Language is universal. That is why a child learns from what they are introduced. As a parent, you want to do anything to help your kid and encourage their language skills. Helping your child with language development helps them achieve their communication milestones effectively. However, the question is, how can you help them improve their language skills? There are certain things you can do every day to help a child develop language and speech. Here is what to do.
How to Help Babies with Language Development
Even if you might not understand your baby well, the little
sound they make can tell you what they want to say. That cute cooing is a way
of communicating. Even though they are small, the sounds are the start of your
child’s language development. Here are ways to help your baby with language
development.
Sing or Play Music Often
A musical environment has a significant impact on an infant’s
development. Whether singing baby songs or nursery rhymes, your baby has a good
chance of developing language. So, sign to your baby or play soft music often. You
can also dance along the music to make it more enjoyable.
Include Gestures When Talking to the Baby
Before a baby begins to form words, he or she recognizes
changes in volume, pitch or other concepts of communication. They begin to
understand things around them, mostly by seeing and observing. For instance, a baby
knows the connection between crying and someone coming to pick them. In short,
a baby begins vocals by first understanding their needs. Your baby will take
note of everything you do and try to make meaning out of it. Therefore, when
talking to your baby, always use gestures and related sounds.
How to Help Toddlers with Language Development
Communication begins to change once the baby becomes a
toddler. At about 18 months, a baby can say 10 to 50 different words. They can
also follow simple directions or use a two-word phrase to communicate. Here is
how to help your toddler with language development.
Read to Them Frequently
There is a strong relationship between language development
and reading. Reading to your toddler helps them recognize words and letters as
their vocabulary expands. Many of their books encourage imagination and use of
words. They are also descriptive in a way normal conversations are not.
Narrate
Narrating to your toddler also plays a great role in their
language development. For instance, you can talk about what you are doing. Something
like, “I’m tying your shoes.” You can also talk about what they are doing. For instance
you can say,” You are feeding puppy” These ways of narrating something helps
the child turn words into phrases which eventually become sentences.
How to Help Pre-School and Beyond Kids with Language Skills
At this age, your kid can say most of the things and can
communicate in a clear way. However, continued support is encouraged to improve
their skills. Here is what you can do to help.
Avoid Correction or Criticism
Every child has a learning curve when it comes to language
development. If the child is off with their pronunciation or tenses, avoid
criticizing or correcting them. They may not interpolate the feedback well and
might be unwilling to try again. If they are wrong, repeat the sentence in the
right way without telling them they are wrong.
Ask Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions allows your child to explain something
further, giving room for practice. Sometimes a child will even create a whole
different conversation with an open-ended question. So, avoid the yes or no
type of questions.
Use Dramatic Play
Lastly, playing pretend helps with imagination and enhances
the kid’s language skills. Encourage your kid to crate plots, characters or
emotions with dramatic play. It will help boost their vocabulary.
In Conclusion, language development is more than talking. It
means all the ways your kid understands and communicates. Therefore, consider
these ideas to help your child achieve this milestone with ease.
Comments
Post a Comment