Vocab Videos is a revolutionary new system bringing vocabulary to life and getting students engaged in the learning process. Educators, we encourage you to get in on the action!

As you know, the college admissions process—that time of year where students are busy prepping for the SAT, preparing their college applications, and trying to manage their school workload—can be overwhelming for students (along with teachers and guidance counsellors!). Incorporating Vocab Videos into your classrooms will benefit your students by improving their vocabulary, and in turn their academic performance, and by giving them in-school time to learn the words that they will need to know for the SAT and ACT.

Here are a few reasons why Vocab Videos is right for the classroom:

•Engages Students
Keeping students engaged in the classroom can undoubtedly be a struggle. Vocab Videos gets students excited about learning! Hilarious short videos illustrate the meanings of 500 of the most frequently tested SAT words making them easy for students to learn and remember. With humorous plotlines and engaging characters, integrating Vocab Videos into English classes is a fun and effective way to change up a monotonous vocabulary lesson, and teach students the vocabulary they’ll need to know for standardized tests and high-school English exams. Whether using Vocab Videos as a starter exercise to get students motivated to learn, watching an episode on your SmartBoard as a class, or assigning a chapter as a homework assignment for students to make use of their personal accounts, there is no wrong way to bring Vocab Videos into your classroom.

•Gets Results
Vocab Videos is extremely valuable for students. About 1/3 of the SAT reading section is made up of questions that are explicitly vocabulary-dependent—questions that are potentially worth 150 points in all. Students will likely be involved in varying degrees of SAT prep outside of the classroom, but Vocab Videos offers you a way to work test preparation into your everyday vocabulary lessons. And standardized tests aside, an increased vocabulary thoroughly improves literacy, making students better readers, writers and interpreters of information. So getting your students familiar with these words will not only help them write better papers, but could very well help them get into the colleges of their choice.

•Extensive Study Material
Watching a video once isn’t enough to remember it forever, so our extensive review material is an essential part of the Vocab Videos study program. After students have watched the videos, the quizzes at the end of each unit allow them to reinforce what they’ve seen, and SAT style questions prepare students for what they’ll encounter on standardized tests. An alphabetical glossary for organizational purposes helps teachers and students keep track of words they’ve mastered, and gives students the option to review definitions without re-watching the videos. Category lists group words by common themes to give students a fuller grasp of the words’ meanings. Additional worksheets list words and provide space for students to write their own sentences. Getting students involved in the learning process will give them a more complete understanding of the vocabulary. They will be better able to recognize and comprehend the words even within an unfamiliar context as they might appear on the SAT, ACT or in a reading assignment.

•Leverages Technology
Vocab Videos provides educators an opportunity to incorporate technology into the classroom. Living in a new-media world, you have the potential to enhance age-old teaching techniques with innovative tools that will enrich lessons and benefit students. Students love watching and sharing videos; the YouTube phenomenon is proof positive that online video is a powerful communication medium. Implementing video in the classroom will get students engaged and excited about learning. Students in today’s technology-driven world learn from a variety of mediums beyond the printed word. Vocab Videos not only improves literacy in a real sense by teaching students vocabulary, but also helps them become familiar with “reading” video and gathering information from different sources of media.

Furda, E. “Answers From the Admissions Dean of the University of Pennsylvania, Part 3″ The New York Times. October 29, 2009.

Answers From the Admissions Dean of the University of Pennsylvania, Part 3

Cavanagh, S. “STEM Defection Seen to Occur After High School” Education Week. October 28, 2009.

STEM Defection Seen to Occur After High School

The college admissions process is stressful not only for students and guidance counselors, but for parents as well. We feel for you! You certainly want your children to get into the colleges of their dreams as much as they hope to attend the colleges of their dreams. Now, part of the test preparation process can be fun—at least for students (sorry, parents!). Vocab Videos is a revolutionary new system bringing vocabulary to life. Hilarious short videos illustrate the meanings of the most frequently tested SAT words making them easy for students to learn and remember.

Here are a few reasons why Vocab Videos is right for your child:

·         Perfect for preparing for the SAT, ACT, and high school English tests

VOCABULARY MATTERS: When vocabulary increases, so do your child’s SAT scores! About 1/3 of the SAT Reading section is made up of questions that are explicitly vocabulary-dependent—questions that are potentially worth 150 points in all! So, a better knowledge of vocabulary is a concrete way to improve test scores. And standardized tests aside, an increased vocabulary thoroughly improves literacy, making your child a better reader, writer and interpreter of information. A good vocabulary is important both inside and outside the classroom.  

·         THEY’LL ENJOY IT!

There’s not much about studying that could be considered “fun” for students, but that doesn’t make it any less important—it’s those good grades and SAT scores that are going to help your child get into his or her top-choice colleges. Vocab Videos makes studying this essential vocabulary more fun. Hilarious short videos illustrate the meanings of 500 of the most frequently tested SAT words making them easy to learn and remember. Parodies of some of your child’s favorite television shows like Lost, The Office, 24 and Gossip Girl make content more relevant, memorable and compelling for students.Vocab Videos’ humorous plotlines and engaging characters make it an effective and entertaining vocabulary system.

·         Useful study materials

Watching a video once isn’t enough to remember it forever, so our extensive review material is an essential part of the Vocab Videos study program. After students have watched the videos, the quizzes at the end of each unit allow them to reinforce what they’ve seen, and SAT style questions prepare students for what they’ll encounter on standardized tests. An alphabetical glossary helps students keep track of words they’ve mastered, and gives them the option to review definitions without re-watching the videos. Category lists group words by common themes, and additional worksheets list words and provide space for students to write their own sentences using the vocabulary.  If students have a true understanding of the vocabulary, they will be better able to recognize and comprehend the words—even within an unfamiliar context as they could appear on the SAT, ACT or in a homework assignment.  

·         Suits your child’s lifestyle

Between sports practices, extracurricular activities and school projects, we understand your child’s schedule can be jam-packed. Vocab Videos allows students to craft individual study programs, so that they can learn this crucial vocabulary on their own time. They can watch an episode before bed or study five words per day depending on their schedules and when they’re taking their standardized tests. Even if you decide to designate Vocab Videos as “homework” for your child, it won’t feel like their typical study time—Vocab Videos are funny and captivating. Students will be learning and having fun in the process!

Fitzsimmons, W. “Guidance Office: Answers From Harvard’s Dean, Last of 5 Parts” The New York Times. September 16, 2009.

Guidance Office: Answers From Harvard’s Dean, Last of 5 Parts

The Vocab Videos program in Paramus High School was featured on a special segment on News 12 NJ. Check it out!

See how educators are helping with SAT preparation and incorporating technology into the classroom. Students are learning essential SAT vocabulary, and having fun in the process!

• Students, Vocab Videos is a fun and effective way to learn SAT and ACT vocabulary that can increase your SAT score up to 150 points!
• Parents, your kids will enjoy Vocab Videos and it will help them get into their top-choice colleges!
• Teachers, Vocab Videos can enhance vocabulary lessons and it gets results!

Check it out in action at Paramus High School, and consider giving Vocab Videos a try!

Cavanagh, S. “New Tack on Math Promoted: Problem-Solving Is Focus of High School Guide” Education Week. October 6, 2009.

New Tack on Math Promoted: Problem-Solving Is Focus of High School Guide

      When I was in elementary school, academics, especially reading, did not come easily for me. I needed to see the speech and language teacher for help with my school work on a weekly basis. The guidance that I received in elementary school was invaluable and assisted me substantially when entering middle school. I specifically recall my parents meeting with the School Board prior to my first year of middle school. The School Board felt that I had improved so much my final year in elementary school that extra help was no longer required. My parents implored the Board to recognize that the help that they approved earlier allowed me to improve academically. My parents further explained that the Board should take credit for their accomplishment and understand that, by taking away my extra help, the possibility existed that I might regress. The Board finally agreed to continue providing me with extra help while in middle school. When I was a freshman in high school, I decided to undertake my school work without the extra help for which I still had approval. It became clear to me quickly that I would need to focus more conscientiously on my studies in order to maintain a good academic record. My diligence was rewarded as I improved academically in each year of high school. In my junior year, I was elected to the National Honor Society.

      Upon reflecting as to what may have been instrumental in helping me to achieve my goals academically, one detail seemed to stand out in my mind. Prior to the beginning of my junior year, I was fortunate enough to meet a young entrepreneur, Scott Farber. He had graduated from Harvard and had started his own education learning center. He made a lasting first impression. I discussed with him the anxieties that I felt knowing my junior year would be challenging academically. We also spoke about preparing for the college application process. What struck me most was his candor and easy going personality. He made the idea of learning comfortable. To top it all off, he was a very “cool” guy, full of confidence and exuberance. As the school year began, I found myself feeling more confident about performing academically. In fact, I actually enjoyed the learning process. I realized, for the first time in my life, it is not only important to want to be educated, but “cool” to be smart. My junior year ended up being my best year academically, as I improved in every subject and raised my GPA. And my mentor? His company continues to grow as he has forged a number of successful partnerships with non-profit educational organizations. I aspire to be as successful as my mentor.