MY+OBSERVATIONS

After conducting classes in standardized test preparation for the private high school entrance exams over a 10 year period, I made the following observations: - Scores on the vocabulary sections of the tests were on the decline.
 * MY OBSERVATIONS **

- Students expressed they were reading less and enjoying it less. Reading was being replaced by social media activity. Since reading is a traditional source of vocabulary building, this posed a problem.

- “Traditional” methods of memorizing vocabulary are dry, boring and ineffective.



In response to this issue, I attempted the following: - We tried, unsuccessfully, to use some online, interactive vocabulary games. The students still didn’t remember the new words because they were not making any connections to prior knowledge.

- I went back to my “roots” of connecting words I already knew with the roots and stems of new words.

- I integrated the “**CONNECTIONS GAME**” into my prep curriculum and **BINGO**! Student test scores improved 48%.

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