WordSmart: Vocabulary Building for Middle School Students

According to results of the US Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress, many middle school students lack the reading proficiency expected in this educational level. In fact, 67% of eighth graders scored below the expected reading proficiency level. This statistic shows the need for many middle school students to expand their vocabularies and improve their reading comprehension skills.

As a remedy to this issue, the people behind WordSmart offer vocabulary-building software especially designed for middle school students: the Middle School Excellence program. This program is packaged to include eight CDs: four for vocabulary building, one for the WordSmart Challenge test, one for Progressive Reader 2008, one for a vocabulary test called MasterMind, and one QuickStart DVD to help the student use the software more easily.

The vocabulary building CDs included in the Middle School Excellence software feature over 5000 words. The definition and correct usage of the words are also taught to the user through various learning modes and activities. Interactive games such as WordSmart Challenge and MasterMind test the student’s knowledge and understanding of the words introduced. Progressive Reader 2008 provides students with speed-reading exercises that improve both the rate of reading and the level of reading comprehension.

The teaching methods used in WordSmart’s Middle School Excellence software focus on comprehension, and not memorization. The software helps students understand new words by providing synonyms and examples of correct word usage. The software’s visually appealing and highly interactive user interface is designed to sustain the attention of the average middle school student. The games and activities featured in this WordSmart software also encourage students to find fun in learning.

The program is also designed so that students can choose what learning mode to use. That way, the student learns at his or her own pace, helping them absorb knowledge more easily. Educational consultants at WordSmart guarantee that using the Middle School Excellence program improves English or Reading grades by one letter grade.

WordSmart’s programs are so effective that many schools and institutions opt to include WordSmart software in their curricula. An extensive vocabulary can help middle school students cope better with academic requirements. It can improve their scores on IQ and standardized tests as well.