Examples, Discussion, Meanings

TRIGGERS Examples, Discussion, Meanings

Symbol or Sketch A symbol is something that stands for, represents, or suggests something else. For example, the American flag represents and stands for the United States of America. It also stands for and represents freedom. If I were given the vocabulary word freedom and its definition “the state or quality of being free, especially from the control of some other person or some arbitrary power,” I might automatically think of the U.S. flag with its red and white stripes and the blue square in the corner filled with fifty stars, each star a symbol for a state in the union.

After being given the word freedom and its definition, if I chose to sketch, I would draw a picture that to me represented freedom. For me that might be soldiers fighting in a battle because I know that soldiers fought and gave their lives for my freedom. Someone else might draw something else, such as a happy family standing around a piano singing. The word freedom causes different images (sketches) to come to mind depending on our personal history or background.

Figure of Speech A figure of speech is an expression, as a metaphor or simile, using words in a nonliteral sense or unusual manner to add vividness, beauty, etc. to what is said or written. For example, the following statement has a figure of speech: The huge old building looked as though it was an evil monster sitting on the hill guarding the innocent valley below. Now, the building is really NOT a monster and is NOT guarding a valley that is innocent, but the size of the building, maybe the condition of the building, maybe the shadows that surround the building, where it is located, how it caps the hill and seems to overlook the valley may suggest to an observer’s mind that it is like a giant monster looking down on a valley.

Describing Phrases First of all, a phrase is a “group of words that does not have both a subject and a verb.” If it is describing, it adds to the meaning of a word or concept. Let’s take the word freedom, again. I have been given the definition of it and have been asked to write a describing phrase that definition causes me think. So, after reading the definition and thinking about it, I might write down “doing as I please,” “believing what I want to believe,” “saying what I want to say,” “not fearing for my life,” even “breathing fresh, clean, exhilarating air.”

Smell Association We know what smell is, the sense that gives us recognition of an odor. An association is a connection in the mind between ideas, sensations, memories, etc. For example, if someone gave me the word autumn and its definition and asked me to give a smell association, I might come up with the smell of smoke from burning leaves.

Sound Association We know what sound is, the vibrations in air, water, etc. that stimulate the auditory nerves and produce the sensation of hearing with our ears. Thank goodness for this sense; it so enhances the world about us that we can hear the sounds in the world about us. An association, as we learned above, is a connection in the mind between ideas, sensations, memories, etc. For example, if someone gave me the word autumn and its definition and asked me to give a sound association to help me learn permanently the definition of the word, I might come recall walking through the woods in the fall, seeing the leaves fall to the ground about me, and hearing the sound of the crackle of those leaves that had fallen to the ground days ago and dried up from lying there so long, a typical characteristic of fall or autumn.

Describing Words Describing words are the words that make our speaking and writing so descriptive, so specific, so colorful. They cause our audience to be able to visualize, to hear, to feel better, in general to sense better some idea, person, place, thing, action, etc. What a dull communication we would have if we did not have descriptive words (these are called adjectives and adverbs)! For example, let’s say the teacher gave us the word cascade and then supplied the definition of that word cascade: a small, steep waterfall. Once I know the definition, I might jot down the describing words falling, dropping, rippling. Thinking of these describing words would help me remember and learn permanently the meaning of the new word cascade.

Taste Association We know what taste means. Goodness! Grandma’s coconut pie tastes good and may be one of the many reasons we always enjoy visiting her house. Association is a connection in the mind between ideas, sensations, memories, etc. and something else. Making an association between two things helps us LEARN! Suppose you were given the word cacao and its definition: a tropical American tree of the sterculia family, bearing large, elliptical seedpods from which cocoa and chocolate are made. Now, the teacher asks me to think of a taste association that this definition might cause me to make in my mind. Well, suddenly I might think of Grandma’s chocolate pie, not her coconut pie. Suddenly I have another connection in my mind with which to connect this word and help me remember its meaning.

Object/Living Thing Let’s say that I was given the new word effervescent to learn. The definition is “tending to fade away or disappear.” In an effort to make me thoroughly learn the new word, the teacher asked me to think of an object (nonliving thing) and a living thing that that definition caused my mind to associate with. Fog might be the object that would be closest to the definition because it fades away when the sun comes up; strange as it may seem my grandfather might be the living thing that would be closest to the definition because it seems he faded away or disappeared so early in my life and I had too little time with him.

Color Association Refer to the previous discussion on the word effervescent as to how I learned its definition. When I was asked to also make a color association that would further enhance or deepen my knowledge of this word, my mind went to the color gray. I do not know why, but fading away or disappearing for my mind suggests a grayish quality or color. Thus, this is the color association that comes to my mind for this new vocabulary word effervescent. Another example of color association might be that the sun suggest yellow, the sunset suggests red, etc. Application/Use The new word is festoon which means a wreath or garland of flowers, leaves, paper, etc. hanging in a loop or curve. The definition would suggest to me the application or use of such for decorating a room in preparation for a party.

Feeling Refer to the discussion above on cascade. The definition of that word is a small, steep waterfall. Let’s say you were asked to think of a feeling with which that definition might cause you to associate. Given the definition, I would think of the feelings cool, crisp, fresh because a waterfall and the spray it sends forth suggest to me those feelings due to my having been near waterfalls. Thus, I have another association with which to further internalize my learning of the new word.

Acrostic An acrostic is a verse or arrangement of words in which certain letters in each line, such as the first or last, when taken in order spell out a word, motto, etc. This can be another way by which to deepen our understanding and make permanent our learning of a new word or concept. Take the new word cascade and write an acrostic with it. This might be an example: Crashing from on high Always tumbling down Sliding rapidly to the bottom Chasing the path it carves Attending every moment as Down the mountain it rushes Ever landing in splashes of power In this acrostic every line was meant to be some aspect that reinforced some implication of the definition of cascade.

Equation Equation means being equal. In algebra we have expressions such as 2x + 3 = 12 which means that what is on the left side of the = has the same value as what is on the right side of the =. Let’s solve: 2x + 3 = 12 2x – 3 = 12 – 3 2x = 9 2x divided by 2 = 9 divided by 2 x = 4.5 2 (4.5) + 3 = 12 9 + 3 = 12 12 = 12 Now, let’s apply this equation concept to vocabulary. Again, let’s take the word cascade. From reading the previous discussions, we know what it means, but let’s say that the teacher wants you to think of something that you equate cascade to now that you know its definition. For me, I might say “Cascade = a beautiful sight.”

Synonym A synonym is a word that means the same thing as another word. In the process of using “triggers,” it can, as well, be a word that in one’s mind is the same as another word. Since I have used and referred to the word cascade so often in my discussion and explanation of the “triggers,” if someone were to ask me to give a synonym for cascade, I very well might say, “Waterfall!” However, prior to this discussion I would have used waterfall as a synonym for cascade as I have had the most experience with the word cascade as it relates to waterfall. This is where one’s experience or background again determines the associations that our minds make.

Similes/Metaphors A simile is a comparison between two things using the word like or as. Here are examples of a simile: My chair is as hard as a rock. His voice was like his father’s voice when it came to depth. A metaphor is when a comparison between two things is made by actually calling one thing by the name of the other thing. Here are examples of metaphors: Her smile was a ray of sunshine amidst the sadness of the room. (Note that the words like and as were not used; instead smile was proclaimed to be a ray of sunshine!) Back to cascade, the waterfall falling down the side of the mountain in Hawaii. If I am trying to further learn the definition of that word or that concept, I might be asked to think of a simile/metaphor I could make for it. I will think of the misty spray that the cascade produces as it rushes down the mountain side. Instead of saying misty spray, I’ll write, “the sparking diamonds in the sun’s rays.” This would be a metaphor. As a simile, I would write, “It’s misty spray was like diamonds sparking in the rays of the sun.”

Explain in Own Words To explain in own words is to completely restate a definition using words with which you are completely familiar and which you use all the time. The new word to learn is higgledy-piggledy and the definition is “in disorder or in jumbled confusion.” That definition might sound a little stilted or formal. The teacher, realizing that, might ask me to study the definition and then to explain in my own words what it means. Consequently, I might write “in a mess.”

Mnemonic/Memory To use a mnemonic/memory technique in the “triggers” is to design a system by which to inform the memory through the use of some kind of formula. Let’s go back to the word higgledy- piggledy. I am having trouble remembering what the word means. I wrote the definition in my own words, but still I needed more help in learning the word’s definition permanently so as to make it MY word. So the teacher asked me to design a mnemonic/memory device by which to better learn the definition. I came up with the formula “DJC” for disorder, jumbled confusion.

Touch Touch of course refers to that sense we use as we communicate or perceive by feeling. Go back to the vocabulary word cascade. Once given the definition and asked to think of a touch with which I might associate the word, I might respond with wet, cold, stinging as I think about the waterfall rushing with might and strength down a steep mountainside.

Analogies An analogy is a partial resemblance between two things otherwise unlike. Let’s say my teacher wants me to draw an analogy between the word cascade and some other thing that is totally something else but does have some similar characteristics. As I consider the definition and its implications, I might draw an analogy between a waterfall and the beautiful white drapes that cover the picture window in my mother’s living room. Both fall from top to bottom; both are continuous; both have similar shapes in my mind; both may have similar colors in my mind. Thus, a cascade is to a mountainside as a pair drapes is to a window.

Action Words Action words are powerful verbs that bring powerful moving images of movement to our minds. Again think of cascade, a waterfall coming down a steep mountainside. After consideration of its definition, powerful action words that might help me permanently remember its definition are crashing, rushing, violently splashing. The power of these verbs would more permanently help me remember the characteristics of what cascade means.

Antonyms An antonym is a word that means the exact opposite of another word. The teacher used a word today to describe the dress of ladies during the Elizabethan Period of England. She said the ladies wore dresses that were very “flamboyant.” I asked what that word meant. She said, “Flamboyant means showy, ornate, extravagant.” Then she asked that we students think of an antonym to that definition, an antonym that we knew which would help us associate with or learn flamboyant. My friend and I came up the words dull, boring, plain. From then on we thought of flamboyant as being the antonym of plain, dull, and boring. So we had gained a new word.

Word Shapes This trigger may require some drawing or other creativity. For example, let’s go back to the word evanescent. It means “to disappear or fade away.” So I might draw the word shape for it in this manner: E v a n e s c e n t. Now that I have physically and mentally exerted the energy to “draw” this word, am I going to forget this word’s meaning? NO!

Jingle/Rhyme This could be made into a pair/share activity where two students write a jingle together about a word once they have been given its definition. Then let one of them share with the large group. This could be a fun activity. Again consider cascade, a waterfall falling down the side of a mountain. Cascade a Waterfall Oh so tall As you fall Glistening in the sun Near where the deer run Splashing on the ground below Sometimes even melting the snow.

Important Word Take the word dynamics. Give the students all the definitions for the word: 1. The branch of mechanics dealing with the motions of material bodies under the action of given forces; kinetics; 2. a) the various forces, physical, moral, economic, etc., operating in any field b) the way such forces shift or change in relation to one another c) the study of such forces; 3. The effect of varying degrees of loudness or softness in the performance of music. Illustrate the “dynamics” of this word. Discuss it as an important word in a many aspects of the world around the student. (Be creative here; I think I am missing something here! )_

Non-Examples A non-example is just that. If cascade is a waterfall, then a non example might be a placid lake. Have the students to list the differences. In this process they will see the “gulf” established by the differences and thus more permanently learn the meaning of a word.

Advantages Sometimes the understanding of a new word or concept or idea can be enhanced by having the learners learn the advantages. In learning the advantages they make connections with their schema and thus seal a relationship with the new term. For example, take the term assiduous and give its definition, “done with careful and constant attention; diligent; persevering.” Have the students to list the results that can come from being diligent, careful, persevering. Then discuss and in the process apply or turn the discussion to their lives.

Disadvantages Sometimes the understanding of a new word or concept or idea can be enhanced by having the learners learn the disadvantages. In learning the disadvantages they make connections with their schema and thus seal a relationship with the new term. For example, take the term assiduous again and give its definition, “done with careful and constant attention; diligent; persevering.” Have the students to list the results that can come from NOT being diligent, careful, persevering. Then discuss and in the process apply or turn the discussion to their lives.

Examples The learners may be studying/reading a passage that has the word legend in it and the learners do not know what the word means. The definition “a story handed down for generations among a people and popularly believed to have historical basis, although not verifiable (cf. myth)” may fit the context of the passage. The definition is given and then the students are asked to supply examples; hopefully they will suggest such examples as “The Goatman,” “Paul Bunyan,” “Big Foot,” “Headless Horseman,” etc. Discussion of the characteristics of these examples should solidify the learners’ learning. Written by Doris Cothron February, 2012