I really love some of the ideas that Jago presents in this chapter concerning vocabulary. Rather than having students memorize lists of vocab, she uses methods that make vocab more relevant. The bookmark is a great example of how teachers can make vocabulary words more relevant. By using the bookmark, students are more likely to pay attention to words and write them down, rather than skimming over them while reading. I like how Jago takes her vocabulary lesson further by having students categorize the words they wrote down on their book marks by mood. By categorizing the words, students can see how authors use specific words to establish mood in literature.
Another idea Jago uses to help her students understand a piece of literature and vocabulary is introducing key words from the text and discussing the meaning of the key terms before reading. After reading the text, the students find instances in which the character demonstrates characteristics from the key terms. By completing this exercise, students will not only expand their vocabulary but they will have a better understanding of the text as well. The students than use the key words to describe someone they know, which can help them see how these terms can be used in everyday life.
Overall, I really like Jago's ideas about teaching vocabulary. Instead of teaching lists of words every week, she shows how vocabulary can be tied into class readings and student's lives.
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