Curriculum

Weekly tips for parents:

1. Read to your child every day. Make this a loving time when the two of you can cuddle.
2. Choose books that are related to your child’s interests.
3. Let children choose their own books once they start showing preferences.
4. Let your child re-read the same book as many times as they wish.
5. Read in a fun way. Read with humour and expression.
6. When reading aloud to your child, choose books that you like, as your enjoyment will be contagious.
7. When reading to your child, hold the book so that he or she can see the pictures while you read.
8. Engage your child so he or she will actively listen to a story. Ask and answer questions.
9. Encourage your child to predict what will happen next in the story.
10. When discussing stories, ask for specific information.  This shows your child that you expect attentive listening.
11. When reading to your child, spend some time looking at the cover and illustrations. Ask your child to describe them.
12. Tell your child how much you enjoy reading with him or her.
13. When looking at a book together, draw your child’s attention to the way writing works.
14. Know when to stop. If your child loses interest or has trouble paying attention, put the book away for a while.
15. Chat with your child whenever possible – when you’re waiting in line, driving or taking a bus.
16. Give everything a name. Play games that involve naming or pointing to objects.
17. Carry out your daily chores with your child and narrate what you are doing.
18. Ask your child imaginative questions, such as, ‘If you had wings, where would you fly to?’.
19. Compete with your children to see who can come up with the silliest story in under one minute.
20. Teach your child simple songs with many repetitive words.
21. Share fun facts with your child by saying ‘Guess what?’.
22. When your child talks to you about his or her day, be sure to listen and give your undivided attention.
23. Record your child singing a song or repeating a rhyme. Children love hearing their own voices on tape.
24. Avoid using baby talk. Don’t dumb down your speech, as children learn by example.
25. Help your child associate sounds and words with people, activities and objects.
26. If your child mispronounces a word, simply repeat the word correctly in your reply and move on.
27. Do not expect your child to repeat a word correctly after just one example.
28. Correct grammatical errors consistently, but be discreet. Don’t make your child self-conscious about speaking.
29. Build your child’s vocabulary by using different words to describe the same thing whenever possible.
30. Inspire your child to be descriptive by asking open-ended questions.
31. Encourage your child to read aloud or recite something that he or she has memorised.
32. Don’t expect perfection. Be ready to praise effort, even if it falls short of the goal.
33. Do not allow others to tease your child about his or her speech.
34. Refrain from interrupting your child during his speech attempts, or telling him to slow down or start over.
35. Speak to your child in a calm and unhurried manner.
36. Give your child many opportunities to speak to older children and adults.
37. Let your child order his or her own food at a restaurant or fast food joint.
38. Avoid answering on behalf of your child when other adults ask him or her questions.
39. Reward all efforts to talk. Smile, nod, repeat what you did understand, follow with a clarification or question, and rephrase if necessary.
40. When giving instructions, give your child time to listen and encourage a verbal response.
41. Encourage all family members to take turns to listen and speak.
42. Ask your child to describe what is happening on his or her favourite television programme.
43. Ask your child to tell a story using a wordless picture book.
44. Take a walk with your child. Collect interesting items such as unusual leaves and make a scrapbook that he or she can talk about.
45. Talk about the written words you see in the world around you.  Ask your child to find a new word every time you go on an outing.
46. Have fun telling stories with your family. Begin with ‘Once upon a time…’ and let everyone take turns to continue the story.
47. Encourage your child to stand and recite a rhyme or tell a story while you are seated and gradually add more family members to the audience.
48. Encourage your child to imitate animal sounds or common environmental sounds, and to associate them with words.
49. Let your child practise thinking in categories. Begin at a basic level by using pictures of ‘things I like’ and ‘things I don’t like’.
50. Play games involving spatial terms, such as ‘under’, ‘in front of’ and ‘behind’.
51. Children like to play ‘bigger kid’ games. Simplify the rules and let them play according to your new set of rules.
52. Use snack and meal times to increase vocabulary. Talk about how things taste and use verbs such as ‘suck’, ‘sip’ and ‘gobble’.