Vocabulary refers to the words children must know to communicate effectively. There are four main types of vocabulary:

• Listening vocabulary: the words we need to know to understand what we hear
• Speaking vocabulary: the words we use when we speak
• Reading vocabulary: the words we can read and understand
• Writing vocabulary: the words we use in writing

(Reading Rockets)

Vocabulary acquisition begins as we listen in our native language and eventually as we read in our native language. As new words are collected and learned in a variety of contexts, we can use them in spoken conversation, or within our writing.

Isabel Beck and Margaret G. McKeown have studied vocabulary acquisition and researched the best way to develop a “robust” vocabulary. They state that “...large and rich vocabularies are strongly related to reading proficiency and school achievement in general.” They also point out that if children do not begin developing a listening, speaking and written vocabulary early on, the gaps in learning become very wide, very quick. They highlight the following data points: 1) high school seniors near the top of their class knew about four times as many words as their lower-performing classmates 2) high knowledge third graders had vocabularies about equal to lowest performing 12th graders.

(Beck, McKeown & Kucan)

You can help your child be a better reader and writer later by building their vocabulary now. We know that children that have bigger vocabularies tend to be better readers and writers. They just have more words to draw on to express themselves. Helping children learn new words can be so easy and fun, we sometimes don’t even think about it. Here are some ideas to help you:

• Create a “word-curious” environment. Praise your child when they ask what a word means. Look it up together if you don’t know.
• Avoid “talking down” to your child but also avoid talking to him like he’s in college. Try and use vocabulary that might be just a little above your child’s ability.
• Model an interest in words by saying things like, “I just love the sound of that word. I want to use it more,” or “Hmm, that’s an interesting word. I wonder what it means. What do you think?”
• Talk through what your day will hold each day, “First, we’re going to have breakfast. Then, we’ll go to preschool. After preschool, we’ll have a picnic in the park. What do you think we should pack for our picnic?” By using the language of past and future tense by talking about things that have already happened and anticipating things that will happen, you help children understand the different forms we use for verbs.

We have a Title I Reading Specialist available at each building to assist parents with supporting their child’s academic progress between home and school. One of the roles of the Title I Reading Specialist is that of a coordinator who provides opportunities for parents to participate in workshops and activities that will greatly benefit students. Also, the Title I Reading Specialist organizes and conducts, planning meetings with parents and volunteering opportunities that will help influence academic success. For more information, please contact the Title I Reading Specialist at your student's school:

• Joseph Federbar ES - Pam Haggerty
• Herbert Hoover ES - Joan Brooks
• Walter Miller ES - K elly Dougherty
• Albert Schweitzer ES - Kim Maurizi
• Tawanka ES - Jen Gross /Andrea Gansor