HOUSE OF WORDS Build vocabulary at home to strengthen reading skills. Adding to your child’s mental word bank can turn him or her into a more fluent and efficient reader. A solid vocabulary increases comprehension, attention to detail, mental visualization, motivation and willingness to read at higher levels. In addition, your child’s writing and oral development will also profit immensely. Here are a few ideas you can easily adopt at home: Using index cards, a marker or crayon and tape, you and your child can post new words you find or need around the house. Play the "It’s, Like, So..." game. Whenever possible, speak with synonyms. Example: "That story was so unbelievable! Like, so incredible! Like, so outrageous! Like, so extraordinary!" Make a "Jar of Words." Fill a jar with words (for spelling tests, for a new story, for science or math vocabulary, etc.) and let your child pick one to use for a week. Keep it nearby with a sticky note for tallies. If your student uses the word correctly in more than two conversations, he or she scores 10 points. Offer an incentive for points scored during the week. Have high expectations and talk naturally. You’ll be surprised with what your child understands, and encourage him or her to ask about unfamiliar words. Take it a step further by improving your own vocabulary so your new words will rub off. Ask your child to describe, explain and explore what he or she really wants to say. Repeat what he or she says using different words to teach new phrases and ways of expressing emotions. Set up a "Take it & Say It" section on a wall. With three bags and a marker, draw faces with different expressions on each bag. For example, draw a happy face, a sad face and an upset face. Tack or tape each bag to the wall. Fill them with words to express these emotions. When the occasion arises, have your child pick a word to express what he or she feels. You can change the bags and words as often as you like. Explore different places on your own field trips. Go out and observe your surroundings, then talk about them. Link real life memories to new words and expressions. The key to learning new vocabulary is introducing new words in a relaxed setting. Be willing to investigate new experiences with your child so there will always be new things to discuss and new words to learn. - Nereida Llonch