Thanks to Mr. Byrne at Free Technology for Teachers, I have discovered the website, Wordia, which is essentially a collection of videos exploring word definitions. Although Wordia has produced several beautifully made videos of celebrities talking about words, one can also upload a video related to a word of choice.
Although not all the videos are kid-friendly, I see an educational value in this type of word study. Our brains are wired to remember connections, not facts. Definitions on their own may have little meaning to someone with a developing vocabulary. Stories, comedy and performances on the other hand are far more memorable. Thus, Wordia, with its engaging approach to language, provides exactly what the brain craves in order to expand vocabulary – connections.
Here are two of my favorite videos:
