What Is Vocabulary and
Why Is It Necessary?
Learning vocabulary is an essential stage of childhood development as it opens up the mind of the child to new possibilities of communication and reading. Reliable sources can help you get helpful material to assist your child in language acquisition and development. First, we should understand the meaning of vocabulary. There are two types of vocabulary: oral vocabulary and reading vocabulary. Vocabulary among children implies the knowledge of words that could enable them to communicate effectively. Oral vocabulary refers to the words used in speaking and listening while the reading vocabulary are the words that are used in print.
Developing the vocabulary of a child is necessary to enhance their literacy skills and so that they can be able to communicate effectively. This will be the backdrop of their academic excellence in the future, as they will be better placed to learn and to understand the concepts that they are taught in class.
A few more reasons why we should take vocabulary acquisition seriously include:
- A child’s thinking capacity is directly linked to their mastery of vocabulary and their ability to express themselves.
- The more vocabulary a child acquires, the easier it is for them to access information.
- The mastery of vocabulary affects a child’s ability to read and learn when they get to school going age.
- A child’s overall social and academic achievements are linked directly to their ability to communicate through the vocabulary they have acquired.
Research on vocabulary acquisition
According to study, there is a significant disparity in the ability and speed of children to acquire new vocabulary. Children of different races, genders, ethnic backgrounds, and social status tend to acquire vocabulary differentially as is evident during children’s first year of school.
Children learn most vocabulary indirectly while in few instances they are taught by their significant others. Children learn most of their oral and written language indirectly through their daily experiences. The best illustration to this is when adults read to them and talk to them concerning some events or issues around them. Researchers have broadened the kinds of vocabulary into four: listening, reading, writing, and speaking vocabulary.
At what age should a child begin to learn vocabulary?
“Every child develops on his own timeline, but the best way to help develop your baby’s language skills is to simply talk to him,” says Rahil Briggs, Psy.D., a child psychologist at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York City.
Children are different in the ways they grasp almost all their milestones from crawling to giggling to talking. Therefore, every child has a different language milestone. The best approach for parents, caregivers, and instructors is to engage them as much as possible through speaking to them and helping them to express themselves better. Doctors encourage talking to a child, and they assert that this exercise can begin as soon as they are born. Consequently, the culture of reading bedtime stories to children is encouraged. We may think that since children they cannot involve us, then they do not need to be engaged; but the brain of a child develops connections very fast. In fact, the earlier parents start engaging them, the faster they will grasp language and vocabulary.
How to help your children acquire vocabulary faster
Children learn best when they are in an environment where they can mingle with genuine objects for a given period and interact with specific vocabularies often. Exposure of the children to as much vocabulary as possible is helpful. They will most likely learn simple words like “come” “go” “cup” “ball” “no” and “yes” because they appear more in their environment. For children who are already going to school, giving word definitions does not help them much as when they have the chance to interact with the real objects.
Speech Pathologists suggest that intentional stimulation of language among children could help them to grasp vocabulary much faster. It can be done by repeating one word to the child such as “hello” or “bye” in the right context so that with time they are able to link the word with the associated action. Doing this in a natural setting and a relaxed environment helps the child significantly. This method can also be effective when reading the same book repeatedly to the child until they gain the kind of vocabulary that is used in the book.
Language games and activities:
Technology has made it easier to access material that can help your child learn and acquire language. Of course, with the technology, proper parenting is required to ensure controlled access to children. Some of the speech enhancement games available include: Starfall.com where children could learn how to read, and ‘Sassy Seals: Match the Word’ that starts with the same sound - available here.
What kind of word should I teach?
While there are many available options to enhance a child’s vocabulary, most parents still wonder the kind of words that they can teach their children. The questions are endless on what should be done or not. Fret not! This is not the one formula fits all kind of problem. Do what your child can get the most from, and what is more comfortable.
You could probably start by teaching:
- The important words
- The difficult words
- The useful words, and so on
You can also rely on custom writing services such as this essay writing service for excellent materials to assist your child. Expert writers can help with researching and composing custom articles on any topic of interest, including language acquisition for children. You will get quality content that will help your child in language development through such excellent services. Professional writers know how to customize every article to fit your situation. As a result, you can order articles on language acquisition and understand the words you could teach your child.
Kids interestingly acquire language. Mothers have unique experiences in helping their children to acquire the necessary vocabulary that aids their ability to communicate their feelings and desires.
Did you find this article helpful? Share your thoughts with friends...