A top tip for enhancing educational advantage: building young children's vocabulary
YOU can give your child a huge educational advantage. How? By talking with them! With a little mindful use of vocabulary in your daily interactions, you can provide your child a significant boost.
From studies, we know that:
- The size of children's vocabularies is related to the number and types of different words parents say when talking with their children
- The size of children's vocabularies is
strongly related to
reading comprehension in both primary school and high school
- Vocabulary growth is directly
linked to overall
school achievement
These research findings are not surprising if we stop and think about how vocabulary is a
tool
for
thinking and learning about the world.
How can I “teach" these words without my child feeling like I'm trying to be a teacher?
Studies also show there are effective and easy ways to use new words in ways your children will remember vocabulary. The SSTARS strategy by Hanen is based on these studies. It's all about replacing common words with less common words (eg.
raucous for
loud, irked for
annoyed) as you talk or play with your child.
Shoot for the SSTARS!
S - Stress the new word to focus the child's attention – “Look at the dog! He is really
gaping at your steak!"
S - Show the child what the word means…
Mimic the dog by opening your eyes and mouth
T - Tell the child what the word means… “Gaping is when you stare with your eyes and mouth wide open."
And..
R - Relate the word to the child's personal experiences and knowledge, as well as to other words and situations… “You gaped just like that when you saw Leah's candy ice cream birthday cake!
S - Say it again... “You just gaped and gaped!"
Click below if you would like another example and more information on the strategy:
http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/Shoot-for-the-SSTaRS-Strategy.aspx
Developed by Dr Kristen Rosen (Speech Language Pathologist), St Peter Chanel School