The Knowsys Vocabulary Builder Program is designed to help students improve their vocabulary and, through vocabulary acquisition, their reading and writing skills.
A systematic approach to vocabulary acquisition and mastery is important. Research shows that a student’s vocabulary—both the quantity and level—are directly related to the student’s reading comprehension skills and writing skills. In most schools, vocabulary is addressed indirectly as part of a reading program. The idea is that students will “pick up” their vocabulary while reading. Such a passive approach to vocabulary mastery has proven inadequate, however.
The Knowsys Vocabulary Builder Program provides students with a tool for learning vocabulary systematically and intentionally.
The Vocabulary Program Levels
Grades 6 – 12
The Vocabulary Builder program includes Flashcards for grades 6 through 12. Each level contains 300 Flashcards.
SAT
The grade 11 words are Flashcards specific to the SAT. There are 555 SAT Flashcards in the 11th grade set. These words are taken from released SAT exams and are based on the number of times the terms appeared on the SAT.
The 3 Keys to the Successful Mastery
Knowsys vocabulary words are clustered in word groups (such as “praise” or “criticize”) rather than in alphabetical order. Students learn new words by associating them with, and distinguishing them from, related words.
For example, in the group PRAISE students will learn words such as adulation, ascribe, encomium, veneration, tout, exalt, eulogy, plaudit, and rhapsodize. By learning all these praise words together, students not only expand their vocabulary by associating related words but also learn the differences between related words.
Each Knowsys Vocabulary Card incorporates an array of learning tools to help students master new words. Each card contains the following:
- the vocabulary word
- a clear, simple definition
- the word’s phonetic pronunciation
- the word’s group
- a sample sentence
- the word’s part of speech
- the word’s tone
- related or variant forms of the word
- and a "Memory Box."
The Knowsys Vocabulary Builder Program uses Knowsys’ proprietary Memory Box System to help students transfer words from short-term to long-term memory.
Short-term memory
Test yourself every other day. Keep a tally in pencil of the number of times you get the word correct. Use the Memory Box on the front of the card to keep your tally.
After getting a word correct 5 times in a row, transfer it to your “long-term memory” stack. Review these cards once a week. If you get a word wrong erase all 5 checks in the card's Memory Box and put the card back in your “short-term memory” stack. If you get the word correct you’ve mastered that word!
