27 March 2009 09:01 AM

Fun Ways to Increase a Child's Vocabulary

by Dr. Rick

When you're trying to increase a youngster's vocabulary, it's always best to inject a little fun into the process -- just like when you're encouraging any kind of learning.  Here are a few suggestions that could help you and may even spark some ideas of your own, just right for your child.

  1. Have a fun and silly signal your child can use every time she hears you or a family member use an unfamiliar word.  Widened eyes and a finger alongside the nose, perhaps.  When she uses the signal, the person who used the word has to define it easily.  Use new words now and then, so she'll have an opportunity to use her signal.  You'll be amazed at how this increases a child's attention.  She’ll be alert to new words because you’ve made it fun.

  2. Write new words in unorthodox ways.  Write them in sand or whipped cream.  Write them with alphabet soup.  Write them with spaghetti.  Write them with clay or Play Doh.

  3. Use letter flashcards to spell new words.  It still amazes me that low-tech is still fun for kids and it works!

  4. Make a "word wall" in his bedroom.  For each new word he masters, write it on a 5x7 card and make a chain that extends around the room.  Give a prize for when it reaches agreed-upon “finish lines” around the room.

  5. When she learns a new word and then sees it in a newspaper or magazine, cut it out and paste it on construction paper.  This shows her that the words she hears in the family are “real” words that others use, too.  When she sees the word in a book that can’t be cut up or somewhere else, like on a billboard or on TV, praise her for noticing and review the word’s meaning.

  6. Make "word art."  Use crayons, water colors, stamp-pad ink.  Make a collage of words and cut-out pictures.  Paste buttons, pasta, sparklies, or flower petals on construction paper in the shape of new words.

  7. Have a "word of the week" journal.  Each member of the family gets to contribute a word for the whole family to learn and use.  The contributing family member writes the word on the top of the page and tells why it's important for everyone to know this word.  First person to use the word in normal family conversation gets a small prize, like the privilege of wearing a winner's "crown," which could be a fun party hat.  Fill up the journal and save it as a family keepsake.

  8. Keep it active.  Teach the spelling of the new words by rhythm.  Jump rope or hop really high as she spells the word, for example.  This technique is really good for those kids who have lots of energy to expend and have a hard time sitting still.

  9. Sing songs.  Make up funny songs about the new words he’s just learned.   We all remember better when we put our new knowledge to music.  (You still sing the alphabet song when you have to look something up.  Admit it.)

Use your creativity and imagination to encourage a child's building up her vocabulary.  Be patient.  Be a good role model by using new and expressive words, by reading to the child, by letting him see you reading for your own pleasure, by pointing out new words you've learned at work or in your readings.  Soon, learning new words will be a normal occurrence.  Maybe not always fun and games, but always practical and confidence-building.

 

Share your fun ways of increasing children’s vocabulary.  Just click on “comment” below and let the rest of us in on your secrets!

Tags:

English | Opinion

E-mail | Digg it! | del.icio.us
Permalink | Comments (55) | Post RSS

Comments

Add comment


 

biuquote
  • Comment
  • Preview
Loading



Blog Posting Rules

This blog is for the good of education - for students, for teachers and for parents. I very much value a two-way communication with you and welcome and encourage your comments and feedback. However, to facilitate a constructive conversation that is beneficial to everyone in this online community, I expect the same respect in your comments that I present in my blog.

Read the full Dr. Rick Blog Posting Rules.