Are you looking for strategies to help improve your child’s vocabulary? If so, keep reading.
1. Include new vocabulary in daily conversation as often as possible.
2. Get the student to role-play several situations in which excellent vocabulary skills are essential (e.g., during a job interview, talking to a group of people, etc.).
3. Select a peer to model comprehension and use of an expanded vocabulary for the student.
4. Utilize new words in a sentence after the learning experience . Get the student to explain how the use of various words changes the meaning of the sentence (e.g., I like Jenny because she is __ [ sincere, humorous, competitive], etc.).
5. In addition to identifying objects, persons, actions, etc., have the student list places where each could be seen (e.g., “actor” – TV, theater, stage, etc.).
6. Affix labels to things in the student’s environment (e.g., smartboard, window, desk, doorway, etc.) for the student to make visual associations with the vocabulary words.
7. Make sure the student understands all the vocabulary words at each level before introducing new words.
8. Do not require the student to learn more vocabulary words and meanings than they are capable of comprehending.
9. In addition to labeling objects, persons, places, etc.; have the student give verbs that could be used with each (e.g., book – read, browse through, skim, etc.).
10. Get the student’s hearing reviewed if it has not been recently reviewed.
11. Utilize images to help the student understand the meanings of new vocabulary words.
12. Show the student how to use context clues to ascertain the meanings of words they hear or see (e.g., listening to or looking at the surrounding words and determining what type of word would be appropriate).
13. Utilize games to teach understanding and expression of new vocabulary. (Research has shown that novel situations help students to learn new information.)
14. On occasions where the student is asked to recall new vocabulary, give them clues about the word (e.g., “Remember when we talked about the animal that walks on all fours, barks, and people keep as pets?” etc.).
15. Teach new vocabulary within the context of known information (e.g., category, associations, etc.).
16. Consider viewing our list of vocabulary building apps.
