Improve teen’s vocabulary

[Anonymous]

My kids all have horrible vocabularies! Any tips on how to improve it? I have tried to look into apps, but they are always for learning unusual words that won’t really help them. I need them to learn everyday terms! For example, I have recently been asked the meanings of words such as coax and concise. They are all smart kids and gets excellent grades. But their vocabulary is definitely starting to have an affect.

[Anonymous]

That is good that they are asking. I would say they need to read books with good vocabulary and either figure out the meanings from the context or ask.

[Anonymous]

Look into Wordsmith and Word Genius - especially Word Genius. There is also an SAT vocabulary site.

They have to make a point of using the new word as well as writing it.

[Anonymous]

Have them listen to audio books or podcasts.

[Anonymous]

Are you sure it isn't laziness or perfectionism?

My son has a large vocabulary, but out of the blue, he also asks me these questions. When I insist on him hazarding a guess, he always guesses right. Somehow, he seeks reassurance or something. Weird.

[Anonymous]

They need to just read a ton. It'll improve their writing also.

[Anonymous]

Reading. Especially older books which often use words that are not as widely used today. Tolkien, Jane Austin, etc. Depending on their interests you can find all sorts of older books. I read Ivanhoe recently for the first time and while there were very few words I didn't know or couldn't guess from context, I had to really concentrate on the archaic language and sentence form. Good practice to get a feel for language as well as expand one's vocabulary.

I will never forget being in a senior-level English class in college and realizing that most of my classmates couldn't understand the meaning of the historical documents we were reading (17th-century English letters regarding governance and trade). It was incredible. They understood the literal words but they could not put them in context. That only comes from reading widely.

I write for a living and precision in word choice is critical for my job, so this is an issue I think about a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you sure it isn't laziness or perfectionism?

My son has a large vocabulary, but out of the blue, he also asks me these questions. When I insist on him hazarding a guess, he always guesses right. Somehow, he seeks reassurance or something. Weird.

Op here. My youngest has always struggled with figuring it out from context. One time, when she was little, I told her to brush her teeth and go to bed. She thought I said to brush her feet and was genuinely confused. Nothing has changed! They realize they need to work on this. I tell them to read more and to always ask or look up words as they hear them.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for more reading...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reading. Especially older books which often use words that are not as widely used today. Tolkien, Jane Austin, etc. Depending on their interests you can find all sorts of older books. I read Ivanhoe recently for the first time and while there were very few words I didn't know or couldn't guess from context, I had to really concentrate on the archaic language and sentence form. Good practice to get a feel for language as well as expand one's vocabulary.

I will never forget being in a senior-level English class in college and realizing that most of my classmates couldn't understand the meaning of the historical documents we were reading (17th-century English letters regarding governance and trade). It was incredible. They understood the literal words but they could not put them in context. That only comes from reading widely.

I write for a living and precision in word choice is critical for my job, so this is an issue I think about a lot.

Op here. My youngest struggles with reading comprehension as well so she would likely need to work up to books like Ivanhoe. Any suggestions for books along those lines but easy to read/comprehend? I should note that she’s currently being tested for ADD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reading. Especially older books which often use words that are not as widely used today. Tolkien, Jane Austin, etc. Depending on their interests you can find all sorts of older books. I read Ivanhoe recently for the first time and while there were very few words I didn't know or couldn't guess from context, I had to really concentrate on the archaic language and sentence form. Good practice to get a feel for language as well as expand one's vocabulary.

I will never forget being in a senior-level English class in college and realizing that most of my classmates couldn't understand the meaning of the historical documents we were reading (17th-century English letters regarding governance and trade). It was incredible. They understood the literal words but they could not put them in context. That only comes from reading widely.

I write for a living and precision in word choice is critical for my job, so this is an issue I think about a lot.

Op here. My youngest struggles with reading comprehension as well so she would likely need to work up to books like Ivanhoe. Any suggestions for books along those lines but easy to read/comprehend? I should note that she’s currently being tested for ADD.

How old is she? Ivanhoe is fairly complex -- along the same lines as Tolkien I would say. For a younger child, I might start with A Little Princess or The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgeson Burnett. If she likes adventure stories, how about Otto of the Silver Hand or The Gammage Cup?

[Anonymous]

As others have said, reading, reading, and reading.

I don't think it has to be Tolstoy, I think you can pick up new words from Sports Illustrated! Whatever they want to read, assuming it's not too simple for them.

[Anonymous]

PBS KIDS Word Girl
follow @MerriamWebster and @dictionarycom
fun coffee table books to leave around the house: The Dictionary of Difficult Words by Jane Solomon, any "student's thesaurus" or "school thesaurus," picture encyclopedias

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As others have said, reading, reading, and reading.

I don't think it has to be Tolstoy, I think you can pick up new words from Sports Illustrated! Whatever they want to read, assuming it's not too simple for them.

Agree. Nearly every issue of Sports Illustrated has a journalistic piece.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reading. Especially older books which often use words that are not as widely used today. Tolkien, Jane Austin, etc. Depending on their interests you can find all sorts of older books. I read Ivanhoe recently for the first time and while there were very few words I didn't know or couldn't guess from context, I had to really concentrate on the archaic language and sentence form. Good practice to get a feel for language as well as expand one's vocabulary.

I will never forget being in a senior-level English class in college and realizing that most of my classmates couldn't understand the meaning of the historical documents we were reading (17th-century English letters regarding governance and trade). It was incredible. They understood the literal words but they could not put them in context. That only comes from reading widely.

I write for a living and precision in word choice is critical for my job, so this is an issue I think about a lot.

Op here. My youngest struggles with reading comprehension as well so she would likely need to work up to books like Ivanhoe. Any suggestions for books along those lines but easy to read/comprehend? I should note that she’s currently being tested for ADD.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. The Annotated Alice, as well.