Fifth Grade Vocabulary: How to Help Your 5th Grader Learn Vocab Words

How Can My Fifth Grader Learn New Vocabulary?

Your fifth grader may already have a strong vocabulary, but there are always more words for her to learn. People continue learning new vocabulary throughout their lives, but children who actively seek to increase their vocabulary often have stronger reading comprehension and communications skills. The following suggestions are based on the Common Core Standards for fifth grade vocabulary acquisition and can help your child build on her vocabulary.

Learning the Parts of Words

A solid way to get your child to understand new words on sight is by helping him study common roots, prefixes and suffixes. Your fifth grader can use this knowledge to figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words. You can print lists of word roots provided by a number of websites and teach your child a few new roots each week. Hang a small whiteboard in your kitchen and write out the new word parts each week to review with your child.

Reading at Home

Reading a variety of texts is one of the most effective ways for fifth graders to increase their vocabulary. When children read, they encounter unfamiliar vocabulary words and are often able to use context to figure out the meaning. Over time, a child's vocabulary will grow. Your child can pick out books from the school library or select a book from online book lists. Help her decipher the meaning of new words based on how they're used.

Studying Word Lists

In addition to encouraging your child to read, you may also want to quiz him on weekly vocabulary lists. You can compile your own word lists from fifth grade vocabulary lists online or use the vocabulary assigned to your child at school. You can also make vocabulary lists based on words from books that your child is reading or choose subject-specific words from science or social studies units. Encourage him to make a glossary of these vocabulary terms, defining each of them in his own words.

The Internet is a useful resource when it comes to practicing vocabulary. Many sites offer pre-made quizzes, tests and worksheets based on fifth grade core vocabulary standards. You can find free vocabulary games focusing on everything from word structure to synonyms, antonyms and homophones. Help your child navigate through these sites and find the ones that are most appropriate to his needs.