Recently, learning new vocabulary has become something that is starting earlier and earlier in life. Today, a new visual learning aid is here to teach vocabulary from a young age in a way that makes sense.
May 4, 2017 – It is long standing knowledge that the early years of childhood contain some of the times when a person’s brain and knowledge is the most adaptive and malleable. For this reason, it is early learning has become especially important in raising and educating a child. One area where high-quality early learning is especially important is the field of language. For children, their minds absorb new languages and vocabulary faster than any other person. Sadly, many of the language teaching tools out there are simply too dry and underdeveloped to take advantage of the full potential of this period of life. To help address this issue with a new type of vocabulary learning tool is Vocabulary Maps, a minimalistic, yet stimulating, visual tool to help children everywhere learn English, Spanish, or German vocabulary.
The product itself is the Vocabulary Maps Workbook consisting of sample sentences, one hundred vocabulary maps, each featuring about twenty words, and various worksheets. These vocabulary maps are the core of the workbook and help to introduce new words with context. For example, a vocabulary map centering around a banana would show a banana picture in the center surrounded by banana-related vocabulary words and idioms like “peel,” “ripe,” and “go-bananas.” The relationships between these words are shown by connecting lines and proximity, as a result, a child can easily mentally group these words, helping to reinforce the memory of new vocabulary words. As for the pictures, each word comes with a hand-drawn picture in a friendly, cartoon-like style that is perfect for early learners. As an added benefit, this organization of vocabulary allows learners to learn from words they already know. For example, a student who knows the word ‘banana’ will be able to easily see the connection between the word “banana” and the idiom “banana boat.”
Additionally, the team behind the Vocabulary Maps Workbook is producing a variety of similar resources designed for use in the classroom. These learning tools include printable maps with fill-in-the-blank exercises, flashcards that can be rearranged, and more. All of these learning tools make a point of employing visual learning techniques while allowing children to learn in a hands-on environment. To produce these tools and workbooks, the Vocabulary Maps team has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. Through the campaign, supporters can pre-order books and other learning tools at a discount while supplies last. With this support, the team hopes to see the Vocabulary Maps Workbook and learning tools help children everywhere learn new words and languages.
To learn more, visit the Kickstarter campaign page.
Contact Information:
Email: s.gearing@vocabularymaps.com or t.bednar@vocabularymaps.com
