My Words

• Grades 3 to 6
• Builds vocabulary, spelling, and writing fluency
• Space provided on cover for self-portrait or other art 
• A uniquely Canadian student resource used in schools across Canada

Hello and welcome!

My Words is designed to give learners just the nudge they need to become independent, fluent writers with rich vocabulary and confident spelling. This easy-to-use book offers young writers inspiring words and hints right at their fingertips. My Words provides a well-ordered sequence of lessons for the teacher, too. For extra ideas, you can download the accompanying, free Teaching Tips at mywordbooks.com.

At the front of the book, learners will discover a generous section of words listed alphabetically, with plenty of room to add their own. Each page offers helpful tips. For example, students might turn to the “G” section to check the spelling of “guitar.”  In addition to a list of interesting “G” words, they’ll find fresh alternatives to the overused “good,” plus the proper versions of “gotta” and “gonna.”

Subsequent, thematic pages build each student’s understanding of punctuation, capitalization, and parts of speech. Students learn how to jazz up their colour descriptions, and can colour in the accompanying circles. There are sports words, food words, animal words, vocabulary for the five senses — and much more.

An experienced Canadian teacher created My Words to inspire students’ confidence and excitement about language, boost their personal word bank, and enhance their writing fluency in all subjects. Students keep their personalized book from one grade to the next. My Words also supports all teachers, including those who are new to the classroom. With a class set of My Words and the Teaching Tips online, you and your students are ready to write!

• alphabetical lists of common words that students need over and over again, including familiar Canadian words such as "Elder," "First Nations," and "toque"
• challenging vocabulary that students ask for (such as “trampoline” and “dinosaur”)
• spelling variations (such as “neighbour” and “neighbor”)
• spaces for students to add new words
• explanations for confusing words (such as “breath” and “breathe”)
• alternatives for overused words (such as “nice”)
• contractions and their longer equivalents (such as “isn’t” for “is not”)
• basic writing tips (such as how to reduce the use of “and”)
• how to find words with challenging spelling (such as “phone” and “know”)
• basic punctuation, capitalization, parts of speech, and spelling stumpers
• how to boost descriptions of colours
• special word lists (days of the week, months, animals, numbers, colours, the five senses, feelings and behaviour, Canadian place names, planets, sports and fitness, food, dinosaurs, and even superheroes!)
• printed and cursive alphabets
• drawing space on the front cover (maybe for a self-portrait, mandala, or zentangle!)