Helping a child develop their vocabulary begins at home. Recent surveys have shown that many students are leaving primary school with a level of vocabulary that is inadequate for their age. Vocabulary matters a lot and for many reasons. A broad set is essential for both school and everyday life. Words are empowering and they help children to understand and make sense of the wide world that is around them. So, how can we help our children in order for them to succeed? Here is some advice from a private primary school in Cobham Surrey on helping your child develop their vocabulary.
Young children are much like a sponge, they absorb everything that they are exposed to. This could be what they see, hear and experience. The number of words a child learns in the early life is actually helpful in determining how successful they are in the future. That’s why it is important that parents spend quality time with their children interacting and helping build their vocabulary.
Talk to them regularly and be vocal about what is going on around them. Name objects using numbers and try and introduce new words using different emotions. The more you use new vocabulary with your child, the quicker they will develop the understanding and confidence to use it themselves.
Read together. A love for reading is what will push your child to expand their vocabulary without realising. Make time in the day to read together on a regular basis. Even if they are not reading back or speaking, they will be absorbing the new content. Make sure to read out loud to your child even if they are able to read independently even if they are able to read independently. Kids love to read books but sometimes are unable to read anything out of their comfort zone. You can pick up those books for them and allow them to just simply listen to you read. Make sure to talk about what you are reading too to make sure that you are both on the same page.
Be positive and reinforce them regularly. Make a big deal when they learn new words as it will motivate them to keep going.