...and while this is something that I've always known, I didn't fully understand the full scope (which means extent) of the problem until I had to explain to one of my classes that "italics" is the word used to name what they have been referring to as "the slanty words." So, in an attempt to rectify (which means to correct) the issue, I've made a solid endeavor (which means attempt) to use and define bigger words when speaking to them in order to help them acclimate (which means adjust) to a world where someone may throw a word or two around containing more than two syllables. I've also incorporated weekly vocabulary words and periodic (meaning regular) quizzes over said words. Today was the first such quiz, and five of the words making the list were pompous (meaning full of yourself), efface (meaning to erase), sporadically (meaning randomly), candid (meaning honest), and benevolent (meaning kind). One of their arduous (meaning difficult) tasks was to use those three words correctly in a sentence. The results were:
correct, yet hilariously so:
"Only pompous people and George W. Bush would own an SUV."
"I effaced this sentence. Oh wait, no, I didn't."
"The pompous king wanted all the unicorns to himself."
"I tend to sneeze sporadically every fifth Tuesday."
"If you make me angry, I will efface your face!"
incorrect, but hilariously so:
"I think the baby's father is benevolent and has a tail."
"A celebrity candided along the red carpet."
"The efface of some people is very ugly and hard to change."
"Me and my mom made a very big pompous for dinner."
"You are benevolent like an acrobat on a balance beam."
ignorant of the definition, yet honest about it:
"I don't know what efface means (well, it's a sentence...)"
"I didn't study, so I have no idea what pompous means."
"Benevolent is a big word with five syllables."
and making me wonder whether or not I should alert a school psychologist:
"This is very benevolent, like my secret places."
And while I'm still not quite ready to throw in the towel and let them return to monosyllabic (one syllable) words and primatal (primate-like) grunts, I am still left feeling perplexed (confused), crestfallen (depressed) and, surprisingly enough, mildly hungry (um...hungry).
correct, yet hilariously so:
"Only pompous people and George W. Bush would own an SUV."
"I effaced this sentence. Oh wait, no, I didn't."
"The pompous king wanted all the unicorns to himself."
"I tend to sneeze sporadically every fifth Tuesday."
"If you make me angry, I will efface your face!"
incorrect, but hilariously so:
"I think the baby's father is benevolent and has a tail."
"A celebrity candided along the red carpet."
"The efface of some people is very ugly and hard to change."
"Me and my mom made a very big pompous for dinner."
"You are benevolent like an acrobat on a balance beam."
ignorant of the definition, yet honest about it:
"I don't know what efface means (well, it's a sentence...)"
"I didn't study, so I have no idea what pompous means."
"Benevolent is a big word with five syllables."
and making me wonder whether or not I should alert a school psychologist:
"This is very benevolent, like my secret places."
And while I'm still not quite ready to throw in the towel and let them return to monosyllabic (one syllable) words and primatal (primate-like) grunts, I am still left feeling perplexed (confused), crestfallen (depressed) and, surprisingly enough, mildly hungry (um...hungry).
Labels: edumacationally yours
1 Comments:
We've taken the proactive step of actually combining multi-syllabic words when speaking to our children.
"Did you see that gi-normous truck?
That way, they only have to learn one large word instead of two.
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