Helping kids learn words

We learn and refine the meanings of words throughout our lives. Children need to understand the sound structure of words and to know the meaning of many different words, as well as how to figure out word meaning from the context in which a word is used. Word skills are important as the foundation for learning to read.Words have multiple meanings. There are central meaning (most common) and peripheral meanings (less common). There are also figurative meanings ('hit the sack'). Take the word 'ear', for example. The most central meaning is the listening device on the side of your head. A less common meaning would be as in an 'ear of corn'. Figurative meanings of ear may include, 'I have an ear for music.' or 'I'm all ears!' Figures of speech are important because they are very common in everyday speech and yet quite confusing to those who are trying to learn a language.

1. Children need to develop some understanding of the sound system of words.
· Parents may play rhyming games. For example, "Listen, I can change the word 'saw', a thing I use to cut wood to 'paw', a dog's foot. Reading books with word play, like Dr. Seuss, provide valuable experience.
· Parents can point out similarities in the sounds of words. For example, the word "McDonalds has Don's name in it. Listen, Mc-Don-alds".
· Parents can play blending games and analysis games. For blending games, children can be asked to combine 2 words, such as 'cow & boy' into one word or if analyzing, tell which 2 words make up the word 'cowboy'. For older children, this can be done with sounds. For example, "d-i-n-n-e-r"-ask the child to say what the word is.
· For older children, parents can show how words change with small additions. For example: "I really like your shoes----NOT" or "He is cheerless" or "She is unconscious".
· Parents may emphasize word meaning and sound structure with older children by engaging in casual word play. You may play a running game of 'fictionary' where each person tries to bring home a 'stump' the family word or you may make up words for events that have no words (Example: The cart at the grocery with a wobbly wheel may be called "cartiswabis"). Parents may reward children for recognizing unfamiliar words and asking what they mean (Example: "You are so recalcitrant.") or may reward them for recognizing words used in the wrong context that sound almost like the intended word (Example: "Here, let me give you some destruction on how to do that.")

2. Children need to develop an understanding of the concept of 'word' and meanings in different situations.
· Parents can talk about words and what they mean in any everyday situation. Once you have a child attending to a word, use it in various sentences and fit it into the present context, if possible. Extend to other meanings or words with similar meanings.
Example: Suppose the word is "shimmering" and you are watching the moonlight shimmering on the lake. Show and talk about your earring shimmering in the moonlight or a wet rock. You may extend on to talk about the rock 'glistening' or 'shining' in the moonlight.
Example: Suppose you are talking about a child who is described as being 'bad'. You could refine your child's understanding of bad and extend to other words by saying, "Well, she is not malicious. Malicious is when you mean "to hurt others". I do not believe she wants to hurt others. It is difficult for her to stop herself when she wants to do something. That is called being petulant.


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