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Homeschoolers are busy. There are so many subjects to teach our kids, that some just fall by the wayside. Is vocabulary one of those subjects for you? If so, then finding natural ways to teach vocabulary may be the solution. In this post, you’ll discover three ways to teach vocabulary without ever opening a workbook.
#1 Use precise language and “big” words when conversing.
Children’s vocabulary development is related to their verbal interactions with parents. According to a well-known study, the more meaningful conversations parents had with their child, the larger their child’s vocabulary.
Eighty-six percent to 98% of the words recorded in each child’s vocabulary consisted of words also recorded in their parents’ vocabularies.
Hart and Risley, 2003
One day my son wanted to show me his Tinkertoy tower. I could have said, “Miles, what did you make?” which is how I typically talk. But, being more thoughtful in the moment, I substituted “create” for “make.” Introducing this new word obviously caught his interest. He started using it right away in his response.
It takes effort for me to use precise vocabulary, even a word as simple as “create.” Common words don’t require much thought. If I want my son to grow in his vocabulary development, then I need to be diligent and think before I speak.
Carefully choosing our words and expanding our vocabulary to include “big” words during everyday conversations are natural ways to teach vocabulary.
#2 Read quality literature often
Repeated readings of favorite picture books is beneficial to young children. Research shows that when children are exposed to new vocabulary multiple times, as when reading to them, they’re more likely to retain those new words.
If rereading books to your child bores you to tears, read this post, Read it Again, Mommy! for fresh ideas.
As you read aloud to your child, draw attention to a new vocabulary word. Talk about the meaning of the word, pointing out any clues in the text that helped you figure it out. After discussing the meaning, have your child explain what the word means in his own words.
On this page, from If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen, the text reads, “Inside the engine I’ll add a machine to capture the odor of burnt gasoline.” I would reread the phrase “odor of burnt gasoline” and say the following:
Odor means smell. He’s going to capture the smell of burnt gasoline and change it to something that smells better. See in the picture how the people are using their noses to smell the odor coming from the car? He changed the burnt gasoline odor to “something more pleasing to noses.
When my daughter was young, she went through a fairy book phase that was agonizing for her dad and me. The text was simplistic and dull, but she insisted on reading a book from the series every night.
In contrast, when we picked up Rabbit Hill or The Little White Horse, we were inundated with new vocabulary, and reading aloud was more pleasant for us all.
Reading quality literature is another natural way to teach vocabulary and it will ensure that your child is exposed to rich words.
#3 Play board games
Games make learning fun for any subject. Vocabulary is no exception. Mention the word “game” and your child will jump at the chance to play. Teaching vocabulary disguised as game playing is another natural way to teach vocabulary.
Apples to Apples
My daughter has loved playing Apples to Apples (affiliate link) for years. She used to play with a group of girlfriends, 6 and 7 year-olds, and they would giggle the whole time.
There are two sets of word cards. Green cards are adjectives and red cards are nouns. To play, the judge chooses a green card and reads the word to the group. Players lay down a red card from their hand that is best described by the word.
For example, if the word is “exquisite,” they may put down “diamond” or “Italy.” The judge collects the red cards, shuffles them, reads them aloud, and finally selects the one he/she likes best.
Balderdash
In this bluffing game (affiliate link), players are given an obscure word. After studying it, they write a definition that’s grammatically correct and convincing.
The “dasher” writes the dictionary definition and adds it to the mix. When all the players have submitted their definitions, the dasher reads each one. Then, players decide which definition is accurate and points are given to those who choose correctly.
Scrabble
This classic game is very open-ended. Each player gets a set of letter tiles. In Scrabble (affiliate link), players take turns using their letter tiles to create words on the game board, sharing letters from words already available on the board, like in a crossword puzzle.
Less frequently used letters, like z and qu, are awarded more points. Also, there are spaces on the board that will give letters more value, so there is some strategy involved. The player with the most points in the end wins.
Conclusion
It’s reassuring to know that our children can learn vocabulary without a textbook. There are natural ways to teach vocabulary that require a little thought, like taking our oral language up a notch, and talking about new vocabulary when we read aloud. But playing games teaches our kids vocabulary with no effort on our part. We can sit back and enjoy playing with our kids.
Your Turn
How do you teach your child vocabulary naturally? What ideas can you share?
Resource
Hart, Betty & Risley, Todd R. “The Early Catastrophe.” American Federation of Teachers. Spring 2003: 7.
