Children Need to Hear Diverse
Examples of Words & Language Structures
It’s February, the month of LOVE.
We know how much you love your children and we thank you for
learning how to support their early language and literacy skills!
This month brings us to Kathy Hirsh-Pasek’s
Language Learning Principle #5: Children Need to Hear Diverse Examples of Words and Language Structures. This means they need to hear a large variety of vocabulary and different ways of putting words together. Studies have shown that the amount and diversity of talk in early childhood produces better language outcomes and increased vocabulary performance in Kindergarten and later in second grade.
We shared this video at the beginning of our series, but it is worth reminding you how this 5th Principle can be done within conversation, even with infants! Count how many complex vocabulary words the man uses in his 53 second exchange with this wide-eyed baby: