{"id":725,"date":"2022-11-11T21:35:09","date_gmt":"2022-11-11T21:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/litblog.wpengine.com\/?p=725"},"modified":"2023-10-13T02:48:22","modified_gmt":"2023-10-13T02:48:22","slug":"how-repeating-a-story-develops-vocabulary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/literati.com\/reading-levels-parent-guide\/learning-to-read-for-kids\/how-repeating-a-story-develops-vocabulary\/","title":{"rendered":"How Repeating a Story Develops Vocabulary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Reading the same books over and over to your preschooler or Kindergartener may make you feel like you\u2019re stuck in a time loop, but the truth is you\u2019re making change happen, gradually affecting your young listener\u2019s neural pathways. As kids this age continue to learn the strange language that is English, they rely on multiple readings of a story in order to get a stronger grasp of the words at its core.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what is it about the young brain that makes this repetition so useful? Is it like what a mantra is to meditation? Or what validation is to a needy friend? Repeatedly exposing new words to kids is important, but so is the context in which they\u2019re showcased. Back (again) with more information on the book-brain connection, Literati<\/a> is here to root on your future Wordle wunderkind!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Storybooks and language learning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You could try to teach a child new words through simple flashcards, but learning a series of words without context is an exercise in rote memorization, not understanding. That\u2019s why storybooks are a more effective (and fun!) means of building stronger vocabularies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several different research studies over the past few decades have shown that repetitive shared storybook reading has improved young children\u2019s ability to retain new words. One notable study conducted by the University of Sussex used two different approaches to teach unfamiliar words to kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The kids who encountered those words over repeated readings of the same books could better recall their meanings than those who encountered them over several stories read only once. What\u2019s up with that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The effect of context on learning new words<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During the first readthrough of a storybook, children focus mainly on the storyline and imagery. But once these elements become familiar through repetition, attention shifts toward still-unfamiliar aspects such as new words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These words become more memorable when they are part of a rhyming pattern or are paired with visuals. Sound and imagery provide a context for language to be tied back to, and revisiting this context helps words take root in memory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So in the Sussex study, the kids who didn\u2019t read stories multiple times struggled to recall the target words because the context in which they appeared kept changing. But that\u2019s not to say you should keep fewer books in the house!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best books to read on repeat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a sampling of books that often utilize memorable repetition, are sometimes self-aware about the act of repetition, and are always worth reading many, many times:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\n \"Book\n <\/div>\n
\n

Interrupting Chicken<\/h3>\n \n

by David Ezra Stein<\/p>\n \n

\n This humorous story is a relatable look at a familiar bedtime ritual that will likely mirror your own experience repeatedly telling the same tales. But it also shows how kids\u2019 constant wonder keeps things fresh.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n
\n \"Book\n <\/div>\n
\n

Gator, Gator, Gator<\/h3>\n \n

by Daniel Bernstrom & Frann Preston-Gannon<\/p>\n \n

\n This adventure narrative uses rhyme and repetition to encourage a spirit of discovery in young listeners as they comprehend new words.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n
\n \"Book\n <\/div>\n
\n

Duck, Duck, Moose!<\/h3>\n \n

By Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen & Noah Z. Jones<\/p>\n \n

\n \u201cDuck\u201d and \u201cmoose\u201d are the only words you\u2019ll encounter in this book, but the repetition and supporting pictures and sounds will ensure that your kids get those words down pat.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n
\n \"Book\n <\/div>\n
\n

Bear Can\u2019t Sleep<\/h3>\n \n

by Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman<\/p>\n \n

\n Various forest animals come to Bear\u2019s lair aiming to help him sleep. This repeated story pattern along with a rhyme scheme and some bigger words will strengthen your child\u2019s vocabulary.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n
\n \"Book\n <\/div>\n
\n

The Snatchabook<\/h3>\n \n

by Helen Docherty & Thomas Docherty<\/p>\n \n

\n The theft of a community\u2019s well-worn books creates an opportunity to share a bedtime story with the lonely culprit. This rhyme-rich story celebrates reading and warms hearts.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s an encore, not d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Practice is essential to developing any skill. When it comes to learning new words through reading, it\u2019s not worth gathering every known usage of \u201chippopotamus\u201d in storybooks just to make the term stick. Use repetition to create familiarity with imagery and cadence, which then serves as the backdrop that puts unfamiliar words in sharp relief. (And that\u2019s how \u201chippopotamus\u201d finds its way to the hippocampus<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get vocabulary-boosting books worth rereading with Literati Book Clubs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re going to be repeating stories, make sure they\u2019re ones your kid really likes. Signing up for a Literati Book Club<\/a> lets you share your child\u2019s reading interests with curators who spring into action, selecting the choicest cuts of high-quality reads with a long shelf life and plenty of new words to discover. Then the books will keep on coming to your home, as long as you like!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reading the same books over and over to your preschooler or Kindergartener may make you feel like you\u2019re stuck in a time loop, but the truth is you\u2019re making change happen, gradually affecting your young listener\u2019s neural pathways. As kids this age continue to learn the strange language that is English, they rely on multiple … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":726,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[57],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow Repeating a Story Develops Vocabulary - Literati<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Repeating stories to young children helps them learn new words.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/literati.com\/reading-levels-parent-guide\/learning-to-read-for-kids\/how-repeating-a-story-develops-vocabulary\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Repeating a Story Develops Vocabulary - 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