The first key message in this film is that everyday activities and routines are language learning opportunities.
Focusing on routines at home or in setting can provide opportunities for rich language exchanges, having lunch or snacks, arriving at nursery and getting coats on to go out to play. These simple situations provide opportunities to talk.
The great news is that families and practitioners don’t need to do special activities. Just think about all the things you could say about snack time. There may be a routine which is familiar to little ones. For example, “we wash our hands”, “we sit at our chair”, “we find a place” and each day repeating the same order of things happening. Make this predictable, which helps children to learn language because children don’t have to concentrate on doing something new. They already know what to do, which allows them to listen and learn the words linked to these routines.
1. Add an extra word to the child’s speech. For example, instead of “apple” – you can say – “Would you like a shiny apple?” Instead of just “peppers” you can say – “You’ve got some green peppers and some red peppers.”
For older children, you might want to comment on the shape of things. “Your cheese sandwich is a triangle.” What about the texture? “Is it soft or is it crunchy?” “Is it wet, juicy or dry?” “Is it hot or cold?”
You can use snack-time to learn when to use plurals. “One biscuit”, “two biscuits”, “a slice of apple”, “three slices of apple.”
2. In the video, you’ll see you some tips for expanding language based on daily routines. You could use some words that might stretch a child’s vocabulary, for example, “big and little”, “long and short”, and so on. Repeat the same situation using the same words so that it becomes familiar to your child. For example, “coat on” when going out and “all gone” at the end of a meal.
3. Let your child have a turn to talk. Wait so that your child has a chance to talk.
4. Respond to your child’s language and attempts at words. Say words back to them in the mature form. For example, if a child says “Nana” to mean banana, you should say it back correctly. “Yes, that’s right. It is a banana”.
5. Look for communication in children who are not yet using words. This might be a look -pointing, waving arms and legs. This is your child communicating. Learn to notice these communications and attribute meaning to them so that you’re telling the child what you think they are feeling.
6. Add a new word when your child begins to say words. So, for example, your child says “banana”, you might say “more banana” or “yellow banana”. We can support each individual child by adjusting our language to match a child’s age, stage language skills. This includes simplifying our language with non-verbal children.
For example, using plurals can be encouraged by saying things like, “You’re putting your coats on together”, “We’re putting our coats on” and then repeating “Coat and coats” whilst showing one coat and two coats.
You really don’t need to make big changes. And we want to develop the understanding that the small changes made by adults can have a big impact on children’s speech, language and communication. It’s about how you use language and your awareness of developmental milestones for speech and language. These will help you to modify or adjust your language to meet the child’s needs. If anything, it’s about being confident and giving it a go.
