Topic: Vocabulary.

10-second review: A technique for teaching vocabulary.

Title: “Using Lemony Snicket to Bring Smiles to Your Vocabulary Lessons.” LM Arter and AP Nilsen. Reading Teacher (November 2009), 235-238. A publication of the International Reading Association (IRA).

Summary/Quote: “Rather than restricting the study of vocabulary to 20 minutes on Mondays (when you pass out the list) and 20 minutes on Fridays (when you give the quiz), stop whatever you are doing and give a vocabulary mini-lesson whenever an interesting word comes up.” p. 238.

Summary/Quote: “Extend such lessons by teaching the word and its relatives, because the meanings of related words will reinforce students’ learning and memories.” p. 238.

Comment: Example: ego, egotist, egotistical, egoist, egomaniac, egomaniacal, alter ego, etc. Teaching the word’s relatives is a good idea. So is pre-teaching unfamiliar vocabulary before the students read and having the students collect 3 x 5 index cards with the word and its pronunciation (if needed) on one side and a brief one-, two-, or three-word meaning on the other side. The briefer the meaning, the more easily students will remember the meaning of the word. Frequent review of these cards is important. RayS.