Let's Talk! 
There is a very popular question we hear from parents.
The question is, “What can I do to help my child be a successful reader?”
Did you know that the biggest predictor of all future reading and writing success is vocabulary? Research shows that the number of words children have in Grade 1 predicts how strong of a reader and writer they will be in Grade 11.
So, how do you make your kids awesome readers? TALK TO THEM! TALK TO THEM ABOUT EVERYTHING - even when they are little, and they aren’t speaking yet. Tell them about what you are doing and feel free to narrate your lives. (If you ever had a dream to be a broadcaster, this is your chance!) Whatever you are doing- think of as many ways to discuss it, as possible! Eating watermelon? Discuss the shape, the pattern on the outside, and what it might look like on the inside. Then cut it open, and talk about the taste, the smell, and everything you can see, like little black seeds. You can even think of other descriptive words to use, like teeny tiny black seeds or vibrant pink colour - as many words as you can think of to describe what you see, smell, and taste!
“Every parent has the ability to grow their child’s brain and impact their future. Where does this power come from?
THEIR WORDS (whether spoken, sung, or read)!”
Remember: FORGET ABOUT STEPS….COUNT YOUR WORDS INSTEAD!!
Let's Read! 
Have you ever found yourself in a meal ‘rut’, where you cook the same ten recipes, over and over again? Yes? Well, it turns out that, as adults, we do the same things with words. We get into word ruts and tend to use the same phrases and words time and time again. This is important because we know that the number of words a child is exposed to hugely impacts their vocabulary, which is the biggest predictor of future reading and writing success.
Want to know a little parenting ‘hack’ to help expose your children to more words…knowing that you might be experiencing a word rut? READ TO THEM!
“When kids are with caregivers or parents, they’re exposed to the same language, the same vocabulary words, the same patterns of speaking, which is wonderful,” says Dr. Laura Phillips. “But books allow them to hear new vocabulary and new ways of putting words together.” Research tells us that children who are read to daily become better readers!
So, grab a book and find a nook- your child will thank you for it!
Remember: FORGET ABOUT STEPS….COUNT YOUR WORDS INSTEAD!!
Let's Sing! (Coming Fall 2024)