The Importance of Cultivating
In the Name of Allah, Master Fard Muhammad, to Whom Praise is due forever for raising our Divine Messenger, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad...
As-salaam alaikum,
A well-trained Muslim avoids using "baby language." As Christians, many of us succumbed to the belief using "big words" equates to "talking white." Our language was rudimentary, inaccurate, and often profane. As we grow in Islam, we appreciate the importance of using proper words and grammar to express ourselves effectively. From our inception, the Nation of Islam's temples provided reading classes and other adult education to help us perfect our communication. This program was innovative, and it demonstrated our commitment to self-improvement and seeking knowledge regardless of our age. Nonetheless, the best time to develop communication skills is in our youth. We cannot overestimate the benefits gained by intentionally cultivating our children's word stocks. Knowledge of words influences all areas of communication; our ability to speak, comprehend, read, and write. A lack of words is directly proportional to a lack of academic achievement. |
Some studies have shown that by the age of five, children from low-income families may score up to two years behind on standardized language development exams in comparison to children from higher-income families. This creates problems, because even if little Talib is extremely intelligent, he cannot do well on a test if he is unfamiliar with the selected words. These challenges often appear when attempting to comprehend the instructions, the questions, and the answers on assignments and tests. Many immigrant students face these same difficulties. For instance, it is hard to follow the instructions: "Write a succinct answer" if you have no idea what the word succinct means. But, you could give an excellent answer if you understood the instructions. Cultural bias is strategically woven into standardized tests. Yet, an advanced vocabulary helps level the "playing field."
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Words help children to think and learn about their world, environment, and experiences. Having an arsenal of words empowers children to advocate for themselves. Proper terminology allows one to describe situations with vivid, essential details. Imagine how vulnerable a child is to abuse if they lack enough words to describe their experiences. Miscommunication would make it easy for an adult to underestimate or even overlook the seriousness of potential and preventable threats.
Wording helps Believers recognize our Messenger's "voice" intuitively. In the Nation of Islam, we use specific vocabulary, and we use terms in the same manner as our Messenger. Using his phrasing and his meanings prevents interpretation and "sciencing up" of our teachings. It creates unity between the Believers while exposing confused Believers, weak Believers, and hypocrites whose voices do not match. We must teach children to use words correctly within our cultural context. At the same time, we must understand the eloquence in simplicity. Possessing an extensive vocabulary is never a reason to use words beyond the listener's comprehension. |
For these reasons, nearly every lesson on www.shabazztribebooks.com focuses on expanding vocabulary in alignment with the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. We encourage you to do the same at home. Day-to-day living brings many opportunities for word-building. For example, at the playground, words relating to morality, ethics, biology, anatomy, physiology, geography, and physics are easily taught. On the other hand, baking bean pies might bring an opportunity to teach health, how to eat to live, chemistry, math, and botanical words. Exposure to new phrases through natural conversation makes learning subtle and relevant. We must set an intention to take full advantage of these moments.
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There are many ways to encourage word acquisition in our children. The first and easiest method is to talk with them. Model an elaborate vocabulary by not "dumbing down" your speech. For example, most children can understand and/or say "urinate" and "defecate" instead of "peepee" and "poopoo" at a fairly early age. Children are capable of learning what we teach, although sometimes they may need a little scaffolding. Use "big" words to acclimate them to using context clues to determine word meanings. Invite them to ask for an explanation of any terms they do not understand.
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Another tactic is to provide an environment where reading is normalized. Apply for a library card if you do not have one. Go to storytelling events and check out books. Visit bookstores (used book stores have great deals!) and allow your child to build a library that suits their interests. Books offer exposure to unfamiliar terms while teaching life lessons. As much as possible, encourage children to choose books they are likely to enjoy. At the same time, we should mold them from infancy to prefer non-fiction (factual/true) books over fiction (tricknology/lies). I intend to go deeper into the reason for this (insha'Allah) in the future.
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When a child does an excellent job expressing themselves, we should praise them lavishly. Even when they do a poor job of communicating, we should remain positive. Challenge your child to reword their statements with better word choices. Make this challenge into a fun, competitive game to see how greatly they can improve their sentence. Each revision should get better and better until the child has expressed himself/herself well. By doing this, we help our children create the habit of thinking multiple times and editing their words for clarity, accuracy, and intent before they speak.
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Limit television and eliminate programs such as Sesame Street. Television is one of the worst methods of education because it's nearly impossible to control. These programs create silly children. They introduce words in contexts that are in blatant opposition to Islam. Too much television will confuse our children about the meanings of words such as girl, boy, man, woman, marriage, family, friend, enemy, values, and virtues. An exception to this may be developing foreign language skills. It can be helpful to hear a language being used naturally in a television program. Luckily, there are Arabic and even Swahili video programs online that are, by nature, more decent than "romance languages." Still, you may need to explain and correct certain aspects of those lessons that vary from our beliefs.
The good news is that we have the power to influence our children's acquisition of words. The great news is that by intentionally working to increase their vocabulary, we can improve ours as well. This cycle provides the momentum and motivation for our entire family to become better wordsmiths. All Muslims should speak, listen, read, write, comprehend, and respond well. With this foundation, we position our children for maximum success. |
May Allah Bless you and your family.
As-salaam alaikum,
Sister Sanaa
As-salaam alaikum,
Sister Sanaa
"Vocabulary enables us to interpret and express. If you have a limited vocabulary, you will also have a limited vision and a limited future."
- Jim Rohn
“A man with a scant vocabulary will almost certainly be a weak thinker. The richer and more copious one's vocabulary and the greater one's awareness of fine distinctions and subtle nuances of meaning, the more fertile and precise is likely to be one's thinking. Knowledge of things and knowledge of the words for them grow together. If you do not know the words, you can hardly know the thing.”
― Henry Hazlitt
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