Vocab question for those who have gone ahead...

[siloam]

My oldest is 4th, so I have a ways to go, but I am puzzling over vocabulary. Right now I do History, Science and Grammar daily. These are words taken from what she is currently studying.

I took a peek at Vocabulary from Classical Roots 4 and on one side, I really like what I see. On the other, I am afraid she won't connect with it much at all because so much of it comes down to memorization and isn't something she can use right now.

If you were back in 4th grade with your high school child, what you you do?

Heather

[JennW in SoCal]

We played Rummy Roots back when the kids were in 4th grade, though I don't think any of that stuck with them permanently! Other than that, they have just read lots of books, listened to books on tape, studied a bit of Latin, and they always score very high on the vocabulary section of standardized tests.

To me, it makes more sense to keep vocabulary in the context of reading as it sticks with you more than if it is just a list you have to memorize.

[AngieW in Texas]

I like Megawords because it combines spelling with vocabulary, so you are killing two birds with one stone. It's mostly independent. It requires my time for only 5-10 minutes each week.

link to my review:
http://www.thehomeschoollibrary.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1314

[GreenKitty]

We use VfCR and really like it. Though I have read alot about Megawords on the boards and am thinking of purchasing one just to see if it's something that would fit us better/or like better.

[siloam]

I like Megawords because it combines spelling with vocabulary, so you are killing two birds with one stone. It's mostly independent. It requires my time for only 5-10 minutes each week.

link to my review:
http://www.thehomeschoollibrary.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1314

Angie,

I have been chewing on this every since my post, and I think Meegawords is the direction I would eventually go, because it covers more than one subject at once and I love sources that do that. :cool:

Right now I will probably wait a few years because SWR is working well and she doesn't really want to work independently yet. It is nice to have it on the back burner for later though.

Thanks!

Heather

[siloam]

We use VfCR and really like it. Though I have read alot about Megawords on the boards and am thinking of purchasing one just to see if it's something that would fit us better/or like better.

I like the idea of VFCR, but know my dd would find it tedious. Sigh...

BUT if she could drop spelling by doing Megawords...that she might go for.

Heather

[siloam]

We played Rummy Roots back when the kids were in 4th grade, though I don't think any of that stuck with them permanently! Other than that, they have just read lots of books, listened to books on tape, studied a bit of Latin, and they always score very high on the vocabulary section of standardized tests.

To me, it makes more sense to keep vocabulary in the context of reading as it sticks with you more than if it is just a list you have to memorize.

Some day I will have to buy Rummy Roots. I have heard so much about it, but just haven't taken the plunge.

Thanks!

Heather

[mcconnellboys]

I've seen studies indicating that children do not retain vocab they don't use, so I really think you're on the right track in pulling vocab from the things she's actually doing....

Regena

[vmsurbat]

to make sure your child is reading quality books and for *you* to continue read-alouds with her--books that she'll find enjoyable but that stretch her at the same time.

My children have *always* scored 100% on the vocab portion of standardized test scores. My two oldest, in college now, scored in the high 700's and one perfect 800 on the Critical Reading portion of the SAT.

Without a doubt, I am a firm believer in learning vocab by reading (and being read-to) in the early years. Take a look at Ambleside Online for the types of books (look at years 0-4) that count as "quality" books.

Note: I followed CM methods fairly closely in my children's early years (K-4/5th) grade requiring lots of oral narration, getting more traditional (ie. using textbooks) (but still keeping lots of good reading on hand) in the upper grades. I used no vocab books in during the elementary years, but add Worldly Wise starting in 7th grade. They know many of the words, but the exercises themselves are worthwhile. Another great series (at the high school level!) is the Vocab. for the High Schooler series....

HTH,

[Jean in Wisc]

I skip vocab in elementary years. We do a vocab program after the kids finish spelling--a year or two in high school. I like the Vocab for High School, Vocab for the College Bound, Joy of Vocab series.

[Gwen in VA]

I second what Vicki of Maine said -- we also did no vocab program until we started Wordly Wise around 6th or 7th. We only do that for a few years and then drop it -- vocab is really all in context, so just keep your kids reading -- aloud, by themselves, fiction, nonfiction, whatever.

I know I'm in a minority, but the Classical Roots vocab program did NOT work for us in a big kind of way. We have only had three programs that provoked a revolt in the kids, and that was one of them.

[Denise in NE]

My dd did not start a vocabulary program until she finished Spelling Workout (she was studying Latin anyway).

She is now (9th grade) working through Vocabulary From Classical Roots, but I can't recommend it because she has been pleading with me to find something else!

Denise