ENCOURAGE YOUR PRESCHOOLER’S VOCABULARY
5 Ways to Get Ready to
Read!by Michele Ranard, M.Ed.
790 wds
Who can forget their child’s first word? It was likely your
name, but maybe it was “bawww” (ball) which lit up your faces with a smile. It feels
natural to celebrate, praise, and applaud our toddlers as they acquire new language
skills daily. In turn, such enthusiasm reinforces a child’s to speak additional
words.
However,
McMurray’s research indicates a vocabulary explosion (or “word
spurt”) is dependent upon a child learning a mix of words, both easy and not
easy and all at once. Interestingly, vocabulary explosions specifically require
“more difficult words than easy words.” The
professor and other language professionals make the following suggestions to boost
your child’s verbal skills.
Mealtime Magic (Hold
the Thesaurus)
A child’s vocabulary
can be enhanced by our talk at the dinner table. Use moments at mealtimes
to introduce new words, especially challenging ones since you’ll have their
attention in a pleasant setting. What to discuss? In a mealtime study, Dr. Diane
Beals and her colleagues of the University of Tulsa discovered that 3- and
4-year-olds who were exposed to uncommon words such as “boxer,” “wriggling,” or
“tackle,” scored higher on later standardized tests at age 5. Beals says forget
about serving up a thesaurus at the table and instead discuss “your day or
something cool you saw at the store.” Bringing in new words helps them form
connections between words and real-life events.
Lovely Language from
Lit
Reading your child a
story creates magic for both of you and is beneficial to their growing
vocabulary when you ask lots of questions during the story, checking for
understanding. If your preschooler does not recognize a word when you quiz
her, ask her to study the illustration for clues. Classics like Where the Wild Things Are contain new
words your child may not otherwise hear and accommodate such as “rumpus” and
“gnashed.” Throughout the book, continue to interact with your child, asking
open-ended questions such as “What do you suppose will happen next?” and “Why
do you suppose Max felt so angry?” Such interactions involving novel vocabulary
will improve the quality of their language skills, setting them up for
increased success in school.
Guessing for Success
Consider a little
restraint to challenge your child. Dr. McMurray suggests instead of
automatically doling out definitions for your preschooler when they stumped on
a word’s meaning, you should give clues and allow her to figure it out on her
own. If, for example, the word in question is “equestrian,” give her hints such
as saddle, mane or stable. It can also be helpful to “tell them what it isn’t”
So you could say “not cows, but…”
Stage Your Own ‘Show
& Tell’
Who says “show and
tell” is just for school? You can easily use this format to describe and
discuss an object to expand their vocabulary outside of school. You might
demonstrate the hand chopper you use to dice vegetables, explaining how the
appliance functions and saves you time. You could show your child the checks in
your checkbook, discussing how the small sheets of paper may be used for
payments. The important thing is to have your child’s attention and provide something
to touch and to see to anchor vocabulary within their memories.
Make Believe &
Mime
Engaging your child in
pretend play will introduce her to a wider variety of vocabulary words. If
you are playing restaurant, for example, there are all sorts of unfamiliar
words which can be integrated into the session—including menu, hostess,
variety, or beverage. If she wants to land on the moon, vocabulary words such
as lunar, satellite, or gravity might be incorporated.
Outside of pretend play, parents can help their children
better remember the meanings of words by acting them out. Even simply
explaining that shrugging your shoulders means “I don’t know” is helpful.
Is all the acting and drama really necessary? Consider a new
University of Chicago
Try all five of these strategies to boost your child’s
verbal repertoire today and help her become a better reader tomorrow.
Michele Ranard is
passionate about partnering with parents to help kids succeed. She is a mother,
academic tutor/counselor, and freelancer with a master’s in counseling.
Resources:
Goldin-Meadow, Susan. “Kids’ Gestures Foretell Better
Vocabularies.” Journal of Developmental Psychology.
Feb 2009. http://goldin-meadow-lab.uchicago.edu/sgm.html
McMurray, Bob. “Defusing the Childhood Vocabulary
Explosion.” Science. August 2007. http://www.psychology.uiowa.edu/faculty/mcmurray/science/
