A New Word

Last week, we received four caterpillars, which quickly pupated. We spent the next two days studying the chrysalises. I was thrilled on the third day when Pamela remembered the first syllable of her new vocabulary word chrysalis and on the fourth day she remembered the entire word! Years ago, when we developed Pamela's language with the association method, we learned that multi-sensory methods worked best for her. Pamela listened to me say the word, and she repeated it and used it several times when sharing her observations. She watched me write it and saw how it was spelled. She wrote it in her nature journal, saying each letter as she wrote it. Most important of all, she tied it to a previous known (cocoon) and had personal experience with a chrysalis. All of these factors enabled her to learn the word more quickly than usual.



Day Three:


Day Four:


Journal Entry: