L E S S O N 1 2 : T E AC H I N G A N D E X P L A I N I N G

HONORS ENGLISH I VOCABULARY

DIDACTIC

• (adjective)• a. Intended to teach or instruct.• b. Teaching a moral lesson.• c. Inclined to teach or moralize too much.

• Example: In Winnie the Pooh, Owl’s didactic speeches cause everyone to roll their eyes.

EDIFY

• (Trans Verb) To instruct in order to bring about intellectual, spiritual, or moral improvement.

• Example: Superman always believes in the best of people and tries to edify them for the better, even Lex Luthor.

ELUCIDATE

• (trans verb) To make clear or plain• (intrans verb) To give an explanation that makes

something clear.

• Example: The footnotes help to elucidate the difficult text.

ERUDITE

• (adjective) • a. Possessing deep and extensive learning, especially

learning from books• b. Showing or marked by extensive learning or

knowledge.

• Example: Indiana Jones is an erudite professor in archaeology.

EXPLICIT

• (adjective) • a. Expressed clearly and precisely, without any possibility

of misunderstanding.• b. Forthright and unambiguous in expression.

• Example: Students must explicitly state their thesis statements in their essays.

IMBUE

• (trans verb) • a. To pervade or permeate as with a dye or stain.• b. To dye or stain intensely.

• Example: After falling into a vat of acid, Joker’s skin was imbued with a white color.

INDOCTRINATE

• (transitive verb) • a. To instruct in the beliefs or principles of a party, sect,

or other special group.• b. To teach a body of doctrine to.

• Example: The majority of the society in Fahrenheit 451 was indoctrinated to believe books were a bad influence.

INSTILL

• (trans verb) To introduce gradually.

• Example: Every English teacher wishes to instill a love a reading in her or his students.

PEDAGOGY

• (noun) The art or profession of teaching.

• Example: All certified teachers must take classes in pedagogy.

PEDANTIC

• (adjective) • a. Marked by a concern for minute, often unimportant

and uninteresting details.• b. Making a show of scholarship of book learning.

• Example: Though she often comes through when it counts, Hermione Granger can often come across pedantic in her knowledge.