Lizard Learners | Read With Me

The early years of a child's life are crucial for language development , and reading plays a vital role in building vocabulary during this critical stage. Even before children can speak, they are absorbing language and learning new words through exposure to books and conversation . In this blog, we'll explore the importance of building vocabulary in under-3s and how reading can be an effective tool for fostering language development in young children. Why Building Vocabulary Matters : Vocabulary development is foundational to language acquisition and literacy skills. A rich and diverse vocabulary not only enables children to express themselves more effectively but also enhances their ability to comprehend spoken and written language. Research has shown that children with larger vocabularies tend to perform better academically and have stronger reading comprehension skills later in life. Therefore, it's essential to start building vocabulary from an early age to set childr

When it comes to teaching children to read, phonics is often the go-to method. While phonics is a valuable tool, there are other approaches to reading instruction that can be equally effective. In this blog post, we'll explore some of these alternative methods and how they can be integrated into a comprehensive reading curriculum . Whole Language : Whole language is an approach to reading instruction that focuses on teaching children to recognise words as whole units , rather than breaking them down into individual sounds. This method emphasises the importance of context and meaning in reading comprehension . Whole language can be incorporated into a reading curriculum through activities such as shared reading , where children read along with an adult, and guided reading, where children read independently with support. Balanced Literacy : Balanced literacy is a comprehensive approach to reading instruction that combines elements of phonics, whole language, and other methods . T