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“The child has their own mechanisms for learning and developing vocabulary, but it is good for parents to contribute as much as they can to this process. There are a few strategies that parents and other family members can apply to enrich the child’s vocabulary.
It is extremely important for parents to understand that every child develops in their own way, and it’s perfectly normal if their vocabulary is smaller than that of other children their age. Vocabulary can be successfully expanded as long as both parents and other people in the household, if any, constantly talk to the child, even if they think the child is too small to understand everything or respond properly.
How to enrich the child’s vocabulary? Here are a few strategies to help expand the vocabulary of the little ones:
- Use words correctly in conversations with children When talking to little ones, you may unconsciously look for the simplest and easiest-to-understand words, or even tend to distort some terms, thinking it’s better for the child. Instead, try to express yourself with normal, correctly pronounced words, as you would with an adult, and occasionally introduce more complicated words in conversations with the little one, which you can then define. Or if the child directly asks what a word means, explain it to them.
- Let the child tell stories To develop their vocabulary, it is very important to read stories to the child, but sometimes you can challenge them to tell you a story, as they remember it. This challenge will stimulate them to surpass themselves, making them search for and use the most appropriate words to weave the narrative thread. If you feel the child is stuck, ask helpful questions to guide them out of the situation.
- Engage in conversation, even if the child can’t respond as expected Make it a habit to talk to your child throughout the day, regardless of the actions you are carrying out. For example, when preparing a meal, describe step by step what you need to do. While driving, and they’re in their seat, describe the landscapes you see. After having a phone conversation, fill the child in by telling them who you spoke with and what about. This is also a way to enhance their vocabulary.
- Use synonyms or more appropriate words in context Sometimes pretend you can’t remember certain things and ask the child for help. For example, ask them, “What does an elephant look like, is it big or small?” If they respond “big,” you can say, “Yes, that’s right, it’s very big, and when something is very big, we say it’s huge.” Gradually, the child will expand their vocabulary with synonyms of the words they already know or other more appropriate words to describe various contexts.
- Gently correct their mistakes As a parent, it’s important to be very careful about how you correct a child’s speaking mistake. It’s important to correct the child if they say words incorrectly or use them in the wrong context, but the manner in which this correction is made is crucial. Do this gently, without laughing at them or adopting an authoritative tone. Otherwise, the child may feel humiliated and might refuse to speak anymore.
- Be patient! Every parent knows that patience is extremely important when raising children, and when it comes to vocabulary, even more so. Repeat with the child the words they mispronounce, use incorrectly, or forget whenever necessary, without getting irritated or losing your composure. Never reproach them with something like, “I told you once how to pronounce it, can’t you remember?”
On one hand, the more relaxed the child is about how they speak and learn words, the faster their development will be. On the other hand, if the child feels pressured and stressed by the parent, they will be intimidated, and their progress will slow down. Expanding vocabulary should be a joy for both the child and the parent, not a burden.
Reading beyond what is recommended in school improves vocabulary For a school-aged child who already knows how to read, additional reading beyond what is recommended at school significantly improves their vocabulary. Additional reading provides access to a wider variety of words and expressions than standard school textbooks.
Each literary genre, author, or writing style introduces new words and linguistic structures. Children who read books from various fields (literature, history, science, fiction) encounter a varied vocabulary, expanding their knowledge and their ability to use new words in different contexts.
Reading helps children understand the meaning of new words through context. Instead of memorizing isolated definitions, they can deduce the meaning of words from how they are used in sentences and the context of the narrative. This contextual learning makes new vocabulary easier to retain and use actively.
Reading beyond the school curriculum can spark the child’s curiosity for new words and unique expressions. This can stimulate their desire to seek out and learn more words, whether from dictionaries or other sources of information. The fact that they encounter unknown words motivates them to expand their vocabulary to better understand what they are reading.
An extended vocabulary helps children better understand texts and concepts from various school subjects. This can lead to better academic performance not only in literature but also in science, history, or other areas that involve reading and understanding texts.
Does reading stories help expand the child’s vocabulary? Reading stories to young children who are not yet in school significantly helps enrich their vocabulary. This process contributes not only to language development but also to improving cognitive and emotional skills.
Stories often contain words and expressions that children don’t encounter in everyday speech. By reading stories to them from an early age, they are exposed to a diversified vocabulary, including descriptive terms, metaphors, and complex grammatical structures. When a child listens to a story, they can deduce the meaning of unknown words from the context of the sentence or the situation in the story. This develops the child’s ability to naturally learn new words.
Moreover, regularly reading stories improves text comprehension skills. Children learn to connect words, understand more complex sentences, and analyze the overall meaning of a story. Reading stories also provides opportunities for discussions between parent and child. If they come across new words, the parent can explain their meaning, which reinforces the child’s vocabulary.
In addition, stories stimulate the child’s imagination, helping them create links between new words and abstract concepts. The more the child is exposed to stories and different fictional situations, the better they will learn to use language in different contexts. Reading stories also contributes to the development of oral and written expression skills. Children who listen to stories tend to reproduce sentence structures and use more words in their active vocabulary.
Consider a public speaking course A public speaking course can significantly enrich a child’s vocabulary. Attending such a course not only helps them improve their oral expression skills but also learn new words and expressions.
In public speaking courses, children are exposed to formal language and a more varied vocabulary than what is used in daily conversations. They learn new words and expressions in the context of speeches and presentations. Public speaking involves formulating ideas clearly and coherently. Children are encouraged to expand their vocabulary in order to express themselves more precisely and engagingly. This motivates them to find synonyms and more suitable terms for effective communication.
During a public speaking course, children are also introduced to words related to rhetoric, argumentation, and other concepts necessary to structure a speech. Once learned, these words become part of the child’s active vocabulary. By practicing speaking in front of others, children develop confidence in their linguistic abilities. Confident, they become more open to using new words and daring to expand their language to express themselves correctly and effectively.
In addition to speaking, children listen to their peers’ speeches and receive feedback. This process exposes them to new ways of expression and other forms of vocabulary they can assimilate. Public speaking involves structuring a logical and reasoned speech, which requires understanding and using precise vocabulary. Children are encouraged to use words that clearly describe ideas and argue effectively.”