• “Linguistic mapping” sounds terribly complicated and hard to do! But, it’s really very easy!
  • Linguistic mapping simply means that when your child communicates or shows an interest in something that she might not have the vocabulary to explain, you give her the words to describe it.
  • For example, if your child sees something interesting while you are shopping at the grocery store, you can tell her what it is:“Oh, those are oranges. Oranges are a fruit that we eat. Oranges are sweet and round.”(Don’t forget to use your “acoustic highlighting strategy for this new word – say it a little more slowly, a little more loudly (or emphasized) so your child can pick up on it.)
  • This is a powerful strategy because it provides the vocabulary to communicate something that your child has already shown an interest in – a very big aid to learning.
  • Being good at linguistic mapping just means that you value your role as your child’s first and most important teacher, and are always on the lookout for things the she doesn’t know yet, but would like to know (or should know)! Give her the words!
  • “Novel mapping” is similar: If your child sees three items she knows the names of – and one that she doesn’t – and you ask her to hand you the flibbertigibbet (or other word she hasn’t yet encountered), she will know that the unknown word should go with the novel (new) object!

Tip #9: The Bottom Line:
Help your child out by providing new words to name things and to explain ideas.