If you had a well developd vocabulary in high school, was it from your school or your parents?

Question

In school I never remembered vocab words because i never practiced using them. Now I am in college and have trouble coming up with the right words to express myself. Should my parents have used a bigger vocab with me while I was growing up? is that how you developed a good vocab over the years? The reason I ask is because I dont want to make the same mistake with my kids, I want them to be prepared to the real world and not leave their brain in the hands of a public school like my parents did!

Answer 1

It was a combination of things.  My mother talked to us like adults.  That means, she would use age-appropriate language, but didn't use much baby talk with us, especially as we began talking.  If we didn't understand a word, she would explain it to us.  She worked with us on homework and helped us practice spelling, vocabulary, math, etc.  I was also an avid reader, and I came from a literature-rich home.  My parents read and read to us, and we were encouraged to find things we enjoyed reading. That's also the best way to get kids to read.  You have to have a positive attitude about reading and share it with your kids.

Answer 2

parents/grandparents and reading a lot

Reading a lot will help vocabulary more than anything other than parental information.  Biggest piece of advice I can give you as a new parent, DO NOT "BABY TALK" TO YOUR CHILD!!!  Use your entire vocabulary with it as soon as it pops out!

Answer 3

My parents did a lot to instill a large vocabulary in me.  Both of them had a large vocabulary and constantly used it with me - they didn't speak to me like I was a small child.  I sort of whipped right through vocab studies in school, since already knew what almost all of the words meant; I also read a lot, so the word usage was reinforced.

I honestly don't remember anything from my vocab studies in school, since my parents taught me the words before I got there.

Answer 4

reading

Answer 5

All of the above and then some. My mother was a strong advocate in verbal expression. I read a lot - always. And I used to love thesauruses. I would write something then find certain words and substitute whatever I found that I liked from the Thesarus.

To expand your vocab, read current events magazines, science/ technical/ trade magazines, newspapers, Reader's Digest (they have a vocabulary page), play word games (bookworm, Y! games: literati, scrabble, etc.), and always always if you don't know something - find it out! Sometimes the context of the sentence can give you a good idea. But seriously, look at a thesaurus. They're really great. (NOT from a MS WORD program. A real book.)

Vocabulary is built from 4 sources: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing. So utilize these opportunities.

Answer 6

I think that it's a little of both. My parent didn't have a very good vocabulary, but I did a lot on my own. You would be surprised how much vocabulary you can learn when you read. I don't fault teachers who teach vocabulary like Spelling, but it can also be done just by reading a lot.

Answer 7

the show Dawson's Creek and I read a lot

Answer 8

I dont think it has so much to do with the parents, but reading plays a major role in communication.  If you want your children to have better than average vocabulary, read to them daily, have them read to you, and encourage (and even require) them to read on their own aside from school work.  This will stregthen their vocabulary.

Answer 9

My mother.