Jensen’s Vocabulary

by Frode Jensen

Wordsmiths

$30

Jensen’s Vocabulary combines what were originally three separate books: Latin I, Latin II and Greek. These are now three parts of the combined book that teaches vocabulary based on Latin and Greek roots.

In the first two parts, vocabulary lessons are based on Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes. Knowledge of those word elements enables students to define an enormous number of words beyond those with which they are already familiar. In some ways, it is like understanding the phonics code for knowing how to pronounce words; this is the vocabulary code that helps us decode meanings for a significant part of the English language that has been derived from Latin. The third part, Greek, follows the same format, but uses Greek roots, suffixes, and prefixes.

Jensen’s Vocabulary was written by a Christian teacher and designed to work in either homeschool or regular school settings. It targets students in junior and senior high school levels.

The book is entirely self-contained—instructions, tests, and answer keys are all included as is appropriate in each case. It can be used as a consumable workbook, or students can write answers in notebooks to preserve the book for another student.

A chart in the front of each section lists the roots, suffixes, and prefixes to be covered within that section along with their meanings. Each lesson has four parts, one to be assigned for each day. All four parts work with the same group of words, but attacking them in a different manner each time so students absorb the meanings of the parts.

These lessons are challenging, requiring students to work from the list of meanings, while searching for shades and relations of meaning. However the books are designed so that students can do most of their work independently.

Teacher involvement is required for weekly testing and might be required if students find lessons too difficult to complete on their own. After completing each lesson, the teacher gives a quiz on the week’s words as well as a few review words. A sample test (covering lessons 1-9) is included at the back of each section. An answer key at the end of each section will help with exercises, but the tests are up to us.

It is vital that parents first read through “Hints and Tips” and “Notes to the Teacher,” then work through the first lesson (all four parts) with their student to make sure they understand how to do them.