Language Development

Reading

For some of us, it's a pleasurable activity. For others, it's a struggle. But the effort is worth it. Why?

Beyond the obvious benefits of developing our vocabulary and strengthening our comprehension skills, there are other benefits that may surprise you, including confidence building and social development! Take a look at the Young Readers Foundation's explanation of why reading is so important to a young person's growth.

Writing

When you hear the word "writing," what first comes to mind?

Perhaps writing essays or reports. Strengthening your research skills while developing your expository communication (your ability to provide explanations) will help you to express ideas effectively. Just as in face-to-face conversations, when writing you want to be understood. So, developing analytical writing skills is essential for clarity.

Or maybe you think of creative writing. Not surprisingly, many of the skills needed for analytical writing cross over to creative writing, too. And creative writing has the bonus of being imaginative: you set the rules for the world you are building! Scriblett offers four major reasons why creative writing is important.

What about journaling? Could writing down your thoughts for ten minutes a day contribute to the betterment of your self-expression? You bet! Not only does journaling jostle free the imagination, it also develops organizational skills, focus and a sense of connectedness to your surroundings.

Grammar

Important what about is grammar?

Wait, what?

Let's try that again. What is important about grammar? First, grammar is always evolving, albeit slowly. About every fifty years there are observable shifts not only in a culture's vocabulary but in its grammar, as well! Having a deep understanding of how grammar works helps us to communicate more efficiently and with greater ease. Second, it also helps to sensitize us to foreign language learning. Being able to compare and contrast language systems builds a strong foundation in global language learning, and it cultivates cultural awareness, too.

Vocabulary Building

No one likes to feel left out. But if our vocabulary is limited, then communication can grind to a halt and leave us feeling alone in a conversation. And with a lexicon (a language's store of words) of over 400,000 words, English offers its speakers the opportunity to feel inadequate on a regular basis! We can never know all the words in a language, but we can learn how to predict meaning of unfamiliar words through context (what is being said) and etymology (an understanding of root words). From reading more books for pleasure to studying another language, such as Latin, we can expand our vocabulary for greater precision and nuance in meaning.