One Bite at a Time: How to Study for Vocabulary Tests at EAL

"Mrs. Heather, how do I study for the tests we have on the roots and vocabulary words? And how can I do better on the test?"

The tests for the roots and vocabulary words you are assigned every week (taken from Roots and Fruits by Jill Dixon and in your course pack) are tested in two ways with a matching section and a word usage section. These are two very different skills- recall and critical thinking.

You will need to memorize your weekly roots (recall) and you'll need to understand how the vocabulary words are used in sentences (critical thinking). Here are three tips to prepare you to LEARN more effectively which is the main goal.

They will also help you remember information which will help you on your tests but remember, LEARNING is more advantageous than getting a high score on a test and subsequently forgetting everything after the test. (These study strategies apply to all areas of study.)

1) Do your vocabulary homework every week and do it over a couple of days instead of cramming it into one.

Your brain is like a forest. When you learn you are creating walking paths of information. The more you walk on the path the clearer the path becomes. When you don't walk the path it becomes overgrown and you have to rebuild the path. Walk your paths at least weekly and possibly daily if you really struggle a lot. In the younger class the vocabulary work is meant to be done every day for this very reason. Some kids like to cram it in. If you are one of those kids then make yourself take two days to complete all of the assignments instead of four. The repetition will help you learn but cramming will squeeze your brain like a sponge (and all those words will fall out!).

Older students do not have the same worksheets the younger students do but they can benefit from doing the creative learning activity listed on their weekly assignment sheet for their weekly vocabulary words ("Draw a picture, symbol, or write a rhyme or clue to help you remember the meaning.")






  
2) Review last weeks work every week.

This is the same idea I explained in Number 1. Every week you should go back over the vocabulary and roots you learned in the previous weeks. Use your flip book/flash cards to review the weekly roots and vocabulary. Play a game with your flashcards or with an online study tool like Quizlet (it creates review games for you when you enter your terms). This only takes a few minutes but will pay you back by reinforcing those pathways you are building. Read my other blog for more details about testing and study tools at EAL.

3) Study in Style! Use your Learning Style to Review: Re-read, rewrite or speak aloud the sentences you wrote.

Every week you write several sentences with your vocabulary words (the worksheets from Roots & Fruits in your course pack). Depending on your learning style you should review those sentences so you can reinforce how the words are used. Writing the words in sentences is the best way to understand how they are used....because you are using them when you write!

By reviewing and revisiting your homework from previous weeks you will be reinforcing what you have learned and making well worn pathways that are easier to walk on. This will also prepare you for how to study when you move on to higher education in college or technical school. Learning how to use these practices now will pay you back many times over.

Recommended Resources:

This is what we use at EAL for vocabulary and
what I've used with my children for the last 9 years.

 

If you don't know your learning style you can use this guide
 to learn what it is and what techniques will help you
 learn in all areas of study.