What Word Power Can Do To Students

There are students who grew up in families with well-educated parents. These students tend to have better vocabulary than others. They benefit from parents who speak in complete sentences as they are engaged in meaningful conversations. They are read books to during bedtime. They are provided with educational toys and paraphernalia that help them learn…


There are students who grew up in families with well-educated parents. These students tend to have better vocabulary than others. They benefit from parents who speak in complete sentences as they are engaged in meaningful conversations. They are read books to during bedtime. They are provided with educational toys and paraphernalia that help them learn and increase their word power.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. There are students who can experience the same things even without parents who are well-educated. They are considered lucky if they have parents who means well in rearing them properly.

As teachers, how do we help students increase their word power especially those who have difficulty in vocabulary and in using complete sentences and words that bring full meanings? Rote memorization is not enough. Remember that majority of the words you know were not learned through memorization but by constant use in the household or in areas you were exposed to. If unfamiliar words are used repeatedly, they too can become part of your working vocabulary.

With this in mind, teachers have an idea on how to effectively impart to students words thereby improving their word power. Through constant conversations, use in written narratives, and during lectures, the use of new and unfamiliar words can help students recall them better. It is important to allow them to use the words in sentences not only in assignments and exercises but more importantly, in conversations with the teachers and their peers.

Allowing students to speak during class discussions and encouraging them to ask questions also play a vital role in molding them into great word banks. Grammar comes next. Let your students have meaningful conversations with you in English. Be encouraging and do not make fun of them or allow their classmates to make fun of them when they commit mistakes. It is crucial to encourage conversations even with grammatical errors in it as long as the conversations permits students to practice the vocabulary they have learned.

References:

Aarts, Bas; Haegeman, Liliane (2006). “6. English Word classes and Phrases”. In Aarts, Bas; McMahon, April.The Handbook of English Linguistics. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Mufwene, S. S. (2006). “Language Spread”. In Brown, Keith. Encyclopedia of language & linguistics. Elsevier. pp. 613–616. 10.1016/B0-08-044854-2/01291-8.  Retrieved March 15, 2015. 

Nation, I. S. P. (2001). Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. Cambridge University Press. p. 477. ISBN 0-521-80498-1. Retrieved April 16, 2015.  (PDF)

By: Heidi N. Gatchula | Teacher III | New Alion Elementary School