Semantics/Vocabulary

Monthly tips for parents

Building Your Child's Vocabulary

All parents want their child to do well in school. One way to help your child is to help them build their vocabulary. Beginning readers use knowledge about words to help them make sense of what they're reading. The more words a reader knows, the more they are able to comprehend what they're reading or listening to.

Talking to and reading with your child are two terrific ways to help them hear and read new words. Conversations and questions about interesting words ("The book says, 'The boy tumbled down the hill,' and look at the picture! How do you think he went down the hill?") are easy, non-threatening ways to get new words into everyday talk.

Sharing a new word with your child doesn't have to take a long time: just a few minutes to talk about the word and then focus back on the book or conversation. Choose which words to talk about carefully — choosing every new word might make reading seem like a chore. The best words to explore with your child are ones that are common among adult speakers but are less common to see in the books your child might read.

When introducing new words to your young learner, keep the following four helpful hints in mind:

First, provide a simple, kid-friendly definition for the new word:

Enormous means that something is really, really big.

Second, provide a simple, kid-friendly example that makes sense within their daily life:

Remember that really big watermelon we got at the grocery store? That was an enormouswatermelon!

Third, encourage your child to develop their own example:

What enormous thing can you think of? Can you think of something really big that you saw today? That's right! The bulldozer near the park was enormous! Those tires were huge.

Lastly, keep your new words active within your house.

Over the next few days and weeks, take advantage of opportunities to use each new vocabulary word in conversation.

Take the time to share new words and build your child's vocabulary. You'll be enormouslyglad you did!

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Use of Music Activities to Increase Language

Mary B. Zoller

Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, January 1991, Vol. 22, 272-276. doi:10.1044/0161-1461.2201.272

History: Received September 7, 1989; Accepted February 5, 1990

Talking to and reading with your child are two terrific ways to help them hear and read new words. Conversations and questions about interesting words are easy, non-threatening ways to get new words into everyday talk. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Comment

Musical activities stress nonverbal forms of communication and often surpass physical, cultural, intellectual, and emotional limitations. Actively using music in learning experiences involves the whole child through incorporation of rhythm, movement, and speech.

Consider the following guidelines when selecting songs to use:

For younger children, select simple songs that do not have tricky rhythms or too large a vocal range. Begin with songs having only two or three notes, such as “Rain, Rain, Go Away,” “A Tisket, A Tasket,” and “Ring Around the Rosies.” For the older child and the child who becomes more proficient, proceed to a five note range and then go to songs with six or eight notes.
Start with songs in a fairly low pitch range (middle C-A) and then extend this range.
Choose songs that encourage movement.
Pick songs that have lots of repetition of words and melody. This factor is particularly important for the very young student or the mentally handicapped student.
Use concrete songs that interest the students (i.e., songs containing their own names, things they like to do, present day objects and activities, school activities, seasonal themes).
When emphasizing a new word, concept, or targeted sound in a song, be sure the students already know the meaning of the other words in that song. Some children with limited language comprehension and good articulation may be able to sing imitatively and not know the meaning of the words they are singing. This highlighting will call attention to the newidea and reduce the possibility of confusing meanings of two or more new words.
Choose songs that use the common names and syntax used in our everyday language, (i.e., mailman instead of postman and We are happyrather than Happy are we when holidays come). (Birkenshaw, 1982; Graham & Beer, 1980; Hoshizaki, 1983).
Select songs in advance of the actual event or topic that you are teaching so that the idea will be thoroughly introduced and understood. For example, if you will be planting seeds in the spring and planning a language experience around that event, teach your song about planting a couple weeks in advance and continue to repeat it in subsequent sessions up to and including the actual event. A holiday song can be repeated throughout the month of its occurrence.

Expose your child to language

Do it all the time. Talk to your child. Narrate everything you're doing. Identify the words for even the simplest objects and actions in your child's environment, and do it again. Read with your child. Read toyour child. Play word games. Watch TV with your child and talk about what the characters are talking about. Ask your child questions that require more than a yes/no answer. Invite your child to ask you questions. Talk. Talk, talk, talk, practice makes everything easier...

Helping Your Child Build a Strong Vocabulary

To succeed in school and beyond, children need to build a robust vocabulary. Kids learn a lot from the adults in their lives and there are many ways you can help your child learn new words. We reached out to Parent Toolkit expert and University of Michigan Education Professor Nell Duke for some tips you can use at home to expand your child’s vocabulary.

“Goldilocks Principle”

Try not to overdo it. Professor Nell Duke recommends applying the “Goldilocks Principle” when trying to teach your child new words: not too many words at one time and not too few. A rule of thumb is to choose five unfamiliar new words for your child to learn each week. See how often everyone in the family can use those words in everyday conversation.

Multiple Exposure

Typically, a child needs to hear a new word 4 to 12 times before it is added to his vocabulary. When you introduce your child to a new word, try to keep a mental note of it and work to use it again in your conversations with your child. It is also important to use the word in a variety of different contexts, wherever it applies. Don’t be afraid to throw in a word that you had focused on previously as well. Repeated exposure is one of the best ways to master new vocabulary words.

Not Black or White

Many people see learning new vocabulary as a very black or white issue; either you know the word or you don’t. However, expanding one’s vocabulary really exists on a sliding scale. There are words that you have heard before but you don’t actually know the definition. There are words that you understand when other people say them but you would never use yourself in daily conversation. Then there are words that you regularly use in the course of your daily life. Kids go through this as well as they develop their vocabulary. Try not to restrict yourself to only using words that your child knows, and don’t stress if your child doesn’t use the same word you do to refer to an object or item. For example, instead of calling a helmet a “helmet,” your child may call it a “hat.” After a while, though, she will begin to understand the subtle difference between the two and start referring to it as a “helmet.”

Make Words Concrete

As you are teaching your child new words, it is important to help visualize them. For nouns, show your child a picture of it by searching online, or showing a picture in a book or magazine. If it is an adjective, find things that can be described using the word. For example, if you come across “scratchy,” point out the scratchiness of sand paper or a man’s chin. With verbs, try acting out the word with your child. Children love moving around as you explore the words “prance” or “prowl.”

See It, Say It, Write It

In order for your child to actually learn a new vocabulary word, he needs to be able to read it, say it, and write it. If your child comes across a word in a book and asks you how to pronounce it, encourage him to repeat the word out loud after you say it. Similarly, if your child hears a new word in the course of conversation that is unfamiliar, spell the word out for him and have him write it down on a piece of paper so that he can see the word.

Read Daily

Books are the number one way to expose kids to a richer vocabulary. As often as possible, read books with your child. When she comes to a word that she doesn’t know, give your child a quick kid-friendly definition and continue reading. It’s important not to have a big pause about the fact that she didn’t know the word. When you finish reading the story, go back to the word again and ask her if she remembers how to say it.

Ditch the Dictionary

Despite popular belief, dictionaries aren’t that great at helping kids with vocab since some definitions include words that may be unfamiliar to your child. Professor Duke recommends taking the time to figure out the definition with your child by using context clues, or the other words around it. Short on time? Give your child a kid-friendly version of the same word instead of having them look it up in the dictionary.

Show How You Learn New Words

When you come across a word that you don’t know, point it out to your child. Describe to him how you were able to determine its meaning by using context clues. By explaining this process out loud, you will help show your child what he can do when he comes across an unfamiliar word. Highlight the fact that you still learn new words as well.

New Words Are Everywhere

Help your child build her vocabulary by taking her to new places and exposing her to different ideas. Visit your local zoo or the nearest museum and have your child describe the various animals and exhibits that she sees. Take your child along with you as you run off to the bank, the grocery store, or the post office, and see what new words you can discover.

Words with Multiple Meanings

Kids are often challenged by words that have multiple meanings. English is full of these types of words, such as “days” and “daze.” It is important for parents to be aware that kids will need help in this area. In fact, you might think that a child understands a joke that relies on word play because of their laughter, but actually most children aren’t able to understand these types of riddles until at least the third grade. To help your child understand the different uses for the same word, ask him to explain the word’s meaning. For example, if he uses the word “bat,” ask if he meant the dark creature that flies at night or the wooden stick used in baseball.

Tips on How to Expand Your (Student's) Vocabulary

Easy Ways to Improve and Expand Your Vocabulary:

Seven Tips for Learning New Words

Communicate (speak and write) more clearly and concisely using these seven tips for learning new words... easy ways to improve and expand your vocabulary.

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Looking for tips for improving your vocabulary? Whether you are trying to strengthen and broaden your vocabulary for school or personal growth, the key is a commitment to regularly learning new words.

Why expand your knowledge and use of words? You'll be able to communicate (speak and write) more clearly and concisely, people will understand you more easily, and you will increase the perception (and reality) that you are an intelligent person. Besides, learning new words is a fun activity -- and one you can even do with the people around you. Challenge a friend, family member, or roommate to learn new words with you.

This article reviews seven easy ways to improve your vocabulary and learn new words.

1. Read, read, and read. The more you read -- especially novels and literary works, but also magazines and newspapers -- the more words you'll be exposed to. As you read and uncover new words, use a combination of attempting to derive meaning from the context of the sentence as well as from looking up the definition in a dictionary.

2. Keep a dictionary and thesaurus handy. Use whatever versions you prefer -- in print, software, or online. When you uncover a new word, look it up in the dictionary to get both its pronunciation and its meaning(s). Next, go to the thesaurus and find similar words and phrases -- and their opposites (synonyms and antonyms, respectively) -- and learn the nuances among the words.

3. Use a journal. It's a good idea to keep a running list of the new words you discover so that you can refer back to the list and slowly build them into your everyday vocabulary. Plus, keeping a journal of all your new words can provide positive reinforcement for learning even more words -- especially when you can see how many new words you've already learned.

4. Learn a word a day. Using a word-a-day calendar or Website -- or developing your own list of words to learn -- is a great technique many people use to learn new words. This approach may be too rigid for some, so even if you do use this method, don't feel you must learn a new word every day. (Find some word-a-day Websites at the end of this article.)

5. Go back to your roots. One of the most powerful tools for learning new words -- and for deciphering the meaning of other new words -- is studying Latin and Greek roots. Latin and Greek elements (prefixes, roots, and suffixes) are a significant part of the English language and a great tool for learning new words. (Follow these links for the sections of this site that provide English Vocabulary Derived from Latin and English Vocabulary Derived from Greek.)

6. Play some games. Word games that challenge you and help you discover new meanings and new words are a great and fun tool in your quest for expanding your vocabulary. Examples include crossword puzzles, anagrams, word jumble, Scrabble, and Boggle. (Find some word-game Websites at the end of this article.)

7. Engage in conversations. Simply talking with other people can help you learn discover new words. As with reading, once you hear a new word, remember to jot it down so that you can study it later -- and then slowly add the new word to your vocabulary.

Final Thoughts On Improving and Expanding Your Vocabulary

You hold the key to a better vocabulary. By using the tips outlined in this article, you should be well on your way to discovering and learning new words to expand your vocabulary and strengthen your use of the English language.

Finally, remember that you must practice putting your new words into your writing and speaking or risk not retaining them in your brain. Use repetition exercises when you first learn a word -- and consider other learning techniques, such as index cards, recording yourself reciting your words, association games, and mnemonics.

Here are some useful (if slightly random) tools for helping improve your vocabulary: