Final Entry/Reflection on Vocabulary Learning

As a final entry, I would like to think upon the previous entries and development of this blog. This final entry will cover the numerous things I have learned by completing the VSS blog.

I noticed that many of the words I decided to include in my blog consisted of words that I had never been exposed to. This really got my mind moving in terms of recognizing new and unfamiliar words. At the Graduate level of education, the level of academic writing is beyond what I have previously been exposed to. With an increase in the quality of writing comes the increase in more difficult and often content-specific words. For a few blogs in a row, I used words from one article, and there were some words I left off of the blog. I also noticed that some of the words I chose were words that I was familiar with, but had never understood, or took the time to understand, what they meant or how to use them. The practice of recognizing unfamiliar words, and then using them accordingly also increased my word consciousness. By being able to self-select words, I was able to become more personally invested in the blog.

I think that in a digital society we are all exposed to numerous types of text, often without knowing it. Even though I included many words from academic work, I noticed that outside of my education, I still have literacy routines- reading for pleasure, texts messaging, Twitter, Instagram, newspapers, list, etc. I have my phone on me all the time and use it when I feel bored or am killing time. Every time I use my phone I am exposed to different literacies. This is an important recognition, and should be a focal point in classrooms today- students need to be aware of the various kinds of literacy they are exposed to, on any level. Having an educational background in English Literature, I am more prone to focusing on how people use language and what they are conveying through that use. This mindset in itself helps me focus on new words, but this assignment has contributed to my word consciousness.

By keeping this blog, I found that I benefited in several ways. First and foremost, I learned how to be more aware of words I am unfamiliar with, whether it is written or spoken word. Often times (before this semester and assignment) I would hear an unfamiliar word and move on without thinking about the word. This assignment not only helped me recognize unfamiliar words in print texts and spoken word, it allowed me to develop a "thirst" for unraveling the word and understanding it. Just last week I was speaking to someone that used a word that I was only slightly familiar with. At the time, the person used the word incorrectly, but with my lack of knowledge, I refrained from saying anything. Afterwards I looked the word up and went back to that person and spoke to them about her usage of the word. This not only benefitted me, it benefitted her as well.

The blog itself was a useful tool in being more word conscious. Additionally, it strengthened my ability to read-to-learn. Now when I am reading, instead of skipping an unfamiliar word, I am more apt to read for context clues to help me understand the word. If this fails, I resort to other means of understanding the word, such as using a dictionary or speaking to someone and seeing if they know the word. This enhanced reading ability lead me to become a more thoughtful reader that reads more slowly in order to understand the text. Furthermore, this blog also helped me to hone in on my ability to write-to-learn. By using the unfamiliar words in my own writing and reflecting on what the words meant to me personally and their importance to my career, allowed me to be a more efficient writer that focuses on "how" to learn and use a word instead of simply "what" the word means.

In terms of the vocabulary tests that were given based on the class' words, I noticed that my preparation level dramatically changed from one test to another. For the first test, I only wrote down definitions and studied those. The results were not up to par. The second test I took a much more in-depth approach. I defined the words, looked up synonyms/antonyms, and used the word in my own sentence. This change in preparation arose from the lack of a good grade on the first test, leading me to be more resilient in my preparation. The results for the second test were much more pleasing. I have always been weary of vocabulary tests and their purpose, but this assignment gave me more insight as to how vocabulary instruction should be self-directed and initiated. At that point, you become more invested in the learning because you personally select words that you want to know about. I certainly look at vocabulary tests with more respect and look forward to using this strategy in my future classrooms.

For future considerations, I will need to make an effort to continue my learning of new words. This assignment required me to select words and reflect on their meaning. The conclusion of this assignment should not suggest that I will end my learning of new words; it does suggest that I will need to be more aware and active in my word learning. I will undoubtedly encounter new and unfamiliar words in the future and will not have to write about them, but I should make a conscious effort to pursue knowledge of that word to expand my vocabulary knowledge.

It has been fun keeping track of my new words and reflecting on the process of uncovering their meaning. I certainly take value in this assignment and can see myself using it further down my career's path.