I’ve always found a delightful connection between meals and reading. Maybe it’s because I adore both activities, often found with a book propped against a napkin holder in a diner, flipping pages while twirling spaghetti, or balancing a bowl of ice cream on my lap while engrossed in a novel on the couch. I’ve even attempted to recreate some of the delicious meals from books with my children, like the hard-boiled eggs from the story about Frances, which helped us escape the endless PB&J lunches.
But it seems there’s more to the relationship between dining and literacy. Psychologist Clara Mendez highlights that kids who share regular dinner conversations with their families have an edge in early literacy compared to their peers. Research she cites reveals that conversations during mealtime can enhance a child’s vocabulary even more than reading alone.
Why is that?
Well, the language in storybooks often has a limited range of words. In contrast, the spontaneous dialogue at the dinner table introduces a wealth of vocabulary that goes beyond what kids typically encounter in their favorite storybooks. Clara notes, “Uncommon words—those beyond the 3,000 most frequently used—are ten times more prevalent in dinner talk than in children’s books.” When parents share tales about their day or funny family moments, they often use a variety of words that children may not yet recognize but can grasp through context. Kids with rich vocabularies, filled with these sophisticated words, find reading easier because they can decode the language more effectively.
Additionally, children don’t just benefit from listening to adults; they also gain from sharing their own stories. Clara observes that research indicates kindergarteners who narrate stories tend to become better readers later on, even into middle school. As a parent of a chatty 5-year-old, I can personally vouch for this. My son loves sharing his tales, even if they are nonsensical at times. Recently, he’s been on about a “motion potion” that allows you to fly if you have the right ingredients (cue the giggles). He passionately debates the merits of using water versus juice for his concoction, showcasing his storytelling skills—albeit while I sometimes drift off to more coherent thoughts.
Encouraging Storytelling
Parents can encourage their kids to become not just storytellers but also better at it, according to Clara’s findings. Here are her top tips:
- Reminisce about shared experiences and discuss them, like, “Do you remember that boat ride to Grandma’s?”
- Ask plenty of how and why questions.
- Prompt them to elaborate on their stories and reflect back what they say.
- Let them steer the conversation instead of taking control yourself.
It’s clear that dining conversations can significantly boost a child’s vocabulary, encourage them to share experiences, and strengthen the bond between spoken and written communication. Clara’s insights are certainly going to be a hot topic at our dinner table tonight.
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In summary, engaging in lively dinner conversations can significantly enhance your child’s vocabulary and storytelling capabilities, ultimately aiding their reading skills. Keep those conversations flowing, and who knows, your little one might just become the next great storyteller!