Studies have shown that children who get support at home in reading and learning perform better in school than those who do not.
J. David Cooper, author of Houghton Mifflin reading programs and adjunct professor of education at Ball State University, offers these tips for increasing your child's vocabulary and understanding during reading and beyond:
* Talk about the meaning of words. As you read together, help your child understand any words he may not know. Since words and illustrations in children's books are usually closely related, you can sometimes point to a picture on the page to explain the meaning of a word. Or you can show your child the meaning of a word yourself: for example, you can explain that nibble means "to eat with very small bites" and pretend to nibble on your child's finger!
* Use new words to describe objects, places, and actions. When your child comes across a new word in a book, be sure to use it again after he is done reading. For example, "Here are some carrots for you to nibble on!" Or "Look, there's a pigeon. Remember reading about that kind of bird in your book last night?" Of course, you don't have to stick with story words. Use all sorts of new words whenever possible. Try to be specific instead of using general words. For example, if your child says, "Look how big that building is!" you might say, "That's a big skyscraper!"
* Play story games with your child. Make up stories using new words your child has come across while reading, or simply introduce interesting words that he doesn't know yet. Don't worry if you're a brilliant storyteller, try simply looking around and describing what you see. For example, if you see someone with a suitcase getting into a taxi, talk about where that person might be going and why, let your imagination run wild. Use lots of descriptive words, and invite your child to join in!
* Talk about your day. As you go about your daily routine, cooking dinner or fixing a leaky faucet, describe and demonstrate your activities to your child. You'll be surprised at how many great vocabulary-building words you can use, and how easily you can turn a simple chore into a fun learning opportunity! |
