A few weeks back, the word of the internet in Singapore was none other than ‘UMBRAGE’. To many, it was an unfamiliar term, but the controversial context to the word’s usage surely made it stick. Just because of one news-worthy event, suddenly everyone knew the meaning of the word ‘umbrage’, and were using it everywhere.
If only learning new words everyday was this easy!
Students will know the struggle of trying to pick up new vocabulary. More often, they read a word somewhere and then promptly forget about it. Many times, they don’t even bother looking up the meaning.
Yet, having a strong vocabulary bank is so crucial! Not only does it help children express themselves better, it also comes in handy for writing more interesting compositions in English class. If you have a child in primary school, you will know just how important vocabulary is.
So, it’s time to stop leaving it to chance, and use a tried and tested method instead! Yes, there are systematic ways to learn new English words, and we’ll be sharing some of this tips and tricks with you. Want to grow your child’s vocabulary bank and English ability? Stick around for our tips below!
Be deliberate about word learning
‘Read! Read a lot!’ This is one of the most common advice that teachers give to students and parents who are concerned about building up vocabulary. But, what comes after the reading? What can you do if your child is already reading a ton, but their vocabulary still seems stagnant?
Reading itself will be useless if there isn’t active learning taking place. If all your child is doing is skipping over the new words that they see, they aren’t going to magically learn their meanings!
Make sure that while reading is taking place, your child is conscientiously noting down the new words that they see. Then, look up the meaning of the words in a dictionary to figure out what the words mean.
Recommended steps: Keep a word bank where your child writes in any new words they came across that day. You can also set a target number of words they have to hit each week – if they can’t hit it, it means they haven’t been reading enough, or their reading material is too easy for them.
Learn language in context
Have you ever tried to learn a word just by reading the dictionary definition? If you still didn’t understand the word – you’re not alone. Vocabulary sticks better when we understand how the word is actually used.
That means it is important to learn the word through example sentences to learn the appropriate contexts to the use it. At the same time, your child will be learning how to use the word in a grammatically correct way too.
Recommended steps: In addition to writing out the definition in their word bank, make sure to write out the sentence in which they first saw the word, and a few other example sentences they can find.
Read widely
The keyword here is ‘widely’. You might find that your child is reading a lot, but not really learning new words. One possibility is that they are reading things that are too easy for them, or always reading the same type of books.
They are more likely to encounter new words when they read stories or non-fiction material across a wide variety of topics and genres. If they normally enjoy reading fairytales and fantasies, challenge them to pick up a mystery or adventure book. You could also encourage them to read the news or browse through an encyclopaedia.
Recommended steps: Encourage them to read widely by visiting the library regularly to borrow an assortment of books. Consider subscribing to a newspaper or magazine with good quality writing for young readers.
Intentional practice
Practice it, or lose it! Without putting those new words into use, it is extremely easy to forget them. Practice can come in many forms, and they are not always easy. But the results are worth it – so find a method that works for your child.
Recommended steps:
- Make it a habit to ask your child about what they have been reading recently. Ask a few questions about any new words they have seen or learnt in the past week.
- Challenge your child to use 5-8 new words in every new composition that they write. Apart from compositions for school, you can also get them to explore writing poems or diary entries while using the new words.
Conclusion
And there you have it: 4 nifty steps that will help your child improve their vocabulary! These are actions that they can start working on straightaway, giving you time to see results by their next exam. They are not just useful for primary school students – teens will also benefit from these strategies for secondary school English.
And of course, vocabulary isn’t everything. Grammar and writing skills are also highly relevant when it comes to primary school English. For a comprehensive guiding hand to better English, we’re here for you!
We provide quality primary school English tuition led by our experienced tutors, in our signature small tuition classes. Get feedback and recommendations like never before, and let your child grow in their confidence in English!