Words that Students Don't Know

[Anselm]

I noticed that year after year certain words are difficult for non-native English speakers.  I tell them that they can use a paper dictionary when taking exams but they almost never take advantage of that option. Then then resort to asking me what words mean during the exam.

The words that stand out so far are shallow, deep and depth.

[the_geneticist]

My current freshmen students say the do not know what is meant by: millimeter, concentration (of a solution), or pH.

[Parasaurolophus]

Not students, just the culture at large: there's a persistent conflation of greed and gluttony.

[MarathonRunner]

My current freshmen students say the do not know what is meant by: millimeter, concentration (of a solution), or pH.

Did they take chemistry in high school? Covered in grade 11 chemistry, if not in grade 9 and 10 science.

[the_geneticist]

My current freshmen students say the do not know what is meant by: millimeter, concentration (of a solution), or pH.

Did they take chemistry in high school? Covered in grade 11 chemistry, if not in grade 9 and 10 science.

That would have been during the pandemic, so I have no confidence in what they would have already learned.  And this cohort is the one that tested lowest in math compared to fall or winter quarter.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

My current freshmen students say the do not know what is meant by: millimeter, concentration (of a solution), or pH.

Ouch!

[Thursday's_Child]

abundant

[waterboy]

syllabus (I swear...)

[Myword]

 How about INSOLENT?  Are they, or know the word?

[fishbrains]

Students don't know that the words "delve," "tapestry," and/or "whilst" in an essay send professors straight to the AI-generation detector.

[apl68]

Students don't know that the words "delve," "tapestry," and/or "whilst" in an essay send professors straight to the AI-generation detector.

While that's understandable, it does seem sad for those students who read a lot and have unusually rich vocabularies.  Although you may teach somewhere that doesn't have any such students.

[fishbrains]

Students don't know that the words "delve," "tapestry," and/or "whilst" in an essay send professors straight to the AI-generation detector.

While that's understandable, it does seem sad for those students who read a lot and have unusually rich vocabularies.  Although you may teach somewhere that doesn't have any such students.

It's more when all three words are used in the same sentence.

[apl68]

Students don't know that the words "delve," "tapestry," and/or "whilst" in an essay send professors straight to the AI-generation detector.

While that's understandable, it does seem sad for those students who read a lot and have unusually rich vocabularies.  Although you may teach somewhere that doesn't have any such students.

It's more when all three words are used in the same sentence.

Okay, that does sound a bit suspicious. Must be one doozy of a sentence.

[Puget]

Students don't know that the words "delve," "tapestry," and/or "whilst" in an essay send professors straight to the AI-generation detector.

While that's understandable, it does seem sad for those students who read a lot and have unusually rich vocabularies.  Although you may teach somewhere that doesn't have any such students.

It's more when all three words are used in the same sentence.

Okay, that does sound a bit suspicious. Must be one doozy of a sentence.

It wouldn't necessarily be diagnostic for my students, who even pre chat GPT seemed to love the chance to trot out SAT words whether they are needed or not. Hardly a final paper goes by without a student telling me that a plethora of evidence supports something, and I've certainly also been informed that they concluded something after delving into said plethora of evidence.

[treeoflife]

My second year student did not know what peer reviewed is.