Creating an environment conducive to language is simple, judging by appearances. Unfortunately, due to the homes and busy lifestyles of parents who have to work all day, it is difficult to find time to be with their children. However, there are many opportunities to use and teach language in everyday situations and to create an environment conducive to learning.
Steps
Step 1. Take some time for your child
Know that children learn to communicate with a language through listening, observation, exploration, learning to overcome difficulties, responding to stimuli, playing and interacting with others. In the first few years of life, most of the most important interactions occur between the child and his or her parents, guardians or siblings. Finding time to spend with your child and having shared goals is very important if you want to help them develop their language, communication and social skills. Spending some time together will bring great benefits to your child in the long run.
Step 2. Avoid television
You are doing your child a great wrong if you have free time to spend with him, but you decide to put him in front of the television. There are few (very few!) Children's television programs that can be considered instructive. You are much more likely to learn something by spending time with a parent or guardian. Television and video games are passive entertainment and do not encourage any interaction. Studies show that children who watch too much television in the first years of life are more prone to have attention and listening problems when they reach school age.
Step 3. Discard the pacifier
There are also studies showing that the use of a pacifier delays the development of language. Language can be delayed because the child speaks less and the habit of this immature sucking behavior, appropriate for a newborn but not for an older child who is ready to speak and eat, can affect the development of his oral musculature.
Step 4. Create an environment that supports language development
Creating a stimulating environment for language development means taking advantage of every possible opportunity by using verbal communication to interact, share a goal, speak, tell something in turn, etc. Creating an environment that stimulates language also means building an educational environment where you can show love and affection towards your child, and where you can help them build their self-esteem. It also means creating an educational environment, in which love, language and learning go hand in hand. What can you do to create this environment? Well, first observe yourself and the way you communicate:
- Remember your language level. Two of the things you need to be most aware of when talking around your child are the level and complexity of the language you use. Think about his age, and how much verbal communication he uses. A young child generally understands more words than he or she uses to speak. You can use a graph of your child's speech development to get an idea of his level. Considering that your child is developing along a normal line, choose carefully the language to use. For example, if your child is two and a half years old and can follow simple instructions, keep these things in mind when talking to them. If your child has difficulty understanding, use keywords, a clearer tone of voice and gestures, or point to things as you say the corresponding words.
- When talking to your child, be sure to use the sentences in context or to talk about something the child can see, so that you can refer to them. Speak slowly, and emphasize the keywords, if any, in a clear tone to emphasize their meaning. Give the child some time to respond, more than you would give an older child. Small children may need a little longer to process your words and formulate an answer. This is particularly important if your child is having difficulty learning language. If your child has difficulty communicating or a delay in receiving language it is essential to limit the words, give them more time to process what you have said and use a lot of gestures.
Step 5. Take a step back and sustain communication
You can improve your child's language development by taking a step back during the game and letting him lead it. This allows the child to take control of the environment and creates safety in him. Even if you are still involved in the game, you are not the one who decides what happens. However, you can still fuel verbal communication throughout the game. Don't feel like you have to fill every moment of silence, just observe, listen and participate. For example, if your daughter is playing with her dolls, observe her, add words to her sentences and guide some of her actions:
- Giovannina: tea doll.
- Mom: The doll is drinking tea, and this one is eating a sandwich.
- Giovannina: sandwich.
- Mom: mmm, sandwich. What's in the sandwich? Marmalade. A jam sandwich, mmm.
- Giovannina: mmm sandwich.
- Mom: good, the jam sandwich.
- Giovannina: more tea.
- Mom: more tea for the doll, even the teddy bear drinks tea.
- Giovannina: cake.
- Mom: ooo, they eat cake too, good.
- Giovannina: good cake.
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Mom: yum yum yum eat a lot of cake (hand gesture on stomach).
This is a simple example of how mom just adds a few new words, confirms her daughter's, and lengthens her sentences. The girl feels that her sentences are transformed into longer and grammatically complex sentences, and that verbs are added (drink and eat). Giovannina carries on the game all the time, it is she who decides what happens. The situation allows her to have control, and does not make her feel the pressure of having to communicate, and the environment is loving and relaxing
Step 6. Be aware of the language you use while playing
Children do not learn language by constantly asking adults for the names of various things. Children learn by listening to words and connecting them to things. So it's a good idea to feed the language through play, rather than asking your child what the things he plays with are called. Feeding the language is simple and can be done in all kinds of situations, not just in the game. You can comment on what the child sees and does or expand on the sentences he says. Eg:
- Child: car.
- Adult: That's right, it's a car, a fast car.
- Or
- Adult: Right, a car, a red car. That's a blue car.
- Child: Cat.
- Adult: yes, the cat climbs (add a gesture to the action, and emphasize the keywords "cat" and "climbs").
Step 7. Consider that another way to nurture language is to describe what the child is doing while playing
For example, if your daughter is playing with her dolls in the dollhouse, make some small comments:
- Giovannina: doll.
- Dad: the doll is going home.
- Giovannina: sitting.
- Dad: the doll is sitting down.
- Giovannina: drinks.
- Dad: the doll has a cup, she is drinking tea. He drinks tea.
- Giovannina: tea.
- Dad: Yes, the doll is drinking tea, and now she is eating cake.
Step 8. Avoid asking questions
The temptation is to ask questions, like "what is the doll doing?" or "what is the doll drinking?". This immediately puts pressure on the child, who has to stop playing to respond. By simply commenting, however, you don't put any pressure on the child to communicate, so the game is calmer. The child is also able to play by their own rules and to control the game.
Step 9. Share a communicative purpose
The examples above show how important it is to share a communicative purpose. This is important because not only are you providing your child with a point of reference, but they are also learning while listening and using attention skills. These skills will be essential for the child when he / she goes to school, and the first years of life are essential for their development. The best way to develop these skills is to spend time with the child and play with them, having the same communicative purpose.
Step 10. Try to develop a shared communicative purpose with your child when having a conversation
Share the moment with him and see things together. It is important to note what he is interested in and what he is focusing on, and then make a brief comment. It helps create a shared vision of purpose by showing the child that you are interested and allowing them to connect language to the things they watch as you comment on them.
Step 11. Make sure you understand the child's vocal performance or his attempts to communicate and translate them
If you are able to understand and recognize your child's attempts at communication, encourage him to try again, and at the same time provide him with a good language model. If you can't understand him, repeat his words, but at the same time indicate what you think he is talking about. Attention can be shared in many daily activities:
- While shopping: tell your child what item you are looking at, this way you can shift their attention to the products on the shelves and name a few. You can say the names of some for him if he can't recognize them on his own.
- While reading a book: it is a great way to attract attention. Look at the book, talk about the pictures and read the story.
- Cooking: Make a cake together, talk about the ingredients and what you are doing (mix, pour, blend, etc.). Follow the recipe step by step (to develop the ability to sequence activities).
- Toys: Have tea with your daughter and the dolls. Describe everything the participants do (no questions asked, and letting the child be in control of the game). Make the voice of some of the dolls while feeding the language.
Step 12. Play Pretend
This game is great for developing the child's imagination and at the same time for feeding his language. Letting the child lead the game gives him a sense of control that develops his confidence. Here is an example of how a child and a father can play pretend to be firefighters and all the ways to make this game as informative as possible:
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Example 1 - Firefighters. You're the dad, and you only have 15 minutes to spend with your 4-year-old. You decide to be a firefighter and imagine that you have received a call to put out a fire in a large building. First of all, let's think about the language you will use:
- Names: fire, fireman, helmet, boots, hose, water, fire truck, smoke, ladder.
- Verbs: drive, climb, run, jump, feel.
- Adjectives: hot, wet.
- Prepositions: in front, inside, up.
- Social Skills: Taking turns and sharing a goal.
- Self-confidence: Let your child play the fire chief, and give you orders.
- Affection: give him a hug to celebrate the success of the operation and the rescue of people.
- How simple that was! This is just a small example of a role play where the child plays, learns, listens, uses language, acquires social skills, gains self-confidence and learns to communicate with his father. It only takes 15 minutes a day to do such a thing. It's not difficult, you can even speed up the game if you only have a short time.
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Example 2 - Dressing up for the grand ball.
- Make a change of clothes with your daughter imagining that you are going to a great ball. Language used:
- Names: dress, shoes, prom, makeup, hair, etc.
- Verbs: to dress, dance, lace up, etc.
- Adjectives: pretty, elegant, etc.
- Prepositions: up, inside, under, etc.
- Social Skills: Shared Goal, Dance Discussion.
- These are simple examples of how a little imagination can be extended in many ways, but it also illustrates that it is simple to improvise a game situation that is fun, informative and can develop communication, language and social skills, and build confidence in themselves.
Develop Your Children's Speech and Language Skills Through Play and Positive Daily Interaction Step 13 Step 13. Look at the body language and gestures used
Try to use body language and gestures as you speak. It helps the child understand what you say, but also teaches him to do the same thing so that he can be understood more effectively. Body language plays a very large part in understanding the meaning of what is said, it is an excellent communication ability for a child, especially if he cannot speak well during the first years of life.
Develop Your Children's Speech and Language Skills Through Play and Positive Daily Interaction Step 14 Step 14. Answer the questions
Children are very curious and it is important to take time to answer their questions. Answering questions creates two-way communication, because you both have a turn to wait and use good listening skills. Sometimes the child enters a stage where he always asks "why" in response to everything you say. If it becomes a habit, rather than a real request for explanations, answer the question and ask another. In this way you give him the opportunity to speak in turn. If you want your child to learn language and develop communication skills you MUST TURN OFF THE TELEVISION AND YOU MUST TALK AND PLAY WITH HIM!
Advice
- Use the game to improve your language.
- Feed language through play, rather than asking questions.
- Be aware of their language level.
- Focus on the same communication goals.
- Take some time to spend with your child.
