Building Vocabulary + Activities with a Word Log

As your students are in the thick of bulking up their vocabulary, going through Sequential Spelling (or any other spelling program), or going about their normal routines, consider keeping a word log. Write down the words that your student (or have them do it) does not know: the meaning, how to use it correctly in a sentence, when it would be an appropriate word choice, etc. We are not focusing on spelling here.

So, as they read their pleasure reading books or encounter other unknown words in any of the contexts listed above, they or you write the words down in the log. From this log, you can do all sorts of activities:

• Spot check the student for meanings days or weeks later.
  
• Use the vocabulary illustration worksheet (PDF) to have the student draw a picture of the meaning (silly or serious) with the definition. Creating a more personal connection with the word (deeper encoding) aids in memorization.
• Make flash cards.
• Have the student make stories/poetry/prose using X number of these words.
  
• Use these words for handwriting exercises + discussion of meaning.
  
• Have the student look them up in the dictionary and/or thesaurus
• Other. Send us your other ideas.

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