SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT IN YOUNG CHILDREN
Introduction
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Children learn through their senses. They learn to talk by listening and responding The first few years of a child’s life are key to the development of speech and language skills. For this reason it is important to create strategies that give them all the stimulation, positive role modeling and human contact that they need. Through play and simple daily interactions and experiences parents can help the child to acquire new language and skills.
Interaction Parents do not need special training to be able to provide their child with a positive start in life. There are a few simple building blocks are suitable to help your child grow. Parents just need to provide the time to interact with their children. By playing and allowing your child time and space to explore and interact in their own way you allow your child to develop and learn in a fun and safe environment. Skills Speech and language skills do not just evolve on their own. They are part of a bigger picture involving social interaction, play, observation, listening and attending. All these things are working together and often, without one, it is difficult to develop another. Good modeling An important aspect of learning speech is listening. A child learns new sounds and words by listening to those around him. This is why it is important to provide good speech for the child to listen to. If your child attempts a word and it is not pronounced correctly, praise him for trying. Symbolic sounds Some easy words and sounds to introduce when your child is young and what we call symbolic sounds These are fun sounds that you can incorporate when playing games or looking at books. Symbolic sounds are short ones and syllable sounds and words that are easy for the child to produce. They encourage vocalization, imitation, early vocabulary and understanding of routine language. Communication temptations Often by tempting your child with something motivating you can bring out some speech or a vocalization. In the early stages the child does not have to use the correct words or sentences, but just vocalize or make a rough calculation of the word. Parents needs the child to learn that he can use his voice as a tool to initiate and request. Listening, attention and observation Listening and attention skills are the building blocks of speech and language development. The acquisition of these skills is vital in the early years if you want your child to be successful at school. The development of these skills is facilitated by interaction with others, with having a shared focus with others, and playing in an environment that is free of distractions. Listening, is not the same as hearing. A child can have perfect hearing, but be a very poor listener.
Children with Autism, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder or Auditory Processing Disorders will have difficulties with listening, remembering, and following verbal instructions. Children that have had a lack of social interaction or poor role modeling in the early years of their lives may present with listening and attention difficulties.
DOs
· Praise good listening and good looking. · Talk slowly and point to what you are talking about · Give your child a good version of the word when child makes a mistake. · Use games to motivate your child to make sounds. · Try to find activities you can both enjoy and focus on together. · Use key words · Use a small sentence and emphasize the important word.
· Do not try and get your child to repeat the word or correct it. · Do not spank them · Do not humiliate them · Do no scold them · Do not always find fault with them · Do not frighten them
Observation skills
Language One of the things to be aware of when using language around your young child is the level of language you use. If you are talking about something that is not in sight, it is likely the young child will not know what you are referring to. Watching, waiting and listening You can enhance your child’s development of language by sometimes taking a step back during play and letting them take the lead. This gives the child control of their environment and builds their confidence. Although you are still involved in the play you are not dictating what is happening. Add language Adding language is an easy thing to do and can be done in all types of different situations, not just play. You comment on what the child sees, commentate on what your child is doing, or expand on what they have said. The environment The environment in which your child learns also has an impact on how they learn. A busy household with lots of children will be noisy, but has benefits because the young child will be getting to play with others which is itself will be beneficial. Simple Games There are lots of simple games you can play and indirectly work on speech and language. Learning language does not have to be done in a structured environment. Do not forget when you are playing games to focus on speech and language, you will also be working on social skills, observing and listening. Toys Toys are fun and great for involving your child. The type of toys that are beneficial to your children will obviously be associated with their age, but even with the simplest toys you can create fun activities and provide lots of situations for learning and developing speech and language. Conclusion Books are great for having a shared focus and for learning new words. Books can also play a key part in developing speech and literacy skills later on. As with language games and games with toys, there are many ways to use books and the pictures to focus on language. You can focus on books with symbolic sounds for early speech or story books to focus on language. Books are a great way to work on lots of skills.
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