Winter Break is here for most of Americans, but that does not mean we should take a break from our learning. As adults, once we leave school, we don't stop learning, do we? The same applies to your youth- particularly them because their minds are sponges that are perpetually absorbing knowledge and information around them. Set the direction and framework for their learning just as their teacher would with these home-learning tips:
Study Semantics:
- Today's average reader is able to decode words but has a difficult time deriving meaning from a sentence. Much of this has to do with a lack of an effective framework for learning and teaching vocabulary. The greatest gifts you can get your child this Christmas or Kwanzaa are books and dictionaries. In particular, get:
* American Heritage Dictionary (any year): this dictionary features an appendix with Proto-Indo-European (PIE) roots of words; students will be able gain the basic meaning of words once broken down to their morphemes (word parts)
* Webster's Dictionary of 1828: use this dictionary to show youth the original meaning of words before the
addition of shaded/colorable meanings that often are miles away from the etymology. For example, did you know an American is a copper-colored person that is indigenous to this landmass. Thankfully, this
dictionary is available online at this link:
* Roget's Thesaurus of Synonyms and Antonyms: Unbeknownst to most of us, a typical thesaurus is flawed in that it does not give us true synonyms of words. Remember, synonyms have similar meanings, not the exact same. What are the differences? How do we determine the similarities between two words? This is apart of semantic relationships between words. One of the most reliable systems of identifying word meaning is Roget's classification of words. There are 6 classes that words can fall into:
1) Abstract Relations 2) Space 3) Matter 4) Intellect 5) Volition 6) Affection
Each class is divided into sections, which are further divided into subcategories featuring words that are typically paired as opposing ideas. From there, the reader would be able to find other examples that are closely related to the words in the subcategories. For example:
Under Affections we have the section of words dealing with moral(s) or morality. Under this section, we find conditions of morality, and temperance and intemperance. Under temperance we find: moderation, sobriety, soberness, self-denial, self-restraint, vegetarian, teetotalism, abstinence, Pythagorean, Stoicism, etc...
Now, the reader will be introduced to words and concepts prompting them to do moor research. What is a vegetarian? A person that abstains from everything except vegetables. The must exhibit moderation and self-restraint. Pythagorus was a vegetarian. Study the teetotalism movement in the United States of America. See how the door to understanding has been opened? A bridge to comprehension is established. And it is easy/fun.
Have students read sentences and replace words with appropriate synonyms given the part of speech (which the thesaurus has as well). You can create sentences with the "wrong" vocabulary word (the opposite) and have the student identify the correct word given a list of options. These are worksheets and activities that I create and use for my students.
If you are interested in creating an activity or curriculum for your child, contact me via e-mail at [email protected]
Thank you, and Happy Holidays,
B.Selah Lee-Bey
- Today's average reader is able to decode words but has a difficult time deriving meaning from a sentence. Much of this has to do with a lack of an effective framework for learning and teaching vocabulary. The greatest gifts you can get your child this Christmas or Kwanzaa are books and dictionaries. In particular, get:
* American Heritage Dictionary (any year): this dictionary features an appendix with Proto-Indo-European (PIE) roots of words; students will be able gain the basic meaning of words once broken down to their morphemes (word parts)
* Webster's Dictionary of 1828: use this dictionary to show youth the original meaning of words before the
addition of shaded/colorable meanings that often are miles away from the etymology. For example, did you know an American is a copper-colored person that is indigenous to this landmass. Thankfully, this
dictionary is available online at this link:
* Roget's Thesaurus of Synonyms and Antonyms: Unbeknownst to most of us, a typical thesaurus is flawed in that it does not give us true synonyms of words. Remember, synonyms have similar meanings, not the exact same. What are the differences? How do we determine the similarities between two words? This is apart of semantic relationships between words. One of the most reliable systems of identifying word meaning is Roget's classification of words. There are 6 classes that words can fall into:
1) Abstract Relations 2) Space 3) Matter 4) Intellect 5) Volition 6) Affection
Each class is divided into sections, which are further divided into subcategories featuring words that are typically paired as opposing ideas. From there, the reader would be able to find other examples that are closely related to the words in the subcategories. For example:
Under Affections we have the section of words dealing with moral(s) or morality. Under this section, we find conditions of morality, and temperance and intemperance. Under temperance we find: moderation, sobriety, soberness, self-denial, self-restraint, vegetarian, teetotalism, abstinence, Pythagorean, Stoicism, etc...
Now, the reader will be introduced to words and concepts prompting them to do moor research. What is a vegetarian? A person that abstains from everything except vegetables. The must exhibit moderation and self-restraint. Pythagorus was a vegetarian. Study the teetotalism movement in the United States of America. See how the door to understanding has been opened? A bridge to comprehension is established. And it is easy/fun.
Have students read sentences and replace words with appropriate synonyms given the part of speech (which the thesaurus has as well). You can create sentences with the "wrong" vocabulary word (the opposite) and have the student identify the correct word given a list of options. These are worksheets and activities that I create and use for my students.
If you are interested in creating an activity or curriculum for your child, contact me via e-mail at [email protected]
Thank you, and Happy Holidays,
B.Selah Lee-Bey
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