Improving Vocabulary With SAT Novels

Read to Learn - SAT Vocabulary Practice From Specialty Novels

Oct 19, 2009

Vocabulary is learned best by reading in context. For students who don't have much time to read, these novels can be a great asset in preparing for the SAT.

Reading to improve vocabulary provides a useful and welcome change to memorizing reading lists and practicing flash cards. As a student's facility with SAT vocabulary words increases, seeing the words used in context will strengthen comprehension of word meanings. To help students as they study for the SAT, many preparation novels have been published incorporating as many as 1000 SAT words in context, with their definitions, and sometimes drills or quizzes.

Easy Approach to Mastering SAT Vocabulary

While studying vocabulary for the Critical Reading Skills section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, a student will often try a variety of approaches to improve test scores. Novels geared toward high-school students studying for the SAT can familiarize the reader with new vocabulary words in an entertaining story form. Most of these novels show the SAT words in bold with the definitions at the bottom of the page.

Several different publishers provide SAT novels. Kaplan Publishing, Harvest Books, Cliffs Notes, and Sparknotes are among the publishers with SAT vocabulary words embedded in the story. Booksellers as well as libraries carry various titles all with the goal of trying to make it easier for the student to learn SAT words.

SAT Novels – Better Than Flashcards

Unlike memorizing lists of words or flipping flashcards, students will not get bored while building vocabulary with SAT novels. Most of the novels deal with common subjects currently popular with teens, such as dating, sports, summer jobs, driving and high school life. Even though some of the vocabulary seems stiff and out of place with the rest of the story, the novels do a fairly good job of including the words in context without interrupting the flow of the plot.

Here are some examples of several of the more popular SAT novels available: Head Over Heels is about a girl who falls for her SAT tutor, another high school student. This one is more likely to appeal to teenage girls. Rave New World is a science fiction novel portraying life in the year 2157. The main character is a teen boy who falls in love with a girl in a futuristic society. The Marino Mission describes two teens who befriend a dolphin and investigate a marine biology facility. The storyline and dialogue in this book seems more natural and easier to read. It also includes a more extensive review section at the end of the book.

Confident and Prepared for the SAT

If a student is looking for a variety of ways to improve vocabulary, reading any of the SAT novels is worth the time and effort. Beyond memorization and repetitive practice tests, the books provide a diverting method of using new vocabulary in context. As educational yet light reading, they are another tool in a savvy student's repertoire of study skills for the SAT.

After the novel has been completed, the student should feel more confident and ready for tests like the SAT. Using the books as a study tool early in the vocabulary learning process can help ease the student into memorizing the various words in context. Reading one of these novels in the days prior to taking the test ought to provide a relaxing review of the 1000 most commonly used words on the SAT.

The copyright of the article Improving Vocabulary With SAT Novels in High School Testing is owned by Angela Kleinow. Permission to republish Improving Vocabulary With SAT Novels in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.