The article that follows is written by a speech therapist I
know and respect. Although it is not related to health or pain prevention, it
is extremely useful for parents of young children.
5 Keys to Helping
Your Child Communicate Verbally
By Rachel B. Raper,
MSP, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert AVT
1. Consistency:
Set expectations. Expect your child to
continue what he/she has demonstrated in the past and to demonstrate new skills
in the future. If your child says “all gone,” start to expect him to use “empty”
as a synonym. If she points to ask for more, try 3 times to have her say “more.” After the 3rd try give her what
was requested as you say “more” to demonstrate your expectation. Be consistent
and do this each time. Once your child states “more” consistently, move on to name
the desired items. Set boundaries and routines for behavior in the home.
2. Wait
time:
Your child is learning to process language
(words, vocabulary, and directions). Allow him enough time to think about what
was said before expecting a response. Language learning is a process that
varies for all children.
3. Modeling:
Provide your child a natural example. Children
learn language by overhearing it and through listening to others talk directly
to them during natural play. Family members should use “parentease” to talk to
children: speak using a higher pitch with a song-like melody when completing
daily activities.
Use words and word combinations you want your
child to imitate. If she is at the 1-word stage and likes balls, simply say “ball”
while playing ball with her. Sing about the ball while rolling it. Say “ball”
at different pitches and make it sound interesting to hold her attention. If
she is at the 2-word stage, combine 2 words such as “my ball” or “big ball” or
“bounce ball.” Use another family member as a model. Say a word, and then have
a sibling repeat it. This makes it a copy-cat game, which children love.
Once your child knows 30-50 single words,
begin to expect him to use 2-word combinations. Expanding is a type of modeling.
Whenever he uses a single word, add another word that is appropriate to the
situation. If he says “no” to deny more milk; say “no milk.” This confirms what
he said and exemplifies how to use 2 words correctly. Using words from his
known vocabulary encourages him to imitate your 2-word phrase without being
instructed, thus making it more natural.
Commentating is another type of modeling.
Think of yourself as a commentator at a game. As she plays, talk aloud about her
interests by using simple words. While playing, your child is overhearing your
words and may copy some of them without being pressured.
Language (words, vocabulary) is more
important than a toddler’s speech articulation (sounds in words). If she uses a
word approximation consistently, then that counts as a word. Repeat that word
as you respond to her as a way to naturally model the correct articulation. If
your child is not 70% intelligible (understood) by age 2 ask your pediatrician
for a referral to a Speech Pathologist.
4. Reason to
Communicate:
Your child needs a reason to communicate or
he will choose not to. Think about his environment. Are his needs anticipated
and how does your family react to them? Create a need to communicate by making
language more meaningful. Gain his attention and model what you want him to
sign, say, or do to get his desire met. Start with everyday events such as
drinking, eating, etc. Have him use his mode of communication consistently and
set your expectation for him to communicate before giving him the desired
object. Withholding it may work with objects he has demonstrated to request before.
This method initially requires a lot of effort on your part in order to break
family habits; but in the long run it teaches him to communicate.
5. Reading Aloud
Children learn language, words, and new vocabulary
through overhearing words. Books expose them to new words outside of your
everyday environment. Toddlers have a brief attention span, so choose short books
with simple pictures displaying action.
Read 20 minutes every day (it doesn’t have to be 20 consecutive minutes
in the beginning). Choose multiple books to fill this time, read books as he is
interested multiple times each day, or re-read his favorites. The exact words
on the page do not always have to be read. Children look at the pictures, so
you should too. Meet her on her level by looking at the pictures and creating a
story by talking aloud to describe the actions. If you choose to read the words
on the page, do so, then talk about the pictures using simple words to model what
you want her to imitate. While reading, ask her to point to pictures when you
name them or to name pictures when asked, but do so in limitation.
Use shared control by holding the book
together, helping him turn the pages, moving through each book from front to
back, and allowing a break between books if needed. Some tricks to try when he gets
squirmy include: acting out the action in the pictures, incorporating nursery
rhymes and songs, selecting nursery rhyme or song-related books, and choosing
books he can manipulate (open-the-flap, touch-n-feel, etc.). Once book reading
becomes a habit and part of your routine, his attention span and interest in
books will grow.
Echo reading also encourages natural
imitation of words and phrases. Read or use a word or phrase, then have them echo
what you said. Continue this back-and-forth style of reading for each page as
another way to model or provide examples. Children, if given proper words they
are capable of repeating, imitate without being told or pressured, thus making
it more natural. Fun ways to model echo
reading are to choose books with repetitious words/phrases and to choose books
with rhyme.
Two great books for parents to learn to read
aloud are The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease and Reading Magic:
Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever by Mem
Fox.
