How to Make Vocabulary Learning Engaging and Meaningful!

A well developed vocabulary is one of the key indicators of academic success. As speech language pathologists, it is our job to support academic learning and help the students access the curriculum. One of the best parts of our job is seeing our work in sessions translate into accomplishments in the classroom. Research says that in order to learn a new word you need at least 15-20 exposures. Despite all the merits of supporting students’ vocabulary development, vocabulary instruction can, at times, be tedious. Sometimes it can be downright boring. Just giving the student the word, part of speech, and definition may be ineffective. With these four tried and true suggestions, vocabulary learning comes alive for the students!

Give it a personal connection- This makes it meaningful for students! Utilize students’ prior knowledge. Make a semantic map to visually show relationships between words. Have students relate the target vocabulary word to their own life and experiences. Creating associations helps the brain retain new vocabulary; it also helps to recall the vocabulary word in the future!

Draw a picture- When a student is asked to draw their own depiction of the vocabulary word, they are storing a mental image of the definition. Generating a novel image also ensures that the student is actively engaging with the vocabulary word! If you see students in groups, you can have them share their drawings after completion (side note: this can lead to hilarious memories for everyone!)

Make it playful- Have fun with new words! No matter what age group you work with, games can be utilized effectively in speech and language therapy sessions. Associating new vocabulary with positive memories helps with recall and retention. Here are some of my favorite vocabulary game suggestions: Taboo, Catch Phrase (edited to have only your vocabulary words), Kahoot, Pictionary, Memory, and Blurt (modified to have only your vocabulary words)

Practice many days in many ways- Variety is the spice of life! If you’re getting bored with vocabulary activities, your students are definitely getting bored as well! Mix it up to give your students both extra exposures to the target vocabulary word and positive experiences. Use your students’ interests to make a new, fun, vocabulary activity. Be silly. Get moving. Try everything!