Download Developing your child`s language

Observe: what your child is interested in
Wait: to see what your child will do
Listen: to your child and hear what he is trying to tell you.
 Adapt to share the moment:
Imitate what your child did
Interpret what he wants to say, and say it
Take turns
 Add new experiences and words:
Give your child the words for things, object that he looks at.
If he has one word you add another one, i.e. ‘dog’, you say ‘big
dog’, ‘small dog’, ‘brown dog’. If your child is at the level that
he is using two words in a sentence, add another word, i.e. ‘big
brown dog’, ‘brown dog barks’ etc.
 Repeat, repeat, Repeat:
As your child is learning language, you will have to repeat
words over and over in order for your child to learn and use
them. So don’t feel like you are being repetitive – it is
helping your child.
TALLAGHT HOSPITAL, DUBLIN,
INCORPORATING THE NATIONAL
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
Speech and Language Therapy
YOUR CHILD’S LANGUAGE
DEVELOPMENT
Developing language is probably the hardest thing that anyone
has to do in their lifetime. Not surprisingly, most children
have some difficulties along the way – they often don’t say
sounds properly, don’t say words in proper sentences or don’t
talk at all. These difficulties are frequently a source of
worry for parents. Following are some answers to questions
asked by many parents that are concerned about their child's
speech and language development.
Before reading any further it is important to realise that:
All children are different and develop at different rates.
One child may walk as early as eight months while another
may not even try until sixteen months. Both children are
quite “normal” and will eventually walk just as well as each
other. The same can be said for talking.
 All children (and adults) have their strengths and
weaknesses. Your child is likely to perform well in some
areas and not in others.
 Children can only do a certain number of things at one
time. If your child s developing in one area e.g. learning to
walk, don’t expect him to be making great progress in
language development at the same time.
 Children, as a rule, understand much more than they say.
It is thus important to stimulate them even when they do
not talk back.
 The best and natural way for a young child to learn to
speak is through listening and taking part in conversation.
Try to make talking a pleasurable activity.
HOW DOES A CHILD DEVELOP LANAUGE?
The child’s first sounds come from his swallowing, crying,
cooing and gurgling. Pleasure associated with the warm
and comforting tones of his mother’s voice help it
increase the sound he makes. Even in the first year,
adult approval and repetition help the child increase his
language learning.
The age at which the child says his first words varies
greatly but average at around one year. These single
words develop from one word phrases to 3-4 word phases
and eventually sentences. It is believed that speech
becomes important to the child because it is used by
those who look after him and make him happy. His desire
and need to respond in a similar manner to people around
him is the main reason for his language development.
The following are some pointers to remember when
interacting with your child, which will facilitate language
development:
 Get down to your child’s level i.e. on the ground,
sitting facing you, as this will allow many forms of
input ie auditory, visual etc.
 Allow your child to lead: if your child has an interest
in a particular toy, book, page in a book, use this to
talk about, because what your child shows interest in
will maintain his attention for longer. So try the
following: