Asking children to use a dictionary without discussion to expand their vocabularies is uninteresting, unnatural and unwarranted. This type of assignment requests that the student teach him or herself. Directing students with words without showing them what to do is quite difficult. Asking them to do it independently without observing a model is inappropriate instruction. This article focuses on teaching strategies aimed at increasing students' vocabulary. Some methods suggested include: (1) having the students interpret poems; (2) using Post-It[R] notes to identify unfamiliar words encountered during reading; (3) using word repetition in daily conversations, emphasizing words that have multiple meanings and using these words in several contexts; and (4) using many different words that have the same prefix, allowing the children to discern the meaning of the prefix.