How to Encourage Speech, Language and Communication in Young Children

Posted by EYR Team on 4th Jul 2022

As we know, speech, language and communication skills are vital for children’s general development. The ability to speak clearly, process sounds, understand others and express themselves are all basic building blocks for a child’s later development. In this blog, we will delve into the definitions of these key skills, identify what speech, language and communication disorders may look like and offer suggestions to support your little one’s development in these areas.

child wearing glasses and reading with parent

Definitions

Speech: refers to the expression of thoughts through sounds and spoken words
Language: refers to talking using words and sentences with appropriate grammar
Communication: refers to the sending and receiving of information in both verbal and non-verbal instances.

Developmental stages of Speech, Language and Communication

Birth onwards	Make eye contact Mimic facial expressions Repeating or independently making noises
18 months	Be able to say around 20 words Understand simple words Point to certain objects when asked
2 years	Use around 50 single words Start putting short sentences of 2/3 words together Understand around 200-500 words Ask simple questions
3 years	Use up to 300 words Assemble 4-5 word sentences Understand simple questions
5 years	Use speech that is understandable by others Learn and use new words Be able to make most speech sounds Use language to express wants and needs Be starting to write Take turns in conversation

Identifying Developmental Delays and Possible Disorders

Don’t forget! Each child will develop at their own pace but some signs could indicate a delay in development. Some of these indicators might include the following:

Not responding to loud sounds
Silent or making unusual noises
Avoiding eye contact
Lack of interest or curiosity in exploring items around them
No interest in books or pictures
Unable to point or gesture to make their needs known

(Please remember: this is not a definitive list and if you have any concerns about your child’s development then you should refer to your GP or a specialist)

Key Points to Consider

Prepare your child

Start by using your child’s name before speaking. This will work to grab their attention and help them to prepare to process the next thing you say
Try to specify whether you are asking a question or making a statement

Consider your own speech

Firstly, take your time! This can be if simply chatting or telling a story, think – is it engaging if a story is read quickly? What impact might this have on your child?
It may be obvious but make sure your own speech is clear. Not only does this help your little ones to process but it provides them with good practice to mimic themselves
Be careful when repeating yourself! It is often a habit when repeating speech to change the wording we use. Doing this, even slightly, means that children will need to restart the process of decoding and reprocessing – instead, give them a little more time to digest the words used or repeat the exact same sentence again.

Build confidence

Making children aware of their disorder/speech difficulties can often make them self-conscious so bear this in mind when communicating
Consider the environment – children may struggle to speak with new people around so try and make them feel safe. Building a sensory den can make even the shyest of speakers feel more confident
Practice! Help to build your little ones’ self-esteem slowly but surely by practising speech around different people and in new environments as they grow in confidence

Consider non-verbal communication and prompts

Incorporating non-verbal movements and signals alongside your speech can help your little ones to process quicker and understand what it is you are trying to communicate
Use relatable objects of reference whether this be a picture or the real thing – for example don’t just ask a child to put their shoes on – show them their shoes and ask them to put them on.