"Vocabulary from Classical Roots" vs. "The Word within the Word"

[Kevin Rhoads]

Someone posted this question a while ago, but it looks like no one responded.  

 

1) Can anyone tell me if we should go w/ "Vocabulary from Classical Roots" or "The Word within the Word"?  

 

2) Also, we've only got about 3 more years to devote to vocabulary.  Will we be leaving gaps in our vocab. if we only do the last few years of either series?  It seems that we're more likely to leave gaps if we do the last few years of "Vocabulary from Classical Roots" since it spreads out all of its roots over 8 years.  Whereas, it looks like "The Word within the Word" could cover everything we need in 3 years and therefore leave fewer gaps.

 

Thanks

[SparklyUnicorn]

We loved CE 1 and 2.  Looks like MCT has a third one in that series now.  Then we did one level of World Within a Word.  We did not like that one nearly as much.  Retention was not good with that one.  It was a lot better with CE 1 and 2 (excellent retention with those).  It's almost like there is just too much in WWW. 

 

I recently got a vocab lecture series from the Teaching Company.  We love that one so far and I think it'll be helpful without being so much that there won't be any retention.  There is a heavy focus on etymology and techniques for remembering/learning more vocab. 

 

Ideally you just read a wide variety of stuff and you get better with vocab.  I do find we need a bit more than that though, but the workbooky stuff doesn't quite work out so well. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

reported Green...

 

[StephanieZ]

CE is a fantastic series. Great retention. Seeing that they have a third book in that series, I just ordered the whole new "Level 4" package -- a GREAT addition, as there is such a leap between the (now called) level 3 and the (now called) level 5. 

 

I've used both, and I think the CE series is much, much stronger than VFCR. WWW is very helpful but is VAST. Huge lists. My kids handled it fine, but I don't think they retained quite as much as from CE, just due to the vast lists. They did/do test in the 99% on vocab, etc, but I don't know how much of that is from MCT resources. I do think the MCT English stuff is without comparison GREAT, though. 

 

That said, the VFCR series is easy to use -- totally painless for Mom and fast/easy for kiddos. I used it with my youngest child during the last couple years while we were "between" levels 3 & 5 in MCT (and I hadn't realized they'd added a level 4, or I probably would have used it last year . . . But, now I'll happily use Level 4 for her 8th grade year and then carry on with the upper MCT levels after that.)

 

[TaraP]

What is CE? I am researching vocabulary options too.

[dovrar]

What is CE? I am researching vocabulary options too.

 

bump

[SparklyUnicorn]

What is CE? I am researching vocabulary options too.

 

Caesar's English.  It's from the same author that made Word Within the Word.  It is intended for kids below high school, but I think it is useful in high school as well.

[SparklyUnicorn]

To add though I was more including that info to just say what we used before WWW.  We used a lot of MCT's stuff and just found WWW to be maybe too much.  Not too difficult, but just too much info for good retention.

 

 

[Space station]

My oldest daughter used WWW and Magic Lens in 7th grade, then took the ACT in 8th and got a 32 on the English portion. I credit it to that program. I have not seen the other program you mentioned it to compare it with. She feels that the roots she learned help her in her science studies and make learning and remembering new terms easier. HTH!

[Kevin Rhoads]

I recently got a vocab lecture series from the Teaching Company.  

 

Thanks.  I love the Teaching Company.  I'm definitely interested in this.

 

There's an Audible version (by the Teaching Co.) for $28 and a version from the Teaching Co. for $330.  Do mind if I ask which one you used and if you know the difference, other than one being audio and the other being available in video?

[Embassy]

I used WWW and it was very heavy on memorization.  We ended up not finishing the book because memorization wasn't an effective method for my kid.