Vocabulary Development in Young Children

Vocabulary Development in Young Children
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Ways to increase the vocabulary of a toddler
Developmental psychologists identified vocabulary development among toddlers as a difficult skill that requires evidence-based tactics to accomplish (Wasik & Iannone‐Campbell, 2012). Toddlers surrounded by a language-rich environment are likely to acquire new and more vocabularies as they grow.
According to Wasik & Iannone‐Campbell (2012), having frequent conversations with a young child increases his/her vocabulary knowledge. During the conversation, the parent or the guardian must use different words each session. However, when introducing a new word, the parent or guardian ought to not only repeat the word over and over but also elaborate the meaning of the unique word.
Another approach that can be utilized is labeling/naming accomplish (Wasik & Iannone‐Campbell, 2012). A toddler interacts with very many new things in their environment. When the child points at anything; be it an animal, an object, or a plant, the parent needs to identify whatever it is by name and give any necessary description. For example, a child points at a uniformed police officer in town, the parent can say “that is a police officer, they always dress in blue uniforms, and they are in charge of security.”
Reading to young babies increases their vocabulary and literacy skills (Whorrall & Cabell, 2016). During the reading process, point out pictures and the respective names, if possible relate the images to real-life situations.

Read out unique phrases or words and make the toddler repeat after you. Asking questions makes the session interactive and more useful. When watching animated movies and other online interactive activities, babies often react to whatever they are seeing using non-verbal techniques; laughing, frowning, jumping or waving arms. The parents should be around to clarify some issues with the aim of educating the child.
Apart from soothing the toddler, songs can also serve as a fertile source of vocabulary. While singing, the nanny or whoever is singing can encourage the child to sing along. Different songs can be linked to various daily routines. The kid must be told the meaning of the song.
Why is the size of vocabulary significant?
Toddlers who enlarge their vocabularies are likely to express themselves and be better understood than those who acquire fewer vocabularies. Moreover, such toddlers can easily comprehend what is said by their seniors. Upon starting school, these children demonstrate more exceptional language skills and obtain higher scores in IQ tests than their counterparts who have little vocabulary knowledge (Whorrall & Cabell, 2016). Introducing babies to reading early in life enhances their self-esteem, literacy skills and record excellent academic performance at learning institutions.
Behavioural difficulties such as the inability of babies to fall asleep can be solved by reading a nice story to the toddler at bedtime.
References
Wasik, B. A., & Iannone‐Campbell, C. (2012). Developing vocabulary through purposeful, strategic conversations. The Reading Teacher, 66(4), 321-332.
Whorrall, J., & Cabell, S. Q. (2016). Supporting children’s oral language development in the preschool classroom. Early Childhood Education Journal, 44(4), 335-341.