3.8
Naming more everyday things
Why is this important?
Children need to hear words many times before they begin to use them. Everyday objects/photos/favourite toys are the words that children will be most familiar with and therefore the ones they will be motivated to use first. Expanding vocabulary is an important aspect of language learning.
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What to do
• Use a bag (e.g. felt bag/PE bag/pillowcase) and put a selection of everyday objects
(about ten items) inside:
★ Brush, cup, shoe, book, teddy, etc.
• Let the child feel inside the bag and pull something out.
• As this happens, pause to see if he/she spontaneously names the item.
• If this doesn’t happen, offer a choice (e.g. ‘Is it a brush or a car?’).
• If this doesn’t prompt the name, you name the item.
Use lots of repetition to give the child the opportunity to listen to the word.
• Demonstrate what the item is for as you say the word
(e.g. pretend to drink as you say ‘cup’).
• When the bag is empty, reverse the activity so the child is picking up an object,
naming it as it goes back into the bag.