Anybody that has worked with teenagers knows that their set of commonly used words is often limited and thickly layered with slang or whatever is hip at that given time. This has been true for generations, but now we are in an era in which communication occurs more rapidly and anyone with a phone can speak volumes with pictures and video without uttering a syllable. This concerns me.

As a former English teacher and persistent proponent of rich language use, I fear that words are becoming less needed and therefore are in danger of dying or being reduced to some cheap, perfunctory code system only to be used when necessary. Though I have not done solid research, I would bet that the average person's working vocabulary is less than what it was ten or more years ago. This is true of me as well. I create screencasts in which words are unneeded or even distracting, and much of what I communicate requires the most simplistic language to avoid confusion in those I teach.

I realize the potential and power of multimedia, and I embrace that daily; however, I think there is value and beauty in promoting enhanced diction for all. Here are some ideas about how teachers and others can do that with digital tools:



1.) Image Annotation: Bring words to life by finding an image to represent it. Then use programs like Skitch (mobile devices), Aviary, Picasa Web (part of Google Suite), Awesome Screenshot (browser extension), or even Microsoft Word to add text, designs or other features to indicate understanding. Images are powerful mnemonic tools and when students link meaning in creative ways, the learning is typically stronger.

2.)Voice Recording: Many of my past students were great at matching words to their definitions, but they usually struggled to use them in speaking and writing. Simple voice recorders, like Vocaroo (no sign-up), can be used for students to practice and demonstrate usage. Other tools like Chirbit and SoundCloud allow for more sophisticated creations but require accounts. Many apps exist for Android and Apple as well. All of these provide links that can be easily shared and/or compiled.
 3.) Word Clouds: These can simply be used to help students see which words they use and how often. They can paste a passage or entire paper into tools like Tagxedo and Wordle, and the most common words will be huge. This is useful for the revision process or as a reflective activity in which students consider their word choices.

There are many other options and ideas for bolstering word use as well, but I am going to stop here. I think incorporating these strategies will lead to expanded vocabularies and a more well-spoken world.