You are your child's most important language model
Children learn language from the people they talk to most. That's you.
The number of words a child knows by Year 2 strongly predicts how they get on with reading and writing through primary school. Vocabulary is built through conversation — not flashcards, not worksheets. Just talking.
The good news: this is free, takes no preparation, and you're probably doing it already. The slides below sharpen what you do.
1. The "tell me more" rule
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When your child says ANYTHING interesting, your default response should be one of two phrases:
"Tell me more."
"Why?"
That's it. Those two phrases keep them talking, and the more they talk the better at it they get. Try not to fill silences while they think — silence is where the sentence is forming.
2. The "swap a word" game
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When your child uses a vague word — "nice", "big", "good" — gently swap in a better one and see if they pick it up.
Child: "The cake was nice."
You: "Oh, delicious? Or yummy? What kind of nice?"
Over a month this single habit massively expands their working vocabulary. The flashcards in this pack pick 12 starter words.
3. The screens-off dinner + 10-minute story chat
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If you do nothing else: screen-off mealtimes, even one a day. Mealtimes are protected talk time. The pack's Talk Cards give you 24 ready-made conversation starters if you need them.
And after every bedtime story, spend just two minutes asking: "What was your favourite bit? What would you have done differently? What might happen next?"
The one thing to remember: there is no parent in the country who can't do this. It costs nothing, takes no expertise, and matters more than almost anything else in primary English.
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Well done!
You finished this lesson. You worked hard and learned something new today. 🎉
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