Root method and association method are two of the easiest ways to improve your child’s vocabulary.
Vocabulary is an important component of most school and competitive tests, . The biggest challenge here is remembering a vast collection of words and applying them appropriately. Here are some hacks that might help your school goer improve their vocabulary. Read below to know more.
Associate words with things, people or places
This is a very effective method in helping kids remember words. Help them connect words or concepts with people, places or events in your day-to-day life. Here is an example of effective association. Take ‘cumbersome’ and ‘cucumber’ for example. Cucumber is big and long, making it tough to carry. As a result, carrying a cucumber is a cumbersome task. This example makes it easy for kids to recall these words and add on to their existing vocabulary too.
Learn about the root of words for better vocabulary
Using the root strategy is one of the simplest ways to get kids to learn new words. They can easily infer the meaning of the complete term if they know the meaning of the root. Consider the root words ‘geo’, ‘roga,’ and so on. The word ‘geo’ signifies ‘earth.’ The root ‘geo’ is found in the following words:
- Geology means study of earth.
- Geologist is the person who studies earth.
- Geography means the features of earth.
‘Roga’ means ‘ask’. For example: ‘Interrogate’ and derogatory’ are a few words having this root. Similarly, ‘nascent’ is derived from the Latin Root ‘nasc-,nat-‘, meaning ‘born or birth’. The very root of the word points to its meaning. Some other interesting words based on this root are:
- Natal: Relating to or accompanying birth.
- Prenatal: Occurring or existing before birth.
- Neonatal: Concerning the first 28 days after the birth of a child or pertaining to a new born. This word is the combination of natal and neo (which means new).
Learning words by their roots is a fantastic way to learn single root and several words as a result.
Make word trees
This method is simple to apply and is particularly beneficial for learning synonyms and antonyms. Take the word ‘speak’, for example. So, whenever your children come across a word that has anything to do with ‘speak’ ask them to write it down on the same page. Following this procedure will ensure that they will always revise any terms connected to ‘speak’. Similarly, you can encourage your kids to come up with more such word trees and practice this technique with their peers.
