Who Can Benefit From Vocabulary Software?

Everyone can benefit from increasing their vocabulary and understanding of written material. The most obvious gains of improving vocabulary are experienced by those preparing for tests or those learning English as a second language. For those not striving to attain high test scores, a large vocabulary can also assist in the workplace and in the writer’s studio. With an increased understanding of language avid readers can understand more of what they read and are enabled to enjoy more forms of literature.

Here are the key groups of learners that can benefit most from improving their vocabulary:

• Junior / Senior High School Students

  Students in middle school can benefit from vocabulary improvement by helping them understand their class work, improving their test scores, increasing their reading comprehension and preparing them for high school.

  High School students can use vocabulary software to help them achieve higher scores on SATs, ACTs and other college entrance exams. In addition, a good vocabulary foundation acquired in high school will prove invaluable in college, where vocabulary is not taught, but vocabulary knowledge is mandatory.

• Adults and Professionals

  With an improved vocabulary adult learners can increase their understanding of news, books, magazines, movies and television shows. Professionals can use vocabulary software to acquire new words and increase their understanding of professional journals, legal documents, conversations with their peers and technical documents.

• Those Preparing for the GRE, LSAT, MCAT, GMAT or PRAXIS Tests

  Vocabulary software is especially useful for those preparing for these types of tests. The GRE, LSAT and other post graduate tests go beyond common language and delve into advanced vocabulary or words not ordinarily used in mass produced print materials like news, magazines and popular books. Generally, most students need to spend a significant amount of time preparing for these tests to succeed and be accepted into their chosen program.

• ESL Learners or those taking the TOEFL

  Those learning English as a Second Language or those preparing for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) can greatly benefit from improving their use and understanding of the English language. ESL learners can boost their grades in school and understand more in the workplace with improved English language skills and high scores on the TOEFL can greatly increase career opportunities.

• Writers and Avid Readers

  Writers use words as their professional tools, a massive and diverse vocabulary is expected and necessary. On the other side of the coin, readers must also have a considerable vocabulary to understand what has been written by the writers. Both the writer and the reader can benefit from a large arsenal of word knowledge and will spend less time consulting dictionaries and thesauruses with an improved vocabulary.

In this site, you’ll find articles related to Vocabulary, as well as comprehensive reviews and a side–by–side comparison to help you make an informed decision on which Vocabulary Software is right for you. At TopTenREVIEWS — We do the research so you don’t have to.™

What to Look for in Vocabulary Software

First and foremost, for a vocabulary program to be effective it needs to be accurate. This requires a high level of quality on the software developer’s end. Programs that provide inaccurate information are useless to the learner. When it comes to vocabulary software accuracy is far more important than aesthetics. When looking for a vocabulary program consider the level of words covered as well as the level of accuracy. Second, look for a program that offers the type of learning tools that suit how you learn, whether that is flashcards, audio, sample sentences or games.

Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate Vocabulary Software.

• Teaching Tools – The teaching tools are the means by which the software facilitates learning; the best programs offer an assortment of teaching tools such as vocabulary flashcards, sentence completions, games and audio. The best vocabulary programs offer a variety of tools so all types of learners can benefit. We also considered how the program tracks student progress through the program.
• Subjects Covered – Vocabulary subjects covered include whether definitions and second definitions are provided with instruction as well as supporting subjects like synonyms, parts of speech, pronunciations and spelling.
• Instruction Quality – Instruction quality and the accuracy of the information provided in the program are both essential. If the program offers inaccurate information such as misspellings, incorrect definitions and poor grammar it directly hinders the learning process. The best vocabulary programs offer correct information and consistent word usage.
• Help/Support – Vocabulary software on the whole is easy to use, but if problems should occur there ought to be adequate support offered by the provider. This may include email or telephone support as well as embedded help.