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Health & Fitness

Vocabulary Knowledge: The Golden Key To Learning Success

Rx for Learning Success: Development of Vocabulary

Research in Vocabulary Development has shown the correlation of the retention of word meanings to reading, writing and learning success.  The more vocabulary words a student has in his repertoire, the better his comprehension and the ability to express himself in writing. 

Students are bombarded with a plethora of new words in each subject area, especially in high school.  Many times, students only hear the word defined once, yet they are expected to retain the meanings.  It takes at least 12-15 encounters with a new word to make it part of a student's long-term memory reports Stahl, in Three Principles of Effective Vocabulary Instruction, (1985).            

According to research in vocabulary retention, the most important cognitive factors influencing word recall are: Active student involvement; Association; Repetition; Comprehension; and Deeper=level processing activities such as categorization, generation of sentences or acting out the meanings of words.

Playing vocabulary games which include the above activities, motivates students to have fun while learning the meanings of words. The more you can motivate your child to enjoy expanding his or her store of  words, the more successful your student will be in school and on standardized tests such as the SAT's. 

Vocabulary knowledge is without a doubt, the golden key to learning success!   To assist your student in learning vocabulary while enjoying the process, contact Dr. Patricia A. Kusik, Director of Learning Success at 410-452-9199.    Dr. Kusik will prescribe vocabulary games which address your child's interests and learning style.


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