The social use of language

• well being - children develop confidence and ability in expressing thoughts and feelings effectively and appropriately
• belonging - children become confident in identifying themselves and in understanding and sharing information about their family and community
• contribution - children are helped to share and receive ideas, feelings and information in different cultural and social contexts
• exploration - children share and receive information and ideas with increasing purpose, accuracy and confidence

• communication - children gain an increasing ability to share and receive information, instructions and ideas effectively and confidently by listening, speaking, and using other visual communication supports (such as written material), in a range of contexts

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Social use of language checklist

Before age two years
Children's use of language is usually erratic and disjointed. Your child is not yet aware of the listener's needs and will often talk about things about which the listener has no experience or knowledge. Parents and other people in your child's world usually end up doing most of the 'work' to make sense of what is being said.

 

By age three years
Your child has learned many things about conversations. Your child will start a dialogue and has learned how to get and hold a listener's attention. Conversational turn-taking is developing. Knowledge of how to respond to someone is also growing; for example, answering questions with appropriate answers.

 

From age three to five years
This is a period of great development of social language skills. There is a big increase in awareness of social factors which make for a successful conversation; for example, correct forms of address and polite terms such as 'please and sorry'. Your child learns to anticipate when the conversation might break down; for example, they may repeat things which are unclear.

 

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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

Encouraging language development

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 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 - 04/09/2009

Copyright

Fact sheets are subject to copyright. In the interests of information sharing they may be copied but acknowledgement must be given to PSNZ and Starship Foundation.
© The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2012

The Paediatric Society of New Zealand http://www.paediatrics.org.nz

Starship Foundation http://www.starship.org.nz