Parent Education Corner: Focus on Vocabulary

Developing a wide vocabulary is fundamentally important for children. The vocabulary size of a 4-
year-old is a predictor of educational outcomes at age 16. A broad vocabulary also boosts social
skills and confidence through childhood and into adulthood.

Your input as a parent to your child’s vocabulary is crucial. As much as 95% of the words a child
knows is also found in their parents’ vocabulary, and parental involvement in learning increases
children’s motivation and achievement.

It’s easy to integrate vocabulary development into your home life and everyday routine through
reading, talking and playing.

Here are some fun suggestions:

1. Bring new words to life
If your child learns a new noun (e.g., galaxy), find a picture of it online or in a book. If it’s an
adjective, think of things that can be described using the word, like a meager allowance or a diligent
student. If the new word describes an emotion, show the feeling with a facial expression, ask “How
do you look when you feel annoyed, miserable?” It’s fun to act out new verbs – try sauntering to the
car, hoisting your bookbag, or squirming in your seat.

2. Visualize new words on paper
To help your child remember the meaning of a word, draw a situation that represents that word. For
example, if the new word is ‘reluctant,’ they can draw a picture of them eating Brussel sprouts.

3. Encourage your child to read books and read aloud to them
Children who read a lot have wider vocabularies than those who don’t. Even if your child is a good
reader, reading aloud to them helps them access harder texts. This exposes them to more
challenging words and creates the opportunity for conversation.

4. Encourage your child to read material other than books
New words can be acquired in a multitude of places. A cereal box could introduce your child to the
word ‘ingredients’ and a car handbook to the word ‘metallic.’ Don’t overlook the benefits of reading
magazines or online content.

5. Talk with your child
Parent-child conversations (two-way) are known to be one of the main influencing factors on
vocabulary development. When you’re with your child, talk about anything and everything –
describe what happened to you at work, something interesting you saw on the way home, share a
favorite childhood memory. This Summer, wherever you are talk about what you see and experience
and look out for new words on signs and labels.

6. Repeat, repeat, repeat
For a new word to become embedded, a child needs to encounter it more than once. Typically, a
child needs to hear a new word between 4 and 12 times before it is committed to their long-term
memory and truly added to their vocabulary.

7. Play games together
Board games such as Scrabble and Boggle (including Junior versions) are a great way to discover new
words. Word searches and crosswords are a good way to introduce new words, provide conversation
starters and link a word to its meaning. Even ‘I spy…’ can be a fun way to introduce new nouns.
For games, stories and fun family activities that support vocabulary development visit:
https://pbskids.org/games/vocabulary

Submitted by Kathi Hart, Tutoring Program Content Specialist

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