Note: If you are really serious about improving your vocabulary, we highly recommend you check out the popular Ultimate Vocabulary Builder

A Look at ESL Vocabulary Building Programs

ESL vocabulary building programs can be a big help. Any student studying a second language knows how difficult it is to develop an entirely new vocabulary. Many English vocabulary programs are created for native speakers, and focus on old or obscure words. A vocabulary program designed for ESL learners should have the kind of words you need to know in order to communicate effectively.

Not all vocabulary programs are truly usable by ESL learners. Most vocabulary software works just like flashcards, and many do not allow you to limit the selection to words of your own level. This can be frustrating for students of all levels. As an ESL student, you do not need to be learning words for college entrance exams or graduate studies.

The other problem with many vocabulary programs is that they do not provide adequate pronunciation help. Some merely provide the International Phonetic Alphabet symbols. Others use text-to-speech technology that allows the computer to pronounce the work. This can be difficult for ESL students because the program may mispronounce words. Mispronunciation can harm your progress as a student.

If you have a limited budget, the Vocaboly program can be a good choice. Although the program is simple and works like flashcards, it can help you memorize and remember words you need to know to communicate effectively. Keep in mind that more expensive does not always mean better. One of the most expensive ESL vocabulary building programs available is the WordSmart system. Though it can pronounce 10,000 different words, WordSmart is only designed to teach you 400 words. Many people have had difficulty with the WordSmart customer service representatives, and generally ESL students should avoid this company.

Ultimate Vocabulary is one of the most extensive vocabulary programs available for ESL learners. Ultimate Vocabulary has almost 150,000 words for you to learn, including words sorted into different levels for ESL students. The software tracks which words you know well so you don’t practice them as often, and it can keep track of many different users so your classmates and family can learn as well. Ultimate Vocabulary lets you choose categories and subjects so you can learn words you’ll need for work, medical terms, and more. You can also learn more about each word, like where it comes from and how it is related to other words. Ultimate Vocabulary also shows you many different sentences using each word, so you can better understand where and when to use it.