Verbal Skills & College
John, the history buff in your class, consumes every book he can find on World War II. His knowledge of weaponry and war strategy amazes everyone. Jill, however, shows little interest in anything that smacks of history, favoring biology or more specifically, zoology, with an eye toward becoming a veterinarian when she grows up.
You are delighted with these interests and encouraged that the students pursue them with enthusiasm. You anticipate that they might be pursuits that will carry through their teen years and into adulthood. Perhaps they might develop into careers. The students are bright; they do well in their schoolwork; they perform above average on their yearly achievement tests. Is there anything else you can do to give them that academic edge as they seek admission and success in college?
The rite of passage into college admission is the ACT or SAT college entrance exam. These test scores are critical because most colleges look to the performance on these tests as confirmation of the legitimacy of the high school transcript. Colleges in the East and West usually require the SAT, and schools in the Midwest and South tend to prefer the ACT. The tests are comparable in that they both emphasize math/science (analytical) skills and English/reading (verbal) skills. And the analytical scores and verbal scores rank equally in both tests. But, if all other considerations are equal, most college admissions officers give more weight to verbal scores.
Research shows that academic achievement in college is closely aligned with the mastery of cognitive (thinking) skills associated with verbal abilities: namely, reading and writing. So, students looking at college need to be fostering those all-important verbal skills. Teachers in all courses can help them prepare.
Reading
If your students are already readers, that is certainly a plus. You want to encourage their interests. But expand on what they already like. They need to broaden their reading to include not only their favorites but also a variety of authors and genres, both fiction and nonfiction. Do not ignore the classics in literature, both old and new, from the 16th century (Shakespeare!) through the 20th. Perhaps you can recommend books from your own reading. Setting a good example of being a reader is enormously influential.
Research has shown that the literature of the 19th century (both British and American) is particularly advantageous in vocabulary and usage enrichment. But the writings of the 20th century are good as well. You will want to oversee the student’s choices carefully and be ready to discuss the troubling themes, but the moral and spiritual maturity of teens can develop by exposure to these issues will be advantageous.
Vocabulary
The habit of reading challenging publications and books will undoubtedly help build your student’s working vocabulary. But encourage him to make up his own vocabulary list. When he meets an unfamiliar word in his reading, he should immediately look it up and enter the definition into a notebook he keeps for just such a purpose. He should learn to use the word correctly— practice its use in both speaking and writing.
A word-root study is also helpful in every subject. Word roots provide a clue to the word’s meaning, even when the word itself is unfamiliar. College-bound teens should be studying a foreign language. Many colleges require two years of foreign language for admission, but that study will also help a student with his mastery of English. Not only does it help reinforce grammar, but Latin and the Romance languages also provide the origin for many of our English words.
Another way to reinforce both grammar and vocabulary skills is to emphasize correct usage in everyday conversation. You should use correct grammar and expect it of your students. Make a conversation game of using new vocabulary words. Make a rule that no object or idea can be called a "thing." And above all, avoid popular slang or abbreviated speech patterns ("He’s like. . . ."; "I go. . . ."; "Y’know").
Writing
Ultimately, the value of reading and vocabulary skills is their impact on successful writing. Any student who seeks a college education must demonstrate proficiency in composition. As you work on writing skills, focus on three areas: writing to understand, writing to explain, and writing to persuade.
To help him develop his understanding, encourage the student to keep a journal in which he does more than record the events of the day. In complete sentences he should explore his ideas as well as his feelings. You can suggest topics or encourage him to respond to what he is reading.
He should also develop his skills at analytical writing, the ability to use details to develop an extended explanation. Work on logical organization and clarity of expression. He also needs to be able to construct a convincing argument, analyzing his audience to know what appeals would be valuable and developing detailed support. It would be valuable to connect these writing experiences with his reading—analyzing the literature he is studying by explaining literary elements or arguing a literary thesis.
As you evaluate student writing, be sure to go beyond spelling and grammar. Address issues, such as organization, sufficiency of support, stylistic maturity, and clarity of expression. Developing such skills is a critical element of college preparation. They are necessary to the critical thinking that typifies college study. They are important enough to be taught in every class, not just the English class.
Dr. Rhonda Galloway teaches English at Bob Jones University.
