Vocabulary & Writing Prompts

Understanding new words as they come up in the story, then putting ideas about the book into writing.

Middle grade books are full of new words and expressions. Kids don’t need to stop for every one, but figuring out a word from the sentences around it, called using context clues, keeps them understanding the story instead of skipping past it.

Writing about reading helps kids slow down and organize what they think. Even a few sentences about a character or a favorite part shows how well they understood.

How to teach it at home

Three techniques you can use during any reading session.

  1. Preview tricky words. Before a chapter, look over the book’s vocabulary list together and talk about two or three words. Our lists give the page number for each word, so you can find it in the story.
  2. Guess from the sentence. When your child meets an unfamiliar word or expression, ask them to reread the sentence and guess what it means before looking it up.
  3. Talk first, then write. Before a writing prompt, have your child tell you their answer out loud. Once the ideas are there, writing them down is much easier.

Questions to ask

These work with almost any book.

  • What do you think this word means? What in the sentence helped you guess?
  • Can you think of another word that means the same thing?
  • Why do you think the author chose this word?
  • What picture does this phrase put in your head?
  • Can you use this word in your own sentence?
  • What is one thing you’d tell a friend about this chapter?

If your child gets stuck

  • Read the sentence before and after. The clue is often close by.
  • Try swapping in a simpler word to see if the sentence still makes sense.
  • For writing, let your child say it first. If the writing itself is a struggle, write down their words for them.
  • Keep writing short. Three thoughtful sentences are better than a page of summary.

Books with vocabulary lists and writing prompts

Look for the Vocabulary and Writing Prompts links near the top of each book’s page.

Explore other reading skills

See all reading skills →