Robust Vocabulary

February and March are wonderful months to be on the lookout for robust vocabulary. As the research has confirmed, there is a strong connection between vocabulary and learning to read. If our children are exposed to robust vocabulary, their ability to learn to read is improved. As we read aloud to our little ones before bedtime, they will hear words that may be unfamiliar to them. But through our voice, an illustration, and surrounding words, our children begin to build a vast vocabulary that will carry them through many literature selections. Read-alouds and think-alouds are important for children to experience. Our kids may not need some of these unfamiliar words in the future, but the exposure to new vocabulary causes them to absorb words that they may call upon in their future. For an example, being a 'word' geek, I love to play SCRABBLE. About a year ago, my middle child and her husband who also love this game, thought it would be fun to 'stump' the old lady with their expertise. Determined not to be outdone, I pulled out a vintage word, trivet (hot pad or plate to protect the surface of the table). Her remark was: "Where did you get that word?" I simply told her of my grandmother's policy of protecting her prized dining room table. My daughter continued by saying that 'no one calls them that anymore'.
My point is this. Read to your children, expose them to new and robust vocabulary and be surprised how much their brains will absorb. By the way, the last time I was at my daughter's house for dinner, she asked her husband to get a trivet out of the drawer for the table. YEAH for Vocabulary!