Here are some interesting factoids:

• From age 8 on, children learn 8-10 new words a week. When they are in 3rd grade the vocabulary is at about 3,000 words; by the time they are 15 it has grown to 80,000 words.

• Reading vocabulary is by far much more sophisticated than speaking vocabulary. We talk in simple terms, we read and write with more sophisticated terms. There are all kinds of reasons for this, you don't need to worry about, but it is true!

The REAL Scoop:

It takes 12-17 meaningful exposures with a word for it to become part of your reading vocabulary.

PHEW! You should be thinking, no wonder I can't remember the word from one day to the next!

What is a meaningful exposure you might ask?

A meaningful exposure essentially is some sort of personal interaction with the word, you read it, or hear it and then you must interact in someway, in your head, talking or writing it down, some kind of interaction.

• If you read an unknown word and just move on, you have not had a meaningful exposure and the meaning is lost.

• If you read an unknown word, stop and say, "What?" then re-read the sentence... You just had your first two meaningful exposures.

• If you read it, stop and say, "What?" re-read, write the word down, turn and ask someone if they've heard of the word, and that person tells you, and you respond, "Oh you mean like when..." You have just created five meaningful exposures.

The reality is you can never get all 12-17 meaningful interactions at one time; you need to see the word again another day in another situation, and go at it from different angles. Each time a new word is seen, and some interaction happens, it is closer to becoming a permanent part of your vocabulary.

As adults, we can streamline the process, combining meaningful exposures into memory moments. So many of these words are common words used differently, like thread, or bum or anchor, so what has to happen is learn a new usage. There will be some connection to the original meaning, sometimes pretty slim, but a connection none the less!

next page: meaningful exposure suggestions