Students Fall Flat in Vocabulary Test
December 16, 2012
A recent article in the WSJ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323316804578163213067015532.html reported that children do not have adequate vocabularies, which impacts their ability to learn to read.
While vocabulary is the foundation for acquiring strong literacy skills I do not agree with the article’s recommendation that parents need to be involved in teaching reading. Talking develops a child’s use and understanding of language, which is the basis of reading. It is not simply the number of words, but also how they are used that is important. Vocabulary development by age 3 has been found to predict reading success.
Reading aloud help children get ready to learn to read. However, many of the benefits of the read aloud are lost without the habit of talking to children about the story. Being read to does not automatically lead to literacy. The real link lies in the verbal interaction that takes place alongside the read aloud. There is no need for parents to teach children how to read—their job is to talk to their children which will give them the vocabulary they need to build strong literacy skills.
Robust vocabularies make for strong reading skills
November 28, 2012
Study after study shows evidence that ties vocabulary size to higher socioeconomic status and greater educational achievement. By age 3, children who are raised in a professional household know twice as many words as do children raised on welfare. It is not simply the number of words, but also how they are used that is […]
2012 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature
November 15, 2012
Here is my favorite quote of the day from William Alexander, (Goblin Secrets) the recipient of the 2012 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. “The way things are, are not the only possible way they can be. Stories are the first way we figured that out.”
How much is too much when it comes to children & the Internet?
November 12, 2012
A recent article in the NYT spoke of the trauma many people experienced when Storm Sandy knocked out Internet access for days. The author maintains “adults and children are overindulging in our devices, devoting ourselves to the trivial.” That is certainly debatable but what is irrefutable is the fact that young children need a different […]
Parents can help drive the Common Core Standards
November 8, 2012
There is a two-fold challenge with many states adopting the Common Core Standards. First, how do teachers best prepare themselves to achieve the goals of the Common Core English Language Arts Standards. The second challenge is how to take advantage of this opportunity to educate parents on what they can do in the home that […]
