General strategies to encourage language development

Use meaningful language and activities:

• always follow your child's lead and comment about the activities or topic they are focusing on at the time. Language is learned best when it is interesting and relevant

Be aware of background noise and distractions:

• children's ability to ‘tune in' to something is reduced when there are other things competing for their attention

Gain your child's attention before speaking:

• this can be by speaking their name or, when culturally appropriate, a touch or establishing eye contact

Keep it short and simple:

• use language at the appropriate level of complexity; for example, if your child is only speaking in single words, the things you say should be at the same level or slightly longer - two words. For example, ‘car' or ‘red car'

Use specific vocabulary:

• keep what you say clear and to the point. A child is more likely to respond appropriately if you tell them, "put your cup on the bench”, rather than “put it over there”

Create the need to talk:

• make sure that talking is necessary for your child. While we are often able to anticipate or identify our child's need, wait until your child tries to tell you the problem before responding

Allow time to respond:

• pause for longer than is usual. Give your child an opportunity to reply to you

Give positive reinforcement:

• always reward attempts to talk by responding to your child's intended meaning even if the form of communication is not correct

Repeat, repeat, repeat:

• children need to hear the same language many times before they will remember it or use it themselves

Reduce the number of questions:

• try to keep the number of questions you ask your child to a minimum, especially those requiring just one-word answers such as, “What's this?” Instead, focus on feeding in language by making comments about what you and / or your child are doing

You may also find the following fact sheet on this website useful:

• Speech sound development, including the sections What are some ideas to help my child with speech sounds? and Some fun activities to promote speech sound development

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Specific language development techniques

Commenting

• talk about what you and your child are doing
• focus on what your child is doing, not saying
• speak to your child at their language level or just above it
• simplify your language – use short, simple but complete sentences so your child can understand everything that is said
• talk about things happening here and now
• remember, you are commenting, not asking questions

Expansion

You are now expanding your child's talking to a more adult form. This technique does not require your child to talk. You are modelling language to help them move forward in their language development. Your child is not required to repeat your expansion.

 

For example:

 

Your child says : ‘truck'.

You expand, depending on the context, by saying: ‘red truck' or ‘the truck is going'.

 

The following techniques require only a minimal response and may be useful to encourage language from a reluctant speaker:

 

Choice questions

Your child is given two alternatives using questions.

 

For example, when you are looking at a book together you could say:

 

Is he walking or running?”
“Is it in or on?”
“Is he sitting in the tree or climbing up the tree?”

• this technique demands a response from your child
• be sure to use questions at your child'slanguage level

Sentence completion

This technique demands a response by requiring your child to complete your sentence.

 

You can use this technique from single words through to phrases.

 

For example, you could say:

 

The boy is in the ……

You try and get your child to finish with “bath”.

• help your child finish the sentence by using gestures and facial expression
• remember, only use this technique to draw out words / phrases you know your child already knows

You may also find the following fact sheet on this website useful:

• Speech sound development, including the sections What are some ideas to help my child with speech sounds?and Some fun activities to promote speech sound development

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Encouraging a reluctant speaker to talk

Many children are reluctant to talk in new situations. Speaking requires confidence, especially in front of a group.

 

If your child is a reluctant speaker, it is important to give them time, without pressure to communicate verbally. The following are suggestions to encourage a reluctant speaker to start talking:

• focus on encouraging, not forcing, your child to speak
• avoid direct questions. If you must ask a question try to make it a simple yes or no and accept a nod or shake of the head initially. Children are more likely to talk when they feel all their communication attempts are accepted
• remember that some children are naturally less talkative than others
• use ‘commenting' in Specific language development techniques above
• reinforce your child's talking by responding positively to what they are saying (that is, to the content or topic) rather than giving direct praise for your child's efforts to talk

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Where to go for more information

On this website (related fact sheets)

An introductory fact sheet What's involved in learning to talk?

Speech sound development

Language development: 0 - three years of age

Language development: four to five years of age

Using language socially - an important skill

Voice

Stuttering / dysfluency

 

Much more than words: Monitoring and encouraging communication development in early childhood. (Warning: large pdf file - 60 pages).

Originally written for early childhood professionals, this booklet may be of interest to parents and caregivers who want more detailed information. The booklet was published by the Ministry of Education, Special Education in 2000. 

Website: http://www.minedu.govt.nz/

 

Plunket

If you are concerned about your child's language or speech development, you could discuss your concerns with your Plunket nurse (or other Well Child provider - see the Well Child / Tamariki Ora services for under fives fact sheet on this website). For your local Plunket office or Plunket Karitane Family Centre, check the Plunket website or look under Plunket in your phone book. Plunket also offers a specialist early childhood health telephone help service. It is available to all families, whanau and caregivers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call PlunketLine free on 0800 933 922. 

Postal address: PO Box 5474, Wellington 6145

National office phone: 64 4 471 0177

National office fax: 64 4 471 0190

Email: plunket@plunket.org.nz

Website: http://www.plunket.org.nz/

 

Speech Language Therapists

Speech language therapists are employed in the Ministry of Education, special schools, hospitals, and in private practice. To find a speech language therapist, you can:

• contact the Ministry of Education, Special Education - (see Special Education on this website or phone the Special Education information line on 0800 622 222 or email a query to special.education@minedu.govt.nz. You can self-refer to a Ministry of Education speech-language therapist 
• see where to find speech and language therapists² at the New Zealand Speech-Language Therapists Association website³
• ask your child's kindergarten or school teacher to refer your child
• look in the phone book's yellow pages under speech language therapy for speech language therapists in private practice

Team-Up: Helping our kids learn (Ministry of Education)

The Team-Up website provides information, ideas and materials to help parents support their children and get more involved in their learning and education. There are lots of ideas about play for for babies, toddlers and young children and information about how children learn through play.

Website: http://www.teamup.co.nz/

 

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Acknowledgements

This fact sheet has been produced in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Special Education and adapted from:

 

Ministry of Education, Special Education. 2000. Much more than words: Monitoring and encouraging communication development in early childhood.

 

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Endorsement

This fact sheet was endorsed by PSNZ - 02/09/2009

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