In school, students are taught the fundamentals of the English language. Through the lessons about word usage, grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary students grasp the necessary understanding to communicate verbally and through written communication.
Language-Arts can be separated into several topics including English, reading, and Spelling. In an English class, students are taught grammar, essay writing, and public speaking. They are taught valuable lessons that they’ll use for the rest of their life.
Reading classes are more commonly found in elementary and middle schools. In high school, reading classes are higher level English classes students can take if they want. In my high school, I had taken an AP level reading class where I read classical novels and wrote unique essays including a feminist paper for Their Eye Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.
Spelling has always been a difficult part of English. The English language has rules that apply to some words but not others. There are many exceptions to words. The best way to alleviate confusion is to practice. A great way to practice is to pick ten words a week to learn. Memorize the spelling and continue to the next week. Writing the words multiple times may help. Always have a Spelling Dictionary on-hand for reference.
Next, you need to know the meaning of words. This ties in with sentence structure, grammar, spelling, and word usage. In many regards, understanding the meaning of a word is the hardest part of the English language.
Without the Definition of a word, the word will have no place in a sentence. Many words create feeling, like with sensory words that use the five senses. Authors don’t tell a story, they show by using sensory details. This creates emotion in their stories. The sensory details help engage a reader’s interest. But first, we must know the definition of the word so it can be used in this way. This issue was what created the Dictionary Challenge.
The Dictionary Challenge is very similar to the weekly vocabulary sheets I got in my first two years of high school. If you follow these easy steps, you’ll find that longer and more complex words are as easy to understand as short and common words.
Step 1—Keep to a category or create your own list
To start the Dictionary Challenge, pick ten similar words. The ten words can have similar meaning, close in spelling, or topic. Be creative. There is no list that is wrong. If you would like, make the list completely random.
For example: Take ten words with a similar topic.
~ ajar, alienated, buoyant, cavernous, eminent, flamboyant, imperturbable, lavish, negligible, and opulent
Each word is an adjective, a descriptive word that can bring feeling and emotion to a sentence
Step 2—Find an adequate definition for each word
It’s very important that you find a definition that makes sense. Different dictionaries and websites will have several definitions. Remember that some words may have multiple meanings.
Step 3—Write sentences with each word
It’s important to know how to put each word in a sentence. The Dictionary Challenge doesn’t just work with definitions. The challenge is to understand all parts of the word including where the word goes in a sentence.
Step 4—Give yourself a week to practice
Practice the spelling, sentence structure, and definition of the words for a week. Then test yourself. Your goal is to get at least an 80%.
Step 5—Start the next week’s word list
Every week have a new set of words. Don’t forget what you learned the week before. As each week starts, add ten new words to your list. Once the list gets large enough (30-40 words), you can pick certain words from each week. Eventually, your vocabulary understanding will increase and reading and writing will become easier.
The ability to communicate verbally has many advantages. Being able to go in front of a crowd and speak is a highly sought after talent. And written communication is a must in all professions. The Dictionary Challenge was formed to help people gain the necessary knowledge to accomplish these talents.
Start today and you’ll start noticing a significant difference within three months. I’m not just a Salvage Artist; I’m an educator who believes everyone can learn and use their talents. Start the Dictionary Challenge and find out that English isn’t as scary as you once thought!
For more information on Adjective Vocabulary Lists, visit Enchanted Learning.
