Ask any teacher or educational researcher what the best predictor of learning to read is and they will tell you – a child’s knowledge of vocabulary. Your child’s receptive vocabulary is the mental storehouse of words he recognizes when listening to others speak. His expressive vocabulary is the bank of words he can say, read and write with accuracy.
Expressive and receptive vocabulary growth involves skills in four interrelated areas: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The greatest opportunity to build strong language and vocabulary skills is in the first five years of life. Your baby’s brain is primed for acquiring language. Early education is the key! To accelerate your little one’s vocabulary and literacy development:
- Talk with your child
- As he grows older, engage him in conversations
- Read aloud to him every day
- Teach him songs and rhymes
- Introduce new words through our Words of the day (www.wigglegigglelearn.com) or infant/toddler flashcards
Fortunately, it is not hard to provide rich opportunities your little one needs to acquire language and the building blocks of literacy. It does, however, require being intentional about what you do every day, all day. The building blocks for language and literacy include experiences that will enable him to acquire vocabulary and language, hear the different sounds and rhythms of language, enjoy books and stories, and explore writing. As I always say, the more time and energy you devote to proactive parenting and teaching in the early years… the less reactive measures (tutoring, discipline, etc…) you will face in the later years.
