Take the time to celebrate learning and provide awards and recognition for students so that they become exhilarated about their increasing lexicons!
Some of the most powerful tools a teacher has in his/her toolbox are awards and recognition for students. Too often, our students do not receive enough positive messages in a day, but we can easily give them a boost of confidence by using a free reward for students.
I have several great vocabulary rewards for students including the Vocabulary Superstar Certificate, the Shining Star Template, and the “I ♥ Vocabulary” Handout & Button. Each of these downloads can be printed on colored paper or cardstock and can often make a student’s day or week brighter!
Simply recognizing students for using great vocabulary encourages them to not only see themselves in a positive light, but also reinforces their use of new words and expressions. These free rewards for students may not seem like very much, but I have seen students who fight over tiny stickers. For them, a colored heart, a star, or a certificate is very impressive! You can have a small awards ceremony, or simply tack up the certificates, stars, or hearts on the bulletin board for your students to see when they walk into the classroom.
Please share your successes — I would love to see your classroom pictures of the printed and filled-out rewards for students, so please share them on my Facebook Page (Vocab Gal) or Twitter @VocabGal.
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