Daily Strategies to Improve Language Skills

I have worked in many varied settings with hundreds of children, parents, special educators, and teachers.  These years of experience as a clinician have provided me the opportunity to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of specific tasks, expectations, and foundational skills needed for a child to excel.  Regardless of their background, school, and financial status, children can be successful when certain things are set in place. 

Today, I will recommend some simple strategies that you can implement while engaging with your child.

·         Describing

When talking with your child, use as many descriptives as possible.  Per Merriam-Webster, describing is when you represent a figure, model, or picture.  Simply using words to paint a picture of what is seen, felt, heard, and done.  As a parent, I ask my sons to tell me about their day, how they feel, what toy they want, and so forth.  When we describe, we mention some of the following: size, color, location, category, temperature, texture, time of day, who uses it, feelings, and more.  For example, when working with young children getting dressed, parents can say, “We are going to put on your warm pink coat, because it is very cold outside.” The child hears the color, the purpose of the coat, and where the item is worn. Describing is great for building vocabulary, comprehension, and verbal expression.

·         Reading

Reading daily to your child improves language skills.  Every time you read a book to your child, you take them on a field trip. Reading to your child exposes them to new words she does not hear daily, experiences outside of her community, feelings, careers, geography, and more.  Reading different types of books is very helpful for increasing exposure, which is helpful for vocabulary and comprehension, as well as developing varied interests.  For example, after listening to a story about a zebra, my young students answered questions, and drew pictures about what they had heard.  However, one child having never seen a zebra, drew a horse and responded based on her limited understanding of the story.  Books are readily available from the local and school library and inexpensively at second hand, thrift, and donation stores.

·         Talking and conversing

This strategy seems obvious but warrants attention.  As a mom of three with a full-time career, I know life can seem overwhelming and a moment to yourself seems golden.  I truly understand, trust me.  However, in the car, at the table, in front of the tv, iPad or Nintendo Switch, talk with your child about the surroundings, the destination, the food, the music, the events, the activities, or tv show.  This will go a long way toward increasing vocabulary, understanding different concepts, abstract thinking, conversational turns, and more. Seize the moment when you have the opportunity and watch and listen as your child develops improved language skills.

I hope that you found this article helpful.  If you have any questions, please contact us by phone or email to register for the summer program.