In a recent survey of secondary schools, it was found that many students were graduating from primary school with a vocabulary that was incredibly poor for their age. It also revealed that limited vocabulary affected the learning capabilities of 4 out of 10 students.
There are many reasons why having a strong vocabulary is important. It doesn’t just help you become a master of words but also plays a role in your academic success, including functional literacy. For instance, if you want your child to succeed in their SATs, they need to know countless words covering a wide range of contexts. But the benefits of vocabulary go much beyond the classroom. It also helps children communicate and put their emotions and feelings into words. It helps them socialize with people, make friends, and make sense of the world around them.
Here are a few tips to work on vocabulary with your child:
Use conversations as a learning tool
Conversations are an easy but extremely effective way to immerse your child in language from an early age. The quality of your interactions with them can play a vital role in their development of vocabulary. This is why you should have regular conversations and use them to introduce new words and phrases. Make sure, however, that you also explain the meaning of those words so that it is easier for them to understand and remember.
Read together
Reading is essential for good vocabulary. Set aside at least an hour every day for your child to read. But don’t make them read just their school books; you should get them books that relate to their likes and interests. Even when they are able to read independently, keep reading together as it will also promote family learning. It will also allow you to choose books that may be seemingly difficult for them to read on their own.
Be patient
Children learn at their own pace and in their own unique ways. And it may take you a while before you figure out what makes your child excited to learn. What works for another child in the classroom or even their sibling might not work for them, which is why you need to be patient and take the time to create a personalized learning plan that takes your child’s needs into consideration. It will make learning less of a chore and more of a fun task that they look forward to every day.
Remember that expanding your little one’s vocabulary isn’t something that you can accomplish in just a few days or weeks. It will take time. Hopefully, these tips will help you make the process more fun and effective.
If you wish to take this opportunity to engage in family learning, The Family Learning Company’s Family Literacy Software is an excellent tool for you to invest in. With multigenerational content designed for multigenerational usage, it encourages family members to learn together. Research has found that for students to retain a particular word or concept, they need at least 8-12 exposures. In school, even the most dedicated teacher can teach only a few hundred words every year. This is why our software is such an excellent investment because it provides sufficient exposure to new words that can help students of all ages master a complete academic vocabulary.
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