Read-Aloud Handbk . Favorite Web Links Book Lists Harry Potter Censors and Children's Lit. It was adapted by the author for the Web. Some illustrations used here are not found in the print edition.
Most conversation is plain and simple, whether it's between two adults or with children.
It consists of the 5,000 words we use all the time, called the Basic Lexicon . Then there are another 5,000 words we use in conversation less often. The chart below shows that printed text contains the most rare words. This poses serious problems for at-risk children who watch large amounts of TV, hear fewer words, and encounter print less often at home. The result is a gigantic word-gap that impedes the child's reading progress throughout school.