Thank you for your questions!

Over the years I have accumulated many great ideas on how to raise children to be literate, giving them the best chance at success in school. In future columns, using a question and answer format, I will share some of these ideas with you. Please send your questions to me. I cherish each one – and chances are I will have just the answer you need! Questions and answers will be posted on this website.

Click to learn more about Dr. Bard.

I have had a long, interesting career as a speech language pathologist, university professor, speech and hearing clinic administrator, special educator, and literacy coordinator. I have had the honor of serving as coordinator at a hospital clinic, chair of an academic department, and I have worked in public, inner city, and private schools in this country and abroad.

For twenty-eight years I was a professor in a state university Department of Special Education. I have had the pleasure of consulting with parents, school administrators and agencies on best practices for educating children. And, I have raised two children of my own and I am a grandmother!

Ph.D. from N. Y. U. and clinical certification as a speech language pathologist from the American Speech Language Hearing Association.

Questions:

Please click each question below to reveal the answer.

1. Is there a relationship between the child's early vocabulary and later school success?
   Absolutely – and a very strong and important relationship it is! Language learning begins on the first day of a child's life, with the birth cry. The baby is "hard wired" to acquire language, but he has to hear it. In fact, he will hear over a million words before he utters his first.
   
   Caregivers must talk to, sing to, and essentially bathe the baby in a sea of words all day – every day. On average, a child speaks his first word between ten and eighteen months of age. At twenty-four months, he will know approximately 50 words, and will begin to put two words together. He will say things like "All gone" or "S'mine".
   
   At three years old the child will have learned over two thousand words and speak in three to five word sentences. He will be able to tell a short sequenced story, sing a song, and follow simple two-step directions. At four, he picks up steam with more words, songs, poems and stories, while beginning to play cooperatively with other children. At five, a child who has been in an interesting and informative environment – not necessarily including preschool or television – will be more than ready for school!
   
   The base of successful reading is to understand what is read. This is a description of a child who is well on his way to academic success!
2. What is the role of TV in language learning?
   TV has NO role in early language learning! The first two years of a child's life are critical to set a base of words, concepts and grammar learning. This is accomplished by listening to caregivers talk to the child directly about the things going on in his environment.
   
   Events in a baby's life – even having his diaper changed – should be explained as it is happening. Getting ready for a walk outside, reading a book or singing a song are all perfect opportunities to talk directly to the baby about what is going on, and what things are named. There is no commercial package of materials than can substitute for a parent or caregiver talking to a baby!
   
   A book or a picture card has value only if it has been read or shown to the baby over and over again. Then the baby can decide for himself what the picture is about. I have never seen a CD, even those supposedly designed for infants by experts, which I would recommend. Enhancing a baby's ability to learn language is a labor of love and intense activity. There are no shortcuts.