Language Modeling and Expansion
Tips for talking with your young child
By Sharon Delaveaga, SLP
· Play with your child often, for the sheer enjoyment of connection, without the expectation of words; take the pressure off his speech performance.
· Understand that play is a child’s “work” as he learns about his world with his hands and through his interests.
· Follow his lead in play, and talk simply about what he is doing (“you’re building tall blocks!”) even if he is completely silent.
· Be face-to-face with your child, at his level. Speech happens in your mouth, not your knees!
· Make lots of playful, pleasure sounds (e.g. motors, animals, sound effects).
· Gestural language is communication! Affirm child’s pointing and body language.
· Shorten your speech to 2- or 3-word phrases – easier for child to imitate.
· Hold a desired object at your face beside your mouth, so your child can watch you say the word.
· Pause for child for make eye contact (“good looking!”), even if he is not yet ready to imitate.
· Name familiar pictures readily for your child instead of always asking “what’s that?” to get a child to talk; he needs to hear the familiar words spoken many times.
· Use lots of repetition and vary the phrases: “train . . . big train . . . fast train.”
· Avoid the focus on pre-academics of expecting your child to name colors, shapes, alphabet—they need everyday words first (e.g. common objects, foods, toys, etc.).
· Model lots of social communication words that get your child’s needs met: want, eat, drink, more, all done, mine; less emphasis on “polite words” that will come later (please, thank you).
An article entitled Enhancing Children's Language Development in Preschool Classrooms.
http://icrp.asu.edu/files/Publication%20PDF%202.pdf
This link is for a Unified Model of Language to Literacy Intervention Strategies. This website is also available in Spanish.
http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/12913/
Model for a Spoken Language Preschool Program for Children Who are D/HOH By: Frances Pomaville, Ph.D.
California State University, Fresno
http://www.csha.org/conventionHandouts/Friday/Pomaville_FridayPS4_Model%20for%20a%20Spoken%20Language.pdf
This links to a page with strategies to encourage language development. It has some great tips!
http://www.education.com/reference/article/strategies-language-learning/
These two links are to a blog written by a speech pathologist about enhancing language development in preschool learning centers. There are two parts.
http://vocablog-plc.blogspot.com/2010/06/preschool-language-inte
http://vocablog-plc.blogspot.com/2010/06/preschool-language-intervention-part-2.htmlrvention.html
By Sharon Delaveaga, SLP
· Play with your child often, for the sheer enjoyment of connection, without the expectation of words; take the pressure off his speech performance.
· Understand that play is a child’s “work” as he learns about his world with his hands and through his interests.
· Follow his lead in play, and talk simply about what he is doing (“you’re building tall blocks!”) even if he is completely silent.
· Be face-to-face with your child, at his level. Speech happens in your mouth, not your knees!
· Make lots of playful, pleasure sounds (e.g. motors, animals, sound effects).
· Gestural language is communication! Affirm child’s pointing and body language.
· Shorten your speech to 2- or 3-word phrases – easier for child to imitate.
· Hold a desired object at your face beside your mouth, so your child can watch you say the word.
· Pause for child for make eye contact (“good looking!”), even if he is not yet ready to imitate.
· Name familiar pictures readily for your child instead of always asking “what’s that?” to get a child to talk; he needs to hear the familiar words spoken many times.
· Use lots of repetition and vary the phrases: “train . . . big train . . . fast train.”
· Avoid the focus on pre-academics of expecting your child to name colors, shapes, alphabet—they need everyday words first (e.g. common objects, foods, toys, etc.).
· Model lots of social communication words that get your child’s needs met: want, eat, drink, more, all done, mine; less emphasis on “polite words” that will come later (please, thank you).
An article entitled Enhancing Children's Language Development in Preschool Classrooms.
http://icrp.asu.edu/files/Publication%20PDF%202.pdf
This link is for a Unified Model of Language to Literacy Intervention Strategies. This website is also available in Spanish.
http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/12913/
Model for a Spoken Language Preschool Program for Children Who are D/HOH By: Frances Pomaville, Ph.D.
California State University, Fresno
http://www.csha.org/conventionHandouts/Friday/Pomaville_FridayPS4_Model%20for%20a%20Spoken%20Language.pdf
This links to a page with strategies to encourage language development. It has some great tips!
http://www.education.com/reference/article/strategies-language-learning/
These two links are to a blog written by a speech pathologist about enhancing language development in preschool learning centers. There are two parts.
http://vocablog-plc.blogspot.com/2010/06/preschool-language-inte
http://vocablog-plc.blogspot.com/2010/06/preschool-language-intervention-part-2.htmlrvention.html