Supporting language in early childhood

Katy Gudmin, CCC-SLP

Many parents want to help their children develop positive speech skills early on in life. Here are some ideas you can implement at home to begin supporting language in early childhood.

Teaching Kids to Say More Without the Word “Say”:

When kids are first learning to talk, it is tempting to demonstrate what we want them to say by prompting them with the word "say" (e.g. "say ball"). In many cases, adding the word "say" as a command can actually make it harder for kids to verbalize. Giving them a command can increase the pressure in the situation, and can make the communication exchange feel less authentic. Also, some kids start to imitate the "say" part, too, echoing the whole command.

So what can parents do instead? Model the desired words, signs, and sounds! Simply saying the target word in the correct context, especially if you can model it several times in the same context, is a powerful teaching tool. Another helpful method is using familiar verbal routines, and then leaving off the final part of the routine to see if the child fills it in (e.g. "ready, set, ____" and pausing). Parents and caregivers can also provide choices (e.g. "Do you want a book or a puzzle?") to create language opportunities in a low-pressure way.

When children are provided language opportunities in a low-pressure environment, we help them to learn to talk in a more authentic, connected, and successful way.

Ways to Introduce New Vocabulary at Home:

There are many ways to incorporate language opportunities in your family’s daily routine. Some easy ways to explore new words could be:

• During mealtimes: Point out the available foods on the table and let your child tell you which one they would like.

• During playtime: Give your child the opportunity to tell you which toys they’d like to play with. Put some toys out of reach so your child has the opportunity to ask you for the toy. Help them set up imaginative play routines that use lots of different sounds and words to help enhance their vocabulary.

• During book time: Reading to children is a great way to help expand their vocabulary while also helping to improve their attention span, creativity, and listening skills.