Remember when your mom used to say “it’s not what you said, it’s how you said it” (no, just my mom?). Guess what, she was right! The manner in which how you communicate with your child has a great impact on how their language develops. An SLP can help educate you on specific strategies, but in the meantime here are some easy, yet effective ways to enhance your child’s communication skills.
1. Avoid distractions. Put distracting toys out of sight, turn off the TV, tablet, etc.
2. Avoid vague words such as “this”, “that”, or “please”. Model the name of the object, action, location etc.
3. Keep is short. Their little brains can’t process longer sentences. Communicating in 2-3 word sentences is perfect. Get the ball, drink milk, I see cat, etc. Don’t worry about incorrect grammar, just yet.
4. Be positive and consistent. Model the same words and use the same activities over and over. Children don’t get bored. Reading the same book is great for consistency and repetition.
5. Get down on their level and play face to face when possible.
Keep an eye out for more specific techniques coming over the next few months! In the meantime, be silly and have fun! If you feel funny, you’re probably doing it right. You want to be the most entertaining thing in the room.
Talk soon, Kim
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