As teachers, the concept of “word choice” is common language in classrooms around the United States. Careful word choice is a key to effective writing and speaking. Selecting appropriate and precise words helps to increase the impact you have on your audience. Ideally, this is what teachers try to convey to their students at each grade level, but a child’s learning continues at home and in their community. So, our children may be getting mixed messages.

Communication begins with words. Shurley English teaches students to expand their word-banks by providing students with exercises in vocabulary, etymology, analogies, synonyms, antonyms, domain specific language, and informal and formal language. They learn how to use the words in their word-bank to create sentences, paragraphs, and essays. Speaker and audience guidelines teach students how to appropriately ask questions and give feedback or responses during presentations and when working in groups. The depth of a child’s word-bank will ultimately determine whether or not their true voice and personality can shine through in their writing. Communication in the academic world is one arena; students learn about different genres of writing so they can be prepared for the “big test,” but the “real test” is being able to express their thoughts and feelings outside of the classroom.

Here’s my point, teachers teach students about “word choice” when it comes to writing, but are we teaching students about the real impact that words have on the audience. Are students thinking about “word choice” when it comes to speaking with their friends and family?

Always remember that when you teach from the Shurley English curriculum, you are teaching students how to own their language in order to express their thoughts and feelings in writing and speaking. You are teaching them so much more than how to write a 1,000 word essay for the test.

“You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.” ~Zig Ziglar