According to a study led by New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, teaching preschoolers about insects and plants by reading them informational science books helps the development of both their vocabulary and science knowledge. This research showed that the kind of text children read – like narrative or nonfiction information books – shapes their vocabulary, understanding of concepts and reading skills.

Informational texts are not commonly read in preschool or at home. They are however “a primary source of technical vocabulary that allow young children to grasp complex understandings in different subject areas,” said Susan B. Neuman, a professor at NYU Steinhardt and the study lead author. The children who were read science texts gained, in comparison with their peers, a larger science-related vocabulary and learned better to link words and concepts.

Picture: Branches of Science (Wikipedia)

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