How can one help improve children’s English vocabulary?

While in the process of practicing a language, it is important for children to expand their vocabulary at a steady pace. By doing so, not only are they training themselves to acquire a firmer grasp on the language, but also achieving rich cognitive development. Of course, there are ways to make this process fun, memorable and effective as opposed to repetitive and boring rote learning.

Exposing your child to new words

The first step in helping your child diversify their vocabulary is, of course, making sure that they have multiple sources from which they can learn new, unfamiliar words. Not every parent is fully confident in their English speaking skills, and that is nothing to worry about. T.V programs, engaging videos online, different kinds of books, magazines and newspapers can expose your child to a lot of new words, and a diverse bunch at that. Have your child read a little everyday- this will also help tremendously with developing a reading habit.

Have fun with visual cues

Children tend to learn faster and retain better when they are given practice in multiple ways. What this means is that using unconventional ways to ensure repetition can be enjoyable for children, as highly successful too. Acting out news words like a game of charades, or using drawing skills to engage in a game of pictionary works wonder, and help the child use context clues to figure out the meaning themselves. Also, do not rely too much on translation as this can limit the child’s understanding.

Familiarize them with dictionaries

In a world where almost all information is available in one quick online search, many believe that dictionaries have somewhat fallen behind. However, the use of a dictionary is far more interactive- it encourages children to search words themselves and additional information. They learn multiple meanings and their uses as well. This creates awareness in the child’s mind about the importance of thorough research, and a deeper understanding of new words. For older children, having a thesaurus handy and using it often is also a great exercise in vocabulary building.

Keeping referring to the new word

Practice makes perfect, and this stays true for vocabulary as well. Simply learning a new word is enough- in order for it to become a part of your child’s vocabulary, s/he must hear the word repeatedly, forming a strong connection with the meaning and the pronunciation. While having conversations with your child, make sure to use the word a few times where appropriate, and this will ensure that the word is not simply read and forgotten, but now something new that the child can use themselves.

Play word games

Another really fun way to engage your child in vocabulary building is different kinds of word-related games. Of course, the usual pictionary and charades are great, however you can also explore other simple yet effective games as well. A classic is scrabble, where children have to use their vocabulary and strategic thinking skills to form words, simultaneously incorporating others’ work into their own.

Slow and Steady

It is important to keep in mind that while expanding one’s vocabulary is a great asset, it is also something that takes time and effort and does not come about all at once. Being patient, marking any improvements no matter how small and most importantly, ensuring that the child is enjoying the activities involved, is all key to a rich and diverse vocabulary. At the end of the day, building vocabulary is not a task to start and finish, but in fact a lifelong process. Starting in the right way is what makes the rest of the journey enjoyable and something that the child will look forward to, as well.

Children are incredibly fast learners and absorb new information faster than we think. So keep encouraging your child to be curious, to read and to keep asking what words mean, how they are pronounced and how to use them. Over time, both of you will see improvements in leaps and bounds in terms of their English vocabulary.