Core Vocabulary: What Is It and How Can I Be Utilizing It in the Home?
If your child is receiving speech and language services, you as a parent may often hear the term “core vocabulary.” Core vocabulary refers to words or phrases that are frequently used by a variety of individuals. There are 250-400 core vocabulary words that make up 75-85% of the words we produce, and provide the framework for functional communication and novel phrases. For my clients who are still emerging language users, I like to focus on utilizing and eliciting core vocabulary. Examples of vocabulary words include, “go, more/again, all done, up, down, turn, want, in, open.” By utilizing these words, children are able to manipulate their environment and socially interact with other individuals. A large variety of concepts can