Friday, September 17, 2010

The Best Way to Increase Their Vocabulary


All four of our children know the U.S. presidents, in order, simply because of a book we have that uses mnemonics.  (A mnemonic is a device that helps you remember something by associating what you are trying to remember with something you already know.)  This presidents book has silly little cartoon pictures that incorporates the president's names to help the reader remember them in order.  After using this book to learn their presidents, they can each recite them to you in an impressive amount of time even though it's been several years since we used the book!

So when, as a member of the TOS Review Crew, I was asked to review the book Vocabulary Cartoons- SAT Word Power by New Monic Books I knew, before the book even arrived, that this was most likely one that we would not only use on a regular basis but would also probably thoroughly enjoy.



So, how does this book work?  How does it help students "learn hundreds of SAT level words faster and easier"?  Well, it's simple really.  290 SAT words are each presented with a silly cartoon along with a linking word or words that help the student remember the meaning of the words. 

Here is an example from the book using the word 'Fathom'...


Although the target age for this book is 7th-12th graders, I like to include as many of our children as possible in the reviews we do just to see what they're capable of.  For this book I chose to give the kids (and myself!) a new 'word-of-the-day' each day throughout the school week. 

Each day, after going over the new word and the cartoon associated with it, I would write the new word along with it's definition on a sheet of paper and hang it on our refrigerator where we could all see it each time we passed by.  The kids enjoyed reading over them, using them in sentences when talking to each other, and telling daddy about their new word when he got home from work each day!  Several times I even caught them trying to use more than one of our new words in one sentence!  This to me is all the proof I need that Vocabulary Cartoons works!

If you'd like to check out Vocabulary Cartoons SAT Word Power for yourself you can see examples here.  New Monic Books also offers a vocabulary cartoons book for elementary students, a second edition of SAT Word Power, as well as a Picture Speller for Young Writers.  Each of the vocabulary cartoon books are priced at only $12.95 with the spelling book being $19.95.  To see more information on these books or to purchase one or more of them, please visit the New Monic web site.

As for me and my family, we give Vocabulary Cartoons two big thumbs up!


Read what other Crew members think about New Monic Vocabulary Cartoons!


*As a member of the Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew I received this product free of charge in exchange for my review and honest opinion of it.  As a believer and follower of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I promise you that all my reviews are honest and contain only my own true opinions...'cause He told me to not lie!

1 comment:

Mary Lou Casada said...

How clever! My boys LOVE vocabulary -- they like to impress me using their new words. I know they will like this product! Good review!
Blessings,
Mary Lou