Our favourite early language strategies at Wonder Words Speech Pathology
In this resource article, we will share some of our team's favourite early language strategies to use with children.
As speech pathologists, we understand the critical role that early language stimulation plays in a child's language development journey. Today, we're excited to share some of our favourite language strategies that can make a world of difference in fostering language growth in young children.
Sign and gestures
Using sign, such as Key Word Sign and a variety of gesture can help your child communicate before they can speak! Gestures such as pointing, head shaking or clapping often develop prior to spoken language, so it's important to acknowledge this as meaningful communication! Evidence shows children who use gestures, and parents who imitate these signs may begin combining two-word sentences faster.
Follow their lead
Follow your child's lead during play. The aim is to engage in meaningful and FUN interactions, which allow you to model language and engage with your child! Allow your child to play with toys in their own way, not the "correct" way. If they're having fun, see it as an opportunity to model language!
Parallel talk
This is a way to name and comment during a variety of activities and tasks. Try to model language whilst playing games or as you go through your everyday routine such as "It's bath time" and "We're eating apples". This strategy assists in exposing your child to a variety of vocabulary and assigns meaning to everyday items and activities as you experience them together!
Give choices
Offering your child choices between activities/items allows them to have control and independence in their life. You may offer choices between toys or food items, whilst you model and repeat language.
Expand
Expanding on your child's language by adding one or two more words. This strategy assists in building your child's vocabulary by adding adjectives, adverbs, nouns, pronouns and lots more. Start slowly by adding one word for example, if your child says "car" you may say "blue car" or "fast car". Then you can slowly add more vocabulary as your child's language skills increase.
These strategies are effective and evidence-based, versatile, adaptable to various settings and able to be seamlessly implemented in your everyday life. Whether you're a parent, caregiver, or educator, incorporating these techniques into your interactions with young children can profoundly impact their language development journey.
Remember, language development is a journey, not a race. Celebrate every milestone, no matter how small, and continue to provide love, support, and rich language experiences to nurture the blossoming linguistic abilities of the children in your care. Together, we can help every child reach their full communication potential.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s language development!
