PAINLESS VOCABULARY Words are the basic component of communication and comprehension. Learning new vocabulary words doesn’t effect language arts grades alone; if your child doesn’t understand the word accelerate, a science grade may suffer, for instance. Acquiring new vocabulary does not have to be a boring matter of memorization. There are painless ways to look at words in context and build vocabulary. Identifying Context Clues When a student comes across an unfamiliar word, he or she can use context clues to determine the meaning. Definition: The author defines the word in the sentence. For example: The city council voted to augment or increase taxes for next year. Example: Sometimes the author provides examples to illustrate the use of a word. For example: The lamp illuminated the stairs so well that we could see where we were going. Summary: A summary clue can also provide meaning. Look at the next two sentences: She has trouble sleeping at night. She suffers from insomnia. Compare and Contrast: Comparison and contrast shows differences and similarities between objects and ideas. The grebe, like other water birds, is adapted for life in the water. Synonyms: Readers can sometimes find a familiar word that relates to an unknown word in the same passage. For example: The knight grabbed his javelin. He always took some type of spear with him into battle. The description in the second sentence indicates that javelin and spear refer to the same object and are probably synonymous. Antonyms: Words with opposite meanings may also be found in the same passage. For example: To be affordable and not expensive, exciting and not monotonous, are qualities of a great vacation. We see that affordable and expensive are opposites, so exciting and monotonous must also have opposite meanings. Vocabulary Talk Using new words in a conversation is a good way to learn new vocabulary. Help your child study by turning vocabulary homework into a conversation. Start with a current list of vocabulary words. Have your child explain the content by using the words in sentences. Check off the words if you understand what they mean by how your child uses them in a sentence. Add more information by using the words yourself. Next, have your child write a sentence or paragraph using the vocabulary words. Writing new sentences a few times each week is a great way to study. Word Banks Students can also keep track of new vocabulary words by using word banks. One of the oldest techniques for learning new words is: read it, write it, see it, say it. Words written down and reviewed are retained longer. Students can keep their vocabulary words in a notebook or on index cards. A good way to increase vocabulary is to create a vocabulary map for each new word. The map should include definitions using their own words, a picture illustrating the word, a synonym and examples of the word used in context.