1. Integrating Vocabulary in the Home Have you ever thought, I can’t teach vocabulary? I don’t have the time to help my child? I don’t know where to begin? I didn’t go to college!

2. Why is it important for my child to have a large vocabulary? Research suggest that vocabulary has a strong connection to reading comprehension. A single book reading improved significantly children's expressive vocabulary. Kindergarten students vocabulary size is a predictor of comprehension in middle school. Shared reading experiences between a child and parent have shown to increase vocabulary. Vocabulary is needed in all content areas not just Reading or English. Pre-instruction of vocabulary words gave fourth grade students a greater gain on standardized test.

3. Shared Reading Experiences Have your child read to you and you read to your child. Pick fiction and non- fiction texts Pick out vocabulary terms that are new or interesting Create follow up discussions about vocabulary that were used in the stories you read.

4. Use Music and Rhyme Music calms tension and focuses thinking Listen to a familiar tune Take some new words and sing them to the tune. Write new songs down on a piece of paper and post in your room. Write new song and post on refrigerator and sing with siblings and other family members. Create a showcase each week displaying your new words. Rhyme, rhythm, song, and movement, have been considered a powerful teaching tool. Rhyme is a familiar strategy that consists of poetry or rap, or a nursery rhyme. Take your favorite nursery rhyme and play with it. Change out words for their synonyms or antonyms and rewrite and recite the nursery rhyme. What new words did you learn?

5. A Simple Word a Day Pick a word a day to learn Play a charade vocabulary game to introduce the new word Leave clues around the house to guess the new word. Post the new word somewhere in the home Make personal connections throughout the week to develop deeper meaning and understanding. (riding in the car, at dinner, out at the store, at a friends)

6. Vocabulary Activity Using Rhyme 1. Read the nursery rhyme. 2.Recite the nursery rhyme. 3.Pick four words that you are familiar with. 4.Find an antonym (same meaning) 5.Use dictionary if needed 6.Rewrite nursery rhyme 7.Recite nursery rhyme 8. What did you learn?

7. Additional Resources Parents www.abcteach.com www.readwritethink.com www.scholastic.com www.resourceroom.net www.wordcentral.com Students www.starfall.com www.pbskids.org www.intellitunes.com www.wordcentral.com

8. Closing and Evaluation I really enjoyed working with you today. I hope this presentation allowed you to understand how critical vocabulary is in all aspects of life and how beneficial it can be in the classroom. I hope you take the strategies learned today and incorporate them in your daily activities at home. Some additional websites and information have been provided. If you have any questions or concerns contact me at Kimbell Elementary (813)555-5555 Question and Answer Session

9. References Brown, R (2008). Why use music to teach?. Retrieved July 1, 2008, from Intelli- tunes Web site: http:www.intelli-tunes.com Looking at Vocabulary. Ed.Gov, Retrieved July1,2008, from http://www.ed.gov/teachers Blachowicz, C., & Fisher,P(2006). Teaching Vocabulary in all classrooms. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Merrill. Dixon-Krauss,L. (2001). Using literature as a context fro teaching vocabulary. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy.45,310-318 Richek,M.A.(2005). Words are Wonderful: Interactive, time- efficient strategies to teach meaning vocabulary. The Reading Teacher,61,567-570