Did you know that a child’s vocabulary size in kindergarten and grade 1 predicts their reading comprehension ability up to 10 years later?  Many studies continue to link early vocabulary size not only to reading success later on, but also to overall academic achievement. 

If you work in an early childhood setting, you may be looking for strategies to make vocabulary instruction a natural part of shared book reading and everyday conversations. The Make Words Sparkle e-Seminar provides you with practical, research-based strategies that foster vocabulary learning in children who have a basic vocabulary and speak in sentences. With the help of real-life video examples, you’ll learn how to:

• Select target words for children to learn.
• Highlight new words and convey the meaning of new words through visual cues. 
• Provide children with opportunities to use and hear new words in a variety of everyday contexts. 

After completing this e-Seminar, you will be able to:

• Describe the connection between vocabulary knowledge and literacy.
• Select the “right” books to foster vocabulary learning during book reading.
• “Step up” the level of vocabulary with the introduction of less familiar and less frequently occurring sophisticated or precise words that are connected to literacy success.
• Apply the vocabulary-building strategy “Shoot for the SSTaRS” in book reading as well as in meaningful conversations during everyday classroom activities, as well as during speech therapy sessions.
• Share strategies for building vocabulary with parents and early childhood educators.