I have been "teaching" SAT vocabulary pretty much the same way for years, and for years I've been frustrated with it. I struggle with how to teach general words (i.e., without a specific context going on) and usually feel like I'm failing at it. I like having an SAT word quiz every week because as an English teacher, that gives me an objective grade.
As I've been updating my grades, I am frustrated that so many of my students do poorly. I want to teach them how to study, but I forget that they don't know how to study. I can put the words on a flashcard app and for many that helps, but for others it is an afterthought. So I've decided that next six weeks I need to do something different. I need to find a way to take the time, that oh so important and valuable time to help them learn their weekly SAT words - words that they will see in future texts, on tests, and many they may even hear in video games.
So I've gone on a search. We have ten different words every week, more than that per week I believe is too much. I've found some really great ideas, some that I will begin instituting tomorrow: Create a movie trailer using the words in the description and the title; create a screen name with several of the words; the always famous vocabulary bingo (which may make me alter how many words I use per week); and texting a message using the words.
I've got lots of thinking to do for next six weeks, and it needs to be something that will not add additional grading to my already full week. I truly want to be the best teacher I can be for my kids, and that means I need to make some changes, and make them quickly. Students today don't know how to study and we don't have the time to teach them, the least I can do is institute some sneaky skills in my classroom.
