NSF Online Vocabulary Game

Introduction to the game

“Practice makes one perfect.”

English vocabulary is vast.  Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary boasts 450,000 words.  Nobody can learn vocabulary overnight.  It takes years of learning and practice.  Context and parts of speech are extremely important in English.  Many words are unique in the English language, and even a good synonym will not convey the same meaning.  For example, even simple words like simple, lucid, elicit, corral and dormant do not possess good replacements in certain contexts.  Most of the Indian Americans who were born and educated in India have limited vocabulary, because English is not their native language. Naturally, it is extremely hard for them to improve the vocabulary of their children. Thus special effort is required on the part of their children to overcome this limitation.

Practice words are accessible on the site.  To learn them, you have to consult a dictionary.  Further, in order to test your vocabulary skill, you have to recite the meaning to yourself and compare to the one in the dictionary.  Most parents print the words and ask their children to practice.  While many children find it exciting initially, they pretty soon find it laborious and monotonous.  Many continue to practice them grudgingly under pressure from their parents.

To overcome this barrier, North South Foundation has developed an Online Vocabulary Game to improve English vocabulary skills of children of the Indian American community.  This is an interactive game providing a challenging and rewarding experience.  The objective is to make it a fun in learning.

The game has the following unique features:

1)    It emulates the actual vocabulary contest environment:  computer gives you a word along with multiple meanings; you are asked to choose the one that is closest in meaning.

2)    It allows you to choose words among three categories ranging from beginners to advanced.

3)    Words are given randomly so that you don’t get the same sequence of words in each session.  This will eliminate monotony and boredom.

4)    As you learn words, the computer will suppress them so that you will not be annoyed with the words you already know.

5)    You will see your scores and the improvement you make over time. As a result, you will gain more confidence in your own capabilities.

FAQ

How do I get access to the game? 

a) If you make a tax-deductible donation of $50 or more, you are eligible to use the game. To get your login, send e-mail to nsfgame@gmail.com giving your full name, phone number, e-mail address, your child’s full name, his/her login ID (e-mail address), and a password, which you need to get in. Your login will be valid for 1 year from the date it is created. The login is to be used only by the child it was given to.

b) If you have already registered for the vocabulary contest and made a donation of $50 or more, write to nsfgame@gmail.com with the same details. If the suggested tax-deductible donation is a hardship for you, please send a detailed explanation of your hardship to nsfgame@gmail.com. And you might be eligible for getting access to the game free or at a lower price.

c) If your child paticipates in the NSF Dolla-a-Square (DAS) program and collects $100 or more, you are also eligible to use the game. To get your login, follow the instructions as in a) above.

Can I see a demo version before I sign up? 

Yes, you can use demo version of the game. Click here to go to demo version.

What do I need on my computer to use the game? 

You need a good set of speakers and recent versions of Real Player & Internet Explorer. 

Do I get the same words I use in Game in the contests conducted by NSF? Are all the practice words there in the game?

The practice words posted on this website are available in the game. Further, we have plans to add a lot more to enhance your vocabulary. This is a learning tool to improve your English Language skills irrespective of whether you participate in the contests.