I’m an avid reader, and so are my kids. As long as there’s some variety in the reading material, if a person goes through enough of it, they’re going to pick up a pretty big chunk of vocabulary. Our biggest issue with vocabulary is that occasionally, they may know the meaning, they can probably even spell it, but they’re not so sure on the pronunciation.
All this to say – teaching vocabulary, specifically, for the mere sake of memorizing words, isn’t something I’ve felt a huge need for in our household. No matter how many words we collect, examine, and stuff into our brains, there will always be more out there that we haven’t experienced.
Even so… I can still appreciate a strong, yet extremely simple, product whose sole focus is rapid, effective, and nearly effortless vocabulary acquisition.
We recently received VocabAhead’s DVD product, which contains audio and video files for over 1000 words. Audio files are mp3, and consist of clearly enunciated words and their definitions, with example sentences, synonyms, or antonyms. The videos contain the same audio, plus cartoons illustrating the meaning.
The VocabAhead files can be used on your computer directly from the disk, or transferred to a mobile audio or video player. PC, Mac, or Linux – the file types are standard and should be usable on any system. This is one thing I really appreciate – when I purchase a product, I want to be able to use it when and where I need it, and not be tied down to specific applications or gadgets. It means the least amount of hassle for me, and I know I can use the product now – and rely on it for years into the future.
There’s no fancy bells and whistles here, and no need for them. The speaker’s voice is comfortable to listen to, and the illustrations are simple, but appropriate. VocabAhead DVD is adaptable to any learning style. Visual learners, the videos are for you. Listeners and kinetic learners, put them on a portable mp3 player and take them with you.
There’s nothing to prep, other then transferring files, if needed. VocabAhead will supplement any other language arts program. It’s like basic black in style – it will go with anything.
And it’s for anyone. We start learning vocabulary as infants, and we never stop taking it in. We often listen to music or audiobooks during playtime or in the car – add some of these to mix in. Even your preschoolers will be learning new words.
Yes, it’s possible. Especially with regular use. Just be prepared for your 3-yr-old to say something like “Shush. You’re interrupting me. I’m examining the patina on this penny!” And then once you retrieve your jaw from the floor, remember that you’ll appreciate it on their test scores – eventually. Even if you’re annoyed right now.
When I first took a look at the DVD, there was only one little thing I wished for. There’s no worksheets or quizzes or tests – no way for the homeschool mom is me to check and see what the kids have learned. I went to VocabAhead’s website, wondering if there were related products available. What I found on the website was even better.
VocabAhead does sell a related book that covers 300 words. It also includes the ability to download, from their website, mp3 and audio files for just those 300 words. (The DVD definitely gives you more bang for your buck – but I suppose there might be a few people out there who’d prefer a book.)
But even better – there are QUIZZES on the website. You can test yourself on words. If you register for a free account, you can even create and save lists of specific words that you wish to test on. (Or, that you want to test your student on, for us homeschoolers.) If you’d like to see sample videos, or a list of the words included, these, too, are available to view.
Perfect. The website works smoothly, loads quickly, and increases my appraisal of VocabAhead, bumping it up a couple more notches. Simple to use, effective at teaching, and results are measurable. Just exactly what I like to see in homeschool curriculum.
The VocabAhead DVD is $24.99 on Amazon; the related VocabAhead book I mentioned is $12.95. If you have a way to use the files, choose the DVD. More for your money that way. And make certain you check out the VocabAhead website – it makes the materials that much more well-rounded and accessible.
To see what other crew members had to say about this product, check out the TOS Homeschool Crew blog post, VocabAhead.
**I received this product for free as a member of the 2010-11 The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew so that I could provide you with an honest review of it by our family.**
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