The World of Words
The beginning of a new year is a time to get to know your new class and to excite them about the learning ahead. Recapping previous skills, making links to prior learning and setting expectations around team work and cooperation all help to set the tone for the learning days ahead and this game is great for combining those ideas.
‘The World of Words’ is a game based on an activity I saw when I was a student teacher (that’s what we were called!) many years ago. Last year, I decided to link it to ‘The Same But Different Too’, a picture book by Karl Newson, illustrated by Kate Hindley as I love starting with a story, but this is not necessary as the game stands on its own or could be used with another book if required.
It is essential that anyone using this game checks that the words on the castle appear in the dictionary to be used AND that the dictionary contains relevant etymological information. Locating words in the dictionary using ‘the first two or three letters… to check its spelling’, but depending on the progression of skills/ policy followed and the layout of the chosen dictionary, the children might need more guidance about how to locate the relevant information.
The game introduces children to the idea of ‘loanwords’, words which are adopted by one language from another and fall into two categories, popular and learned. ‘Learned’ tend to be those words related to a specific field whereas ‘popular’ are those absorbed into everyday usage. Looking at these words can be a starting point for conversations about Britain’s chequered past in terms of colonisation, but also reflects the invasion and settlement of these islands by others- the Normans, the Vikings etc. - which helps when referring to some of the spelling quirks of English!
Whenever I have played this with children, not only have they really enjoyed it, but I have found that it opens up a curiosity about words and language which spills over into their learning throughout the year. A display of books relating to words/ language also helps. Titles might include:
The Dictionary of Difficult Words Jane Solomon, illustrated by Louise Lockhart
Lincoln Children’s Books ISBN: 978-1786038104
What a Wonderful Word: A Collection of Untranslatables from Around the World
Nicola Edwards, illustrated by Luisa Uribe
360 Degrees ISBN: 978-1848576452
The Word Collector Peter H Reynolds
Scholastic ISBN: 978-0702308383
An Interesting Word for Every Day of the Year: Fascinating Words for First Readers
Dr. Meredith L Rowe, illustrated by Monika Forsberg
Magic Cat ISBN: 978-1913520045
Once Upon a Word: A Word-Origin Dictionary for Kids--Building Vocabulary Through Etymology, Definitions & Stories
Jess Zafarris
Rockridge ISBN: 978-1646112593
Literally: Amazing Words and Where they Come From
Patrick SKipworth, illustrated by Nicholas Stevenson
What on Earth ISBN: 978-1912920174
Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words
Ella Frances Sanders
Square Peg ISBN: 978-0224100809
The Hello Atlas Ben Handicott, illustrated by Kenard Pak
Wide-Eyed ISBN: 978-1847808493
Hello World: A Celebration of Language and Curiosities
Jonathan Litton, illustrated by L’Atelier Cartographik
360 Degrees ISBN: 978-1848575035
