Best vocabulary program for a 6th grader?

[Michelle T]

I read lots of books to DS, but would also like to spend a year doing a formal vocabulary program.

 

What are some good ones? Preferably reasonably interesting, as DS is very ADHD, and has a hard enough time focusing without being bored!

Michelle T

[Nicole M]

We're using the Evan Moor 6th grade Daily Academic Vocabulary.

 

http://www.evan-moor.com/Title.aspx?SeriesID=30&CurriculumID=3&TitleID=104&EmcID=2238

 

It's expensive for what it is, and probably not the "best" but the best I could find that works for us. One of the disadvantages of this program is that many of the sentences are about the classroom setting. It at least gives us a starting point for discussing words.

 

Next year I plan to use Vocabulary for Enjoyment by Amsco Publishing:

 

http://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/book/bsingle.asp?i=1485

 

I've used the more advanced books in this series with my older son, Vocabulary for the High School Student and Vocabulary for the College Bound Student.

 

I tried and tried but could not for the life of me figure out the whole Vocabulary from Classical Roots thing. Didn't work for us. I think that many here on these boards go that route and can run with it. Others probably just take vocabulary words from their reading and study those.

[G5052]

My oldest has really like this, and it goes through 12th grade with a book for each grade.

[SBP]

I don't know if it's the "best" but someone here (I'm sorry, I can't remember who, but thank you, whoever you are!) recently recommended Vocabulary Cartoons and I bought one of the books on a whim, thinking my comic-loving son would have fun with it. Both of my kids love it and really do learn the words pretty much instantly and retain them better than they have with any vocab program we've ever used. My son is ADD, too, and I've never quite figured out his learning style, but I think it tends to be more visual, and the silly cartoons really stick with him.

 

I'm having them do ten words per week, reading and reviewing the cartoons on their own, and then at the end of the week, I give them 1) a spelling quiz - they have to be able to spell each of the words; and 2) the quiz in the book, which is matching and fill in the blank; and 3) I pick a few of the words and have them put them in their own sentences, so that I can be sure they can use the words in context.

 

It's not exactly the classical approach, I know, and might not be as formal as what you're looking for, but it's definitely not boring! I tend to be a pretty no-nonsense homeschooler, and my son's eyes just about popped out of his head when I handed him a book of cartoons and said, "Here's your new vocabulary book." :D

 

Best,

 

SBP

[Lori D.]

Like SBP, I was going to suggest the Vocabulary Cartoons. They're fun, short, easy to do 2 a day, and due to the visual nature of the "sound alike" picture, helps a lot of students remember what the words mean. The only thing I don't like about it is that it doesn't give the root word and meaning of the root, which I think helps us remember words even more.

 

 

But for real learning of vocabulary plus technique for figuring out new words -- I just don't think you can beat a "roots" approach to vocabulary study. We've used English From the Roots Up (vol. 1 and vol. 2), and it has amazed me how many of the roots the boys remember from using it so informally -- and how often they are able to correctly determine an unknown word's meaning from breaking it down into the roots.

 

We used EFTRU as a game -- cover up the bottom half of the page, look at the root, and try to guess words we think it might be in, and from those words, guess the root's meaning. Then we read the definition and go through the words and their definitions, and if we thought of words not in the book's list, we look it up in the dictionary to verify that the word does come from that root, and if it does -- we add it to the book! Then we keep our eyes open to be looking throughout the week for words with those roots in our reading, conversation, etc.

 

We did 2 roots per day, about twice a week. Each volume has 100 roots, so at that rate you can get through the roots at 4 per week in 25 weeks, and then use the remainder of the year for review. Again, at least the way we used EFTRU, it was fun, short, engaging, and has stuck with them -- plus given them a tool for figuring out many new vocabulary words.

 

Another great thing is that you can continue to add roots from any other roots program using this same format -- just make another page to add to the book (or make your own index card sets of EFTRU, and then add to the index cards from other roots programs). Another bonus -- no workbook writing, an activity not enjoyed much here. (lol)

 

BEST of luck finding what works for your family! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Nicole M]

I replied to your question late last night, so I didn't quite get what you were looking for. So I take back my first response. But hey, at least I bumped up your questions.

 

That Vocabulary Cartoons looks pretty interesting. If you're looking for some word roots resources, and the EFTRU doesn't work for you, there's a word roots game software you can get from the Critical Thinking Company that is fun and my boys retained quite a lot from it. You can see it here:

 

http://www.criticalthinking.com/series/037/index_p.html

[Quiver0f10]

I write a word a day from http://www.satvocab.com/ on the white board. They look it up and then we try to use that word during the day. After every 10 words I make up a test using http://www.easytestmaker.com/default.aspx . They have to relook up any they might miss. It's been working nicely and if I forget their word they make sure to remind me, so I assume they like doing it.