Vocabulary Development: Why is it good to re-read the same books to your children?

Vocabulary Development: Why is it good to re-read the same books to your children?

They say, “Variety is the spice of life”, but according to research toddlers and preschoolers build their vocabularies faster when they are re-read the same book.

Dr. Jessica Horst from University of Sussex’s WORD Lab performed an experiment to see how quickly 3 year olds could identify and remember 6 new words. Her research revealed the following:

Toddlers and preschoolers learned and recalled MORE new words when the same book was repeatedly read to them.
They also learned the words at a faster rate.

Next time your little one asks to be read the same book, grin and bear it, or better yet smile and embrace those intimate moments knowing that familiarity and repetition is good for vocabulary development!

“Re-reading offers something that few other cultural experiences do, really: a mix of gentle stability and sharp new insight. In childhood, “as we become accustomed to a world in which change is the only real constant, the familiarity of the book at bedtime is something to cling to.” – Sarah Seltzer

References:

Levy, A. (2013, March 3). Why children learn faster with only a few books: Repeatedly reading the same book to toddlers helps them learn new words. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk

What book are you re-reading your child every night?

Here are some recommendations: