How to Excite and Motivate Kids to Learn New Vocabulary

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Memorizing a list of words is about as exciting as watching the creation of applesauce. The ability to excite and motivate children about vocabulary often exceeds the human limitations of parents and teachers. If only Hannah Montana could sing a song about the word “extinguish.” A child’s desire for entertainment and the requirements of education sometimes meet in the dust bowl called studying. Fortunately, learning vocabulary can be fun.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Pad of sticky notes
3 x 5 cards
Paper
Pen or Pencil
Markers
Colored pencils

Step1

Create a pictograph. Kids love drawing and what better way to understand a word than by creating a picture that represents that word. She could draw a fireman spraying water on a building to represent the word “extinguish.” Use colored markers or pencils. The picture can be as simple or elaborate as he wants. Write the word at the top of a 3 x 5 card and draw underneath.

Step2

Take a sticky note from the pad and write the definition of the word on the front. Lift the front flap and write the word on the back. Any time he wants to check if he has the right word he just lifts the front of the sticky note. Place the notes so her eyes stay in constant contact with the definitions. Plaster them on mirrors, doors, drawers, closets.

Step3

Connect her to the word by using her own name and one of her friend’s names. You can use a pet’s name, too. For each vocabulary word, write a sentence that begins with his name. John looked tentatively at Billy’s bike. Put the word in the real world.

Step4

Create brand new exciting TV shows, songs or movies for each vocabulary word. Write each one separately on the front of a 3 x 5 card. The Forbidden Ferrets! I Undoubtedly Love You. On the back of the card create one sentence that describes the show, song or movie. Make it funny, scary, silly.

Step5

Associate each vocabulary word with a type of food. Food motivates kids. That’s an indisputable fact. Describe the food, have the food do something or make it feel a certain way. The pizza felt soggy. The frantic hamburger forgot his bun. Write each one on a 3x 5 card.