Learning & Teaching
Let's All Speak...
Participating in speaking and listening activities at home helps children to develop their literacy skills while having fun at the same time. Here are some activities you might like to try at home: Thanks to readingrockets.org for these top tips.
Story Talk
Talking about what you read is a great way to help children develop language and thinking skills. You won't need to plan the talk, discuss every story, or expect an answer.
What you'll need:
Storybooks
What to do:
- Read slowly and pause occasionally to think aloud about a story. You can say: "I wonder what's going to happen next!" Or ask a question: "Do you know what a palace is?" Or point out: "Look where the little mouse is now."
- Answer your children questions, and if you think they don't understand something, stop and ask them. Don't worry if you break into the flow of a story to make something clear. But keep the story flowing as smooth as possible.
- Talking about stories they read helps children develop their vocabularies, link stories to everyday life, and use what they know about the world to make sense out of stories.
Now Hear This
Children are great mimics. When you tell stories, your child will begin to tell stories, too.
What you'll need:
Your imagination
What to do:
- Have your child tell stories like those you have told. Ask: "And then what happened?" to urge the story along.
- Listen closely when your child speaks. Be enthusiastic and responsive. Give your child full attention.
- If you don't understand some part of the story, take the time to get your child to explain. This will help your child understand the relationship between a speaker and a listener and an author and a reader.
- Encourage your child to express himself or herself. This will help your child develop a richer vocabulary. It can also help with pronouncing words clearly.
Having a good audience is very helpful for a child to improve language skills, as well as confidence in speaking. Parents can be the best audience a child will ever have.