It cannot be stressed enough how important developing a good set of vocabulary is for a child. Research has shown that the size of a 4-year old’s vocabulary can be a great predictor of their academic outcomes when they reach the age of 16. A broad set of vocabulary is also well known for helping to boost social skills and confidence in children all the way into their adulthood. Alongside primary education, your input as a parent is just as important when it comes to the vocabulary acquired in childhood. This is because as much as 95% of the words a child picks up comes from their parents. Parental involvement is also key to motivating a child to help them achieve the most. Below are some suggestions on helping your child develop their vocabulary, as advised by this co-ed senior school in London.
Bring words to life
When your child learns new words, a great way to help them retain and understand them better is by quite literally bringing it to life. For example, if they have learnt a new noun, you can find a picture of it in a book or in their favourite TV show. Similarly, if they have learnt a new adjective, it can be described as a feeling that they are familiar with using actions and facial expressions.
Question it all!
Remind your child to always query new words that they hear or come across. If your child ever comes to you asking for the meaning of a word, make sure that they don’t feel embarrassed for wanting to learn about this strange new word. Take the time to help them identify the definition in a dictionary and show your delight for them wanting to share this new word with you.
Talk constantly
As mentioned before, up to 95% of the vocabulary a child attains is found in their parent’s vocabulary too. Talking to your child is quite literally one of the main influencing factors when it comes to vocabulary development. The good news is you don’t have to talk about anything in particular. Simple conversations from what you did in the day to previous shared memories can do just the job.
