Family Strategies: READ & TALK
Did you know that vocabulary development begins long before children know how to speak? From birth to pre-k, children’s brains develop faster than at any other point in their development. They yearn to soak up all the information in the world around them. Reading, the foundational skill for learning, begins with vocabulary development.
Talk with your child from the moment they are born; in fact, you can even start before birth! Engaging with children as conversational partners helps promote vocabulary development, comprehension, and a strong foundation for future success.
Language nutrition is beneficial in any language, so talk with your child in the language that you are most comfortable with. Research indicates that the strongest predictor of academic success is TALKing with your child. Just as healthy food nourishes a growing child’s body, language nourishes a child’s brain. Quantity and quality of nourishing language, like nutritious food, is critical to brain development.
How do you have conversations with young children? Use the TALK strategy!
TALK Strategy
T – Tune In
A – Ask Questions
L – Lift Language
K – Keep It Going
Language nutrition benefits children in any language. Home languages strengthen learning and cognitive development.
Want to learn more? Check out The Power of TALKing Early and Often with Young Children.
Use the READ strategy to make the most of story time in your home!
Reading with your child is one of the most effective ways to develop their language skills, and you can take any book to the next level with a few simple steps. The Rollins Center developed the READ strategy to help parents turn story time into an opportunity to build each child’s vocabulary.
READ Strategy
R – Repeat the Book
E – Engage and Enjoy
A – Ask Questions
D – Do More
Language nutrition benefits children in any language. Home languages strengthen learning and cognitive development.
Want to learn more? Check out Using the “READ” Technique to Make the Most of Story Time.
Additional Communication Tips
- Use child-directed speech
- Expose children to as many words as possible
- Respond to communication attempts
- Talk with your child, not at them
- Get on the child’s level
- Embrace your first language
- Use facial expressions to reinforce meaning
All adults, including parents, caregivers, and teachers, can use meaningful conversation to establish the foundation for educational success.
