What are the four areas involved in learning to talk?

1. speech sounds - the sounds and sequences of sounds that are used for talking. The co-ordination and strength of mouth muscles is an important factor in speech production 
2. language – the words and patterns of words that are used to relate meaning and to communicate ideas and thoughts. Language includes things such as: understanding of what is said and the social use of language; for example, greeting, staying on topic, asking and answering questions. It also involves sentence length, vocabulary and grammar
3. voice – the sound made by the vocal cords vibrating. Voice includes things such as volume (loudness), pitch (high or low) and overall quality (for example; huskiness)
4. fluency – the smooth, rapid, effortless use of speech and language. Stuttering is dysfluency

Where to go for more information

On this website (related fact sheets)
Speech sound development
Language development: 0 - three years of age
Language development: four to five years of age
Encouraging language development
Using language socially - an important skill
Voice
Stuttering / dysfluency

Ministry of Education www.minedu.govt.nz
See the Ministry of Education website for the booklet:

• Much more than words: Monitoring and encouraging communication development in early childhood.  (large file)
  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
• Supporting your child's learning: Early learning - from your child's birth until they start school (large file)

Plunket www.plunket.org.nz
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 for:

• Plunket near you

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.

• contact the Ministry of 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-language therapists at the New Zealand Speech-Language Therapists Association website
• 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

Acknowledgements