Tips About Young Kids, Words, and Reading

---

Children need to build vocabulary to know what words mean in order to become good readers. "Not knowing the meaning of most of the words in a book inhibits comprehension," say the authors of "Tutoring Our Youngest Readers" in The Tutor published by LEARNS, a partnership of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory and the Bank Street College of Education.

Focusing on the National Reading Panel's five major reading strategies (phonemic awareness; phonics; fluency; vocabulary; text comprehension), the booklet is geared to helping tutors, parents, and others understand each skill and help kids build these skills through appropriate activities.

Reading with kids and getting into word play supports vocabulary development, say the authors. Here are some of their suggestions:

• Word Sorts. Think of a category or favorite topic such as animals, transportation, or toys, and invite (the kids) to think of as many words as they can that fit into the category.
• Word Bank Book. Children like to collect all kinds of things, from cards to words. Make a word book... by stapling blank pages together. As children come across new words they would like to "keep," help them write the words in their books. Children will enjoy collecting big words like brontosaurus and small words like it.
• Writing Partners. Invite a child to tell a story while (you or another adult) write it down. Talk about the story and point out special words the child used.

Authors Akimi Gibson and Judith Gold point readers to recommended books to help kids build vocabulary: Arthur's Really Helpful Word Book by Marc Tolon Brown; The Cat Sat on the Mat by Alice Cameron; I Spy Year-Round Challenger! A Book of Picture Riddles by Jean Marzollo; Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever by Richard Scarry; The Shape of Me and Other Stuff: Dr. Seuss's Surprising Word Book by Dr. Seuss; and The Weighty Word Book by Paul M. Levitt.

The Tutor is on the Web at www.nwrel.org/learns/; for print copies, while available, call 1-800-361-7890.

This column by Karen Lytle Blaha is provided as a public service by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, a nonprofit institution working with schools and communities in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.