Written by Cristine Jimenez, Language Stimulation Specialist
Language is a pattern of rules we use in order to communicate. These rules represent certain concepts and expressions to denote meaning. Without language, we would not be able to communicate properly. The reason we understand one another is because innate rules exist.
As children we are introduced the concept of language and its characteristics as a subject called “language arts.” In that class you learn about verbs, nouns, adjectives as well as the composition of a sentence. Some children have a difficult time grasping some of these concepts, although they use them correctly daily in spoken form. Here are some great ideas for helping your children master language!
Practicing Word Families: on flashcards, write down words from the different categories of word families. For example, for nouns, you can write “bird,” “girl,” and/or any other noun. Depending on your child’s level, you can use verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, etc. Once you have about 25 cards, you can begin quizzing your child. Hold up the flashcard and ask what word group the word is from. You should practice each word family separately until your child gets the hang of it, and then jumble them all together! Of course, at the end of the game there has to be some kind of treat!
Opposites and Synonyms: here is a cool game you can play while you’re driving. Basically you will call out a word, and your child responds by either saying a synonym or the opposite. You can practice opposites an then synonyms or mix them together. So before the word you say, “the opposite/synonym of _____.” Here is an example: the opposite of up is? And your child should respond, down.
Story Telling: during your child’s early years in school they will be required to put sequences together. A fun game would be to write a story on 3-4 flashcards. Not a long story, but maybe each flashcard has one or two sentences. You mix them up and ask your child to put them together in order. It does not have to be a story, but maybe a statement, like: “If I do this correctly, I will get a treat.” This would be for beginners, but the point is that there is a beginning and then a clear ending.
If your child loves computer games, check out this website. I played a few games myself and thought they were pretty fun. Some of them are a little bit hard, and some younger children may have a hard time, but for the most part they are fun, easy, and user friendly!
http://www.primarygames.com/reading.htm
These are all great exercises to practice at home. During the school year you will see many other similar exercises as part of their homework. Help them strengthen their language skills by making it a fun and easy game!
