Top Tips To Talking

 

The ideas below will help you to support your child's language development. Some of these ideas are useful whatever the age of your child – others are particularly useful for younger children.

 

Here are the tips:

 

Talk to your child when you are playing together.Have fun with nursery rhymes and songs, especially those with actions. E.g “Happy and you know it...”

 

Encourage your child to listen to different sounds such as cars, animals, the telephone.

 

Imitate the sounds you hear, make funny noises for your child to copy.

 

Gain your child's attention when you want to talk together. E.g by calling their name

 

Encourage your child to communicate in any way, not just through words.Increase vocabulary by giving choices e.g. 'Do you want orange or banana?'

 

Talk about things as they happen e.g. when you dressing them or unpacking shopping, Listen carefully and give your child time to finish.

 

Take turns to speak.

 

Always respond in some way when your child says something – no matter what it is.Help your child to use more words by adding to what is said.e.g. If your child says “duck” you might say “yes, yellow duck”

 

If your child says something incorrectly, say it back the right way, e.g. “bid pider” respond back, “'Yes it’s a big spider”.

 

Try and have special time with your child each day to play with toys and picture books.

 

Think about how you are talking: use short sentences, vary the melody for interest, slow down slightly, pause after each sentence.

 

Use specific praise to praise your child. E.g: “That was good waiting”

 

Ref: RCSLT