By Alicia N. Miller

Did you know that by the time your child graduates from high school, they will have encountered over 50,000 words?* One of the best ways to make sure they understand and correctly use the words that they encounter is to introduce vocabulary into their daily activities. In addition to school and tutoring, parents canplay a big role in their child’s vocabulary development. Try some of these tips for helping your child become a top reader and get on the road to reading comprehension.

• Use phonics and familiar words to help add to your child’s vocabulary. For instance, if your child knows some words that end in “ock,” such as “clock” or “knock,” they can also learn “rock,” or “block.”

• Introduce new vocabulary by writing the word along with a picture on a sticky note and placing it on the item. Encourage your child to say the word when asking about or using the item, rather than just grabbing for it.

• Take the time to use sophisticated vocabulary in your conversations with your child, making sure they understand what you are saying. Instead of always using words such as, “good” or “nice,” infuse your conversation with rich vocabulary such as, “pleasant,” “decent,” or “delightful.” Make sure to share the meaning (or meanings) of the word with your child. Use new vocabulary often as it can take several times to become a frequently used word.

• Engage your child in vocabulary by playing games such as vocabulary hangman, bingo, crossword puzzles, or word searches. Create a custom game and challenge them to a competition.
• Set up a quick memory game for your child. Write vocabulary words on small pieces of scrap paper and draw corresponding pictures to explain the meaning of the word. Play the game by matching the correct word and picture. More advanced students can play the game by matching vocabulary with its corresponding definition.

• Have your child become a word detective. As they read and come across unknown words, have them keep an ongoing journal listing the new vocabulary and definition. See how many new words they can find and learn.

• Encourage your child to read multiple types of texts on a variety of subjects. Think magazines, newspapers, blogs, biographies, or poetry, to name a few. This diversity will help your child develop a rich and varied vocabulary.

• Challenge your child to see how many new vocabulary words they can use in one day.

The more vocabulary your child learns the better their reading comprehension will become. Many students often struggle with reading not because they can’t read a specific word, but because they cannot understand the word. One of the best ways to reinforce the tutoring your child receives is to practice at home what was learned in class.

*Michael Graves, University of Minnesota.