Transform current events into learning events.

Here’s a quick, no-fail way to integrate current events, vocabulary instruction and media literacy into an easy-to-assign (but nutritious) homework assignment.

Find an article from the news that’s relevant to your curriculum. Better yet, invite your students to find their own articles. Have each of them create a word list based on the text using Vocabulary.com’s InstaList™. We’ll instantly identify the most relevant vocabulary words that are crucial for comprehension.

Here's how:

1. Search for an article that fits your curriculum. Invite students to locate a resource that interests them. Then select the text (up to 100 pages) from the article and copy it.
2. Paste the text into InstaList. We’ll instantly identify the most relevant academic vocabulary words in the text. Name your new list, customize it if you’d like to, and you’re ready to go.
3. Practice the list. Now your students can practice the new list and be prepared for the challenging language they’ll encounter in the reading.

What they’ll do:

Using InstaList, students will create vocabulary lists that present relevant words from the article alongside definitions and example sentences taken from the article.

When students “Practice,” they learn the different meanings of each word on the list by answering questions. Practice activities are adaptive, so each student gets a different experience. If a student struggles with a word, they'll have to spend additional time on it. Trouble words will be added to their Personal Learning Program, so that Vocabulary.com can follow up until they achieve mastery.

Prepare students to attack the most complex texts.

For many students, reading news articles and science journals is challenging because of the unfamiliar words in the text. Vocabulary.com makes complex texts more accessible by pre-teaching the relevant words that are most essential for comprehension. This targeted instruction prepares students for a better understanding of the resources you want them to read.

The next time you’re teaching with an article, assign Vocabulary.com before your students tackle the text. Whether current events are a big part of your class discussions, a weekly homework assignment, or an occasional activity, preparing your students for better reading just makes sense.