A fun way to preview vocabulary and get them to write!

When you are reading with your child, look ahead. Just a few pages. Pick about 6-8 words that are either words they might not know (vocabulary) or interesting words. Write them on the top of a piece of paper.

Tell your child they are going to do "Splash" - named for the splash of words they get - review the words with them - define, give examples...and then have them use those words in a story - you can have them write or tell it to you. Or make up a story together if you have a reluctant writer.

Why would we do that out of context? Because it's different than simply telling them the meaning along the way. They will do different processing. They will think of the meanings as they use it in their own made up story (the stories can be ridiculous, serious, fiction or non - they choose).  Later, when they read their book, guess what words are going to pop out at them?

Guess where they can retrieve that information? From the context of their story!

I love this strategy because it gets the vocabulary, gets them reading, and writing is thrown into the mix!