How to help your child do well

We look each month at one topic. This month it's vocabulary.

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Vocabulary mainly develops from two sources: conversation and reading. Some tips to help your child improve their vocabulary:
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• Make time to talk with your child. Discuss topics using adult-level words and phrases - don't simplify for your child. Children have a larger receptive vocabulary (listening and understanding) than expressive (using words themselves). Choose topics from home, school, TV, social media, the news etc. Five minutes a day is a good start. It's easy to build in on a walk, cycle or car trip.


• Ask their opinion. Listen to them express themselves and reflect their conversation back to them occasionally with correct expression/more sophisticated terms e.g. "Let me see if I have understood. You're saying that.........


• Ensure your child reads from a variety of books/ magazines /websites.  Include non-fiction topics of interest to your child - there is a higher level of vocabulary here. Ask them about what they've read (see point 1 above)


• Play games such as Scrabble, Boggle, Hangman.


• Take advantage of your smartphone or tablet. Apps such as GRE Vocabulary Builder by Magoosh (free for IOS and Android) is a good start for senior primary. A level can be repeated until your child is ready to advance to the next. Creating an account saves progress between sessions. 


• Check out websites like www.theschoolrun.com or www.helpmykidlearn.ie for more ideas.

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