Expanding Vocabulary in Daily Conversations

Learning new words is a big, important deal.  Teaching them doesn't have to be.  After a long day at school for kids and a busy day full of adult responsibilities for parents, the last thing anyone wants at the end of the day is a structured lesson on word usage.  Parents often ask how they can help their kids at home, but the answer is often filled with instructions on timed readings, memorizing spelling words, and monotonous practice activities.  Supporting your child's vocabulary learning doesn't have to be this way.  Relax.  It's a lot easier than you think.

Why is vocabulary so important?  Based on lots of dazzling research by big researcher names (Ehri, Justice, Rosenthal, Beck, McKeown, etc) we know that good vocabulary leads to good comprehension and to be a good learner, you need to be able to understand, right?  The better your child's vocabulary is in preschool, the more likely they are to be awesome readers and comprehenders later on.  Starting early is key.  Basically, a good vocabulary is the foundation for literacy which leads to all sorts of success!  

Now, how to squeeze vocabulary learning in between dinner, bath time, and bed?  There are lots of different ways to teach vocabulary and I am going to add just one way to your skill set today.  It's as easy as synonyms.  So, let's pretend you are at the grocery store with your 6 year old.  I know, but don't panic, it's just an example.  Instead of saying, "Jimmy, go get a cart for mom," you might say "Jimmy, get a cart, you know, a basket, for mom."  There, was that so awful?  You have now connected two words together for your child and started down the path of growing their vocabulary.  Here's another..."put that pan in the cabinet" might turn into "put that pan, that skillet, in the cabinet."  Easy!  How about when your kids have turned the upstairs into a battleground and they are shouting at the top of their lungs at each other?  Yep, even breaking up sibling rivalries can be a vocabulary opportunity with words like "stop," "halt," and "cease your bickering, your arguing!"  See what I did there?  Not only did I use words for stop, but also taught them some synonyms for argue.  

Adding a few synonyms for common words your child already knows can make a big difference in the long run.  By connecting a new word (skillet) to an already familiar word (pan) you are building connections in the brain, multiple pathways to expressing meaning in an interesting way.  By using these synonym pairs often (like connecting cart and basket every time you shop) you build those words into their permanent vocabulary.  Your child might not start using these words all the time, but they will be there and ready when writing instruction begins in school and a large emphasis in writing instruction is on using "spicy" or interesting words instead of using boring, tired words.  

So, go get started, begin, commence with the synonyms!

Nicole Power is a speech-language pathologist and reading specialist in Edmond, OK.  If you suspect your child may have a language or literacy disorder and would like to seek an evaluation, you can contact her at Educational Inspiration.

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