With just one program, transform vocabulary study into an experience that’s enriching for students, practical for teachers, and cost-effective for schools! Vocabulary Power Plus is our #1 bestselling vocabulary series that’s helped millions of students improve their literacy skills for over 15 years.

As more schools reevaluate how students learn vocabulary in light of poor reading scores, we’ve been getting dozens of questions about the program from educators like you.

From its lesson structures and key exercises to supplemental material and pricing information, here’s everything you need to know about the Vocabulary Power Plus series!

Want to speak directly with us about how Vocabulary Power Plus can work for your school? Please send an email to info@prestwickhouse.com. We’d love to chat!

Table of Contents:

1. What is Vocabulary Power Plus?
2. What sets Vocabulary Power Plus apart from other vocabulary programs?
3. What grade level is Vocabulary Power Plus for?
4. What do you need to get started?
5. What does a lesson look like?
6. How much does Vocabulary Power Plus cost?
7. Are there any related resources?
8. Who would benefit the most from this program?

What is Vocabulary Power Plus?

Vocabulary Power Plus is a comprehensive vocabulary program that uses direct, explicit instruction to teach new words while supporting overall literacy development for students at all levels of learning.

Far from simply giving students a list of words and definitions, Vocabulary Power Plus is packed with research-backed and classroom-tested vocabulary exercises that reinforce word understanding, encourage retention, and promote critical thinking.

See why direct vocabulary instruction works!

In this free white paper, discover:

• How vocabulary improves reading, writing, and test preparation skills
• The research-based methods of direct vocabulary instruction
• How Vocabulary Power Plus uses those methods to boost student learning

Download the White Paper

What sets Vocabulary Power Plus apart from other vocabulary programs?

Vocabulary Power Plus not only tackles word acquisition, but also helps students develop key reading comprehension skills necessary for success in school and beyond.

According to the science of reading, there’s a clear link between direct vocabulary instruction and student performance on reading comprehension tasks and reading fluency. Students with a solid vocabulary can quickly draw connections between words, concepts, and ideas in the text, allowing them to follow the flow of a narrative, argument, or informational content with ease.

Vocabulary Power Plus helps students strengthen their reading skills through a variety of context-based practice drills. In the program’s Critical Reading exercises, students work with an assortment of texts including short passages from classic short stories, excerpts from speeches, and informational texts. These exercises go beyond just vocabulary, encouraging students to think critically about the content. The questions ask students to determine the main idea or author’s purpose, identify stated or implied meanings, find supporting evidence, analyze mood or tone, and decode unfamiliar words.

"I have already recommended Vocabulary Power Plus to my colleagues because it is one of the few programs out there that incorporates reading comprehension with words in context into the program."

– G. Terhune, Teacher in NY

What grade level is Vocabulary Power Plus for?

We created the Vocabulary Power Plus series for students in upper elementary school to high school. There are three tiers to the program:

• Grades 4-5 (two books)
• Grades 6-8 (three books)
• Grades 9-12 (four books)

While the types of exercises vary from grade to grade, the activities in every book are guaranteed to help students retain the words they learn.

What do you need to get started?

Vocabulary Power Plus is designed with simplicity in mind. All students need is the consumable workbook that includes the word lists, lessons, and exercises for their grade level.

You can order Teacher’s Editions for all levels by contacting Customer Service. Please note that we can ship Teacher’s Editions only to school addresses.

For teachers who want extra resources, these optional support materials are available:

• Introduction and Practice Presentations (Grades 6-12)
  Give students additional practice and teach new words at your own pace with the Introduction and Practice PowerPoint Presentations.
• SAT Enhanced Practice Pack (Grades 9-12)
  This reproducible package includes instruction and practice for every question type on the SAT and is perfect to help your class prepare for the test. It’s free with every Vocabulary Power Plus Complete Set, or you can order it separately. 
• Free Review Crossword Puzzles (Grades 9-12)
  Perfect for reviewing words and definitions, students will love these free printable crossword puzzles for grades 9-12 of the program.

What does a lesson look like?

Each book in the Vocabulary Power Plus series has 21 lessons. We recommend breaking down each lesson into five instructional days, but lessons can be customized to fit your schedule. If you work at the suggested pace, you’ll cover 21 weeks of vocabulary instruction.

Lessons at a Glance:

• Word lists with definitions, example sentences, synonyms, and antonyms
• Words-in-context exercises
• Inference exercises
• Sentence completion exercises
• Latin and Greek roots, prefixes, and suffixes activities
• Critical reading tasks modeled on standardized tests
• Cumulative reviews

All lessons begin by introducing new words alongside simple definitions, example sentences, and synonyms and antonyms. Students in grades 4-5 will learn 10 new words per lesson, while students in grades 6-12 will learn 15.

Once students have seen the words, it’s time to practice using them!

Each vocabulary lesson is reinforced with Words-in-Context, Sentence Completion, and Inference exercises, giving students the chance to use words in meaningful, real-world contexts instead of merely memorizing definitions. These activities help students build their own connections between words, making it easier to remember them and use them fluently.

Some exercises in the 6-12 grade editions of Vocabulary Power Plus introduce students to a selection of Latin and Greek roots, encouraging them to think of related words, infer meanings, or create new words using them.

A Critical Reading exercise rounds out the lesson. Here, students are given a passage and must answer evidence-based questions similar to ones found on standardized tests. These questions challenge their skills in comprehension, making inferences, identifying author’s purpose, understanding literary devices, and more.

After every three lessons, students complete a cumulative review designed to refresh their memory of words they’ve learned earlier in the book.

Grades 9-12 of Vocabulary Power Plus include these additional activities:

• Shades of Meaning: In this exercise, students are given a list of synonyms for a vocabulary word and must decide which ones are stronger or weaker in meaning or tone.
• Word Windows: Based on the Frayer Model, this graphic organizer helps students examine their own associations with a word through examples, visuals, and antonyms.

How much does Vocabulary Power Plus cost?

Vocabulary Power Plus is available for purchase as individual workbooks or Complete Sets.

Are there any related resources?

Yes! These online resources based on the Vocabulary Power Plus program can help you make vocabulary instruction even more engaging!

• VocabularyPowerPlus.com (Grades 4-12)
  This free and easy-to-use site hosts extra review material for the program. Students can practice with virtual flashcards, matching games, and other enriching activities.
• Vocabulary Power Plus Online (Grades 9-12)
  A digital adaptation of the print series, Vocabulary Power Plus Online blends rigorous vocabulary instruction with the convenience of online learning. This program can be used as a standalone resource or together with the books.

Who would benefit the most from this program?

Vocabulary Power Plus is perfect if you’re looking for a program that’s:

• Backed by Research: Years of academic research show that direct vocabulary instruction is most effective when students encounter new words in multiple contexts. The diverse exercises in each lesson help students not only remember the words they learn but also use them confidently and naturally in real-world situations.
• Curriculum-Friendly: Thanks to its weekly lesson structure, the program’s practice exercises don’t require an entire class period to complete, leaving teachers plenty of instructional time for other tasks while steadily building students’ overall language skills.
• Cost-Effective: All students need to get started is the individual workbook. With no additional licenses or subscriptions needed, this program is a good choice for budget-conscious schools.

In summation: Vocabulary Power Plus is the right choice for teachers and schools looking for a structured, all-in-one vocabulary program that’s easy to fit in any existing ELA curriculum.

See the program for yourself! Sample pages for Vocabulary Power Plus are available to preview. All you need to do is fill out the form below.

I have another question!

Looking for more information about Vocabulary Power Plus? Have a question that wasn’t answered here? No problem! Send an email to info@prestwickhouse.com with your inquiry. We’re happy to help!