now. If it is a word ods already knows we just go to the next word. We put it up and try to catch each other using it during the day. I define words in read alouds, he asks about words as he is reading independently, plus we have vocabulary words that come up for history and science. When we finish spelling I'd like to find a good adaptive vocab program to use for 5-10 minutes per day, maybe something like vocabulary.com. That way we don't waste time on words he already knows. I wouldnt want to keep a vocab notebook during my pleasure reading and I don't plan to ask my kids to do it, so adaptive seems the best choice for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 No, we focus on vocabulary through reading and reading aloud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wehave8 Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 No, we focus on vocabulary through reading and reading aloud. Thanks, Merry. I knew I saw something from AAL about vocabulary. I was going to look it up to read it. Now I can click and read. ;) Pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 DD came from public school where the book selection was abysmal and low level, so I want to help her boost her vocabulary a bit. We use MCT Caesar's English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pehp Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 No. We read a lot of good books and I have an expansive vocabulary, so I haven't used one yet. I had been pondering this when one day on the way home from church my husband answered my son's question in a rash manner and my son said "DADDY, you are being IMPETUOUS!" And my husband said "I don't know what that means." (In his defense, he's a genius engineer, not a wordsmith like me...;)) So my son (he's 7) defined it. Then I decided not to worry about vocab just yet..... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dramorellis Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 I study roots using MCT Caesar's English with my 8 year old. He has a very advanced vocabulary but an even higher reading level. Stopping to write down words he doesn't know or me breaking each chapter down is pure torture to him. Studying it while reading is a no go for that reason. This helps him figure out what the word might mean on his own. My daughter has an okay vocabulary for her age (just turned 5) but I think she ends up tuning out when I am reading novels or getting overpowered by her brother. Since I read her shorter books, we do discuss vocbulary in context of the story but she needs a little something else to help it click. She usually will not figure it out from context either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karenmsta Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 We are using the vocabulary from classical roots lists from quizlet files. Eldest Ds11 hates it, which gives me pause since he's progressing in Latin, reading at hs level, and we have a conversational vocabulary that's varied. Hmmm. Also wondering best ways to test him/'get it to stick. He doesn't (like others have noted) pick up new words from reading or conversation. I'd love advice! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karenmsta Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 We are using the vocabulary from classical roots lists from quizlet files. Eldest Ds11 hates it, which gives me pause since he's progressing in Latin, reading at hs level, and we have a conversational vocabulary that's varied. Hmmm. Also wondering best ways to test him/'get it to stick. He doesn't (like others have noted) pick up new words from reading or conversation. I'd love advice! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basketcase Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Yes, but only because I love Caesar's English so much. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Twain Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 My kids do Vocabulary Workshop through 5th grade. From 6th -8th, we are working through Word Wealth Jr. WWJ is an out of print book but available used. I am very impressed with it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy_of_4 Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Yes, we use wordly wise. It takes less than 10 minutes a day. My son does not pick vocab through just reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Evan-Moor A Word a Day. It literally takes five minutes or less a day, except on Fridays, which takes maybe ten. It's nearly completely oral. It's fun and how we ease into each day. It works for DD. She thinks it's a hoot when she comes across one of the words we've studied in literature or everyday life. I think it's often difficult to verbally define words. I have a lot of words that I just know...I feel their meanings/see them as pictures in my mind. Ask me to define them and I struggle a bit. I think that's the same for a lot people. I think studying vocabulary helps create a more accurate association between words and what they truly mean. DD listens to a lot of classic audio books with extensive vocabulary. Just because the words are there doesn't mean she always picks up what they mean. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wehave8 Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 I think it's often difficult to verbally define words. I have a lot of words that I just know...I feel their meanings/see them as pictures in my mind. Ask me to define them and I struggle a bit. I think that's the same for a lot people. I think studying vocabulary helps create a more accurate association between words and what they truly mean. DD listens to a lot of classic audio books with extensive vocabulary. Just because the words are there doesn't mean she always picks up what they mean. This is true...very interesting. Thanks Pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Nope. It's redundant when reading gobs of high quality literature and studying Latin. This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Do you do a Vocabulary Curriculum? Why or why not? If yes, post what you use? We never used a vocabulary curriculum, because I do not consider it necessary. My kids developed a large vocabulary from reading, from audiobooks, and from participating in conversations with adults who use a varied vocabulary. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildiris Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 We do use a vocabulary curriculum, but DD already knows the words even at the high school level. It just becomes busy work. DD is not a big reader either. We have used: Wordly Wise, Vocabulary Workshop, and Vocabulary from Classical Roots. My current plan for 7th grade is to go through our box of SAT vocabulary cards. I like words and use them when I speak with DD and define the words as I speak so she understands the definition in context. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto4inSoCal Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 I don't but I am starting one next year. I had my kids do a test that test their reading level and they really struggled on the vocabulary part so I know they need work on that. We do read lots of books and generally I have them reading 1 level above their level just to keep pushing them a little but I guess we need to focus a bit on vocabulary. I am planning on the sadlier vocab books but I'm also looking at Caesars English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insertcreativenamehere Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 No, I don't. My boys frequently ask me the meanings of words that they come across in their reading or elsewhere. I also stop to explain unfamiliar words in our read-alouds. We are also starting Latin next year and that will help with vocabulary as well. I think it's enough. FWIW, DS #2 did his first grade year through a K12 virtual academy and vocabulary there was a subject to be completed over the entire year. It was all so easy for him that he completed the whole year's worth of work in just a few weeks. For him, I think it's better to learn new vocabulary in context. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Home Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Right now we are using Vocabulary Cartoons for 5th and will be doing Caesar's English in 6th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasperstone Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 We use Wordly Wise 3000. My kid and I actually enjoy the reading selection at the end of each lesson. However, I do not make hom write the answers to the questions. We sometimes do some of them orally. Great idea, as that's the very reason why mine aren't enjoying it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forgiven Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 We do Caesar's English. Love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 My DD is like perkybunch's. Unless forced to stop and reflect, she skips unknown words. DS gets vocab from context but not DD. She's used Wordly Wise through level 4 but we will switch to Latin in the fall, and add still more vocab from Greek and Latin roots next year. She also has vocab from math, history, science and lit. This seems pretty common for dyslexic, v-s, and whole to parts learners. Not sure how to respond my middle schooler does Spelling Workout which to me has some voc. in it along with Latin so we don't use a voc. curriculum per say....my oldest does Latin and we all do a word of the day off the SAT list but do nothing else. I feel with reading its enough. We never did vocabulary in elementary years except instructing them of a few words they might not know that was in their reading. HTH I think this is true of one of mine who is a more whole-to-parts thinker. In SWO she was so frustrated by the exercises that required her to know the meaning of the words (picking a list word to round out a group of two other words, or choosing a synonym from the list, etc.). So, now on the first day of a new lesson she reads each word aloud and uses it in a sentence. If she doesn't know it's meaning, we look it up. It's this very situation that made me aware that she may need more vocab. work after we finish SWO, especially if I want her to use the words and not just have a vague idea of their meaning. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 You also asked why study vocabulary. In the long run, I hope it will add to DD's intelligence, that she well develop a love for words so she won't simply skip over words she doesn't know when reading, to make life easier in regard to college-entrance exams and college itself. Also, I hope having accessible vocabulary will make her a better writer. When it comes to schooling DD, I think about my deficits...think about what would have made me a better student, fare better on tests. As an adult, it irks me when my mother knows a word I don't. She likes to remind me how she never went to college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*AM* Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 We've been using Latin and the roots of Latin as our vocabulary builder and it has been working very well for us :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusyMom5 Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Yes, my kids have enjoyed WOrdly Wise. I also tried out Vocabulary from Classical roots, which *I* liked, but the kiddo using it preferred WW. At some point I can see doing VCR as a family, with a few roots per week. I like idea, but the book was not a good fit. I have one that has a high vocab, and one that struggles, and both enjoyed it. I also consider it part of reading comprehension, and I really enjoy the story sections. I tend to read them aloud to the kids, and talk about the questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewe Mama Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Yes, we use the Pathway Vocabulary workbooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Yes, MCT and some Sandlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS Mom in NC Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 No. Unless you count Latin and Greek Root curriculum as a vocabulary curriculum. Excellent literature read aloud up to 2 hours (not all in one sitting) about 5 days a week K-12 Rummy Roots More Rummy Roots English From the Roots Up 1 and 2 We start reading aloud to them when they're preschool aged. We work up to 45 to 60 minute sittings by the time they're in middle elementary school. We're careful to choose books that are actual hig quality literature, not just any old book they might find interesting. They can read those on their own in their free time. We choose more challenging literature as they get older. We start Latin and Greek word roots in 1st grade. We do 10-12 a week. We use them as a matching game, not as a Gin Rummy Game the way the instructions say. Then we add in the EFTRU roots, but not the lists.By about 5th grade we start using the word lists in EFTRU and I have them break down the roots in each word and write out a definition if they already know it and if they don't, I have them look it up. My college aged kids have thanked us for the Latin and Greek Roots because they have stunning vocabularies so it's rare a word is used they don't already know. For those unfamiliar words, between context and roots, they can figure out almost any new term in college level reading materials without having to look it up. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.