Want a higher TEST score? Want to thrive in an Honors or AP English/Reading course?
VOCABULARY IS YOUR SECRET SUPER POWER!
"Ms. Martha, HOW can I do better with vocabulary on the test?"
This is a question I get all of the time, whether it is about the ISEE, the ACT, the SAT, the GRE, or any other test out there. Nobody really thinks flashcards are fun, and the Quizlets with "100 words" can only do so much. Isn't there a magic hack?
Why, yes there is, and this is the perfect time of year for it: Summer Reading!
I wish I could say that we should all do summer reading so that we can take our stamped and signed bookmark from the local library to Pizza Hut and redeem it for a FREE personal pan pizza, but it isn't the 1980s anymore, and that is not the way to build our super power.
The REAL reasons we should all do summer reading include:
combat learning loss
acquire new vocabulary
practice making connections
build stamina
expand your world
ALL of the tests we take for admissions, scholarships, and course calibrations require VOCABULARY. In fact, the difference between low, mid, and high achievers often lies in the quantity of words they have mastered.
That's right: the quantity of words you understand directly impacts your test scores.
The ONLY way to effectively add to your vocabulary is through reading.
"Fine! I don't get a free pizza, but I get more words. Can I listen to a book on audio at least?"
Why yes, yes you can. In fact, reading along in your physical book while someone is narrating to you DOUBLES the impact.
So, find yourself a book, one you have not read before, and READ. Go to the library and get a stack. If you aren't hooked in the first 30 pages, close the cover and try the next book in your pile.
