Helping Preschool Children Develop Language Skills
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By Tanja McIlroy
Empowered Parents |
Language development is a vital part of communication in the early years. During the early years, children must develop both their receptive and expressive language.
What is Receptive Language?
Developing receptive language skills involves the ability to understand language and the spoken words.
A child learns basic language from their families, through their regular daily routines. They learn to interpret what they hear as a way to understand what is going on in life. Receptive language also involves the process of listening to someone or something. A child picks up information from the environment around them and from what is being said to understand their current situation.
Why is Receptive Language Important?
Without receptive language, it is hard to communicate effectively. Those children who have problems with receptive language may find it challenging to follow a set of instructions or may not respond appropriately to questions, whether at home or school.
Problems with receptive language could eventually lead to more problems in the future, including behavioral issues. A child may struggle with many activities at school and not thrive academically.
What is Expressive Language?
On the other hand, expressive language skills refer to spoken and signed language. Children may express themselves with words and gestures.
It involves forming sentences, building vocabulary and using grammar correctly, in order to communicate with others and describe events and actions.
Children should be able to communicate and explain what they want as well as write it correctly. As the word states, it is the art of expressing oneself. Without this, a child can barely communicate.
What is Receptive Language?
Developing receptive language skills involves the ability to understand language and the spoken words.
A child learns basic language from their families, through their regular daily routines. They learn to interpret what they hear as a way to understand what is going on in life. Receptive language also involves the process of listening to someone or something. A child picks up information from the environment around them and from what is being said to understand their current situation.
Why is Receptive Language Important?
Without receptive language, it is hard to communicate effectively. Those children who have problems with receptive language may find it challenging to follow a set of instructions or may not respond appropriately to questions, whether at home or school.
Problems with receptive language could eventually lead to more problems in the future, including behavioral issues. A child may struggle with many activities at school and not thrive academically.
What is Expressive Language?
On the other hand, expressive language skills refer to spoken and signed language. Children may express themselves with words and gestures.
It involves forming sentences, building vocabulary and using grammar correctly, in order to communicate with others and describe events and actions.
Children should be able to communicate and explain what they want as well as write it correctly. As the word states, it is the art of expressing oneself. Without this, a child can barely communicate.
How to Develop Language Through Activities
Language is something children acquire as they grow and learn. The best way to develop language is through interaction.
The way to interact with your children is to spend time with them and the best learning opportunities are found during play.
Language is something children acquire as they grow and learn. The best way to develop language is through interaction.
The way to interact with your children is to spend time with them and the best learning opportunities are found during play.
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1. Storytelling and Picture Books
Books and telling stories are one of the best ways to encourage language. Read age-appropriate books or just tell stories through the pictures. Start early book experiences with board books and sensory books to encourage your child to touch and feel the pictures. Tell family stories. Things you did when you were young and stories passed on through the generations. This not only increase vocabulary but also gives your child a deeper connection and bonds them to their extended family and gives them a sense of belonging. Picture books and non-fiction books provide great opportunities for developing language. Many picture books relate to specific themes. Looking at a page about the farm, for example, teaches a variety of vocabulary related to farms. There is no end to the avenues you can explore, and language you can develop, through books. |
2. Baking
The kitchen offers many language opportunities. Here is a chance to encourage language development while you make something delicious to eat! Counting, weighing and measuring are all parts of the baking experience. Baking cookies with soft dough to roll and cut out is probably one of the best baking activities for preschoolers. After you have baked your cookies you can get creative and decorate with icing and sprinkles. Finish off your baking session with a tea party and share your cookies with the rest of the family. |
3. Construction Toys
Choose construction toys that are age-appropriate. Construction toys give you an opportunity to talk about size and shape. Use construction toys to follow directions and to build towers or castles. Then play with what you have built.
Choose construction toys that are age-appropriate. Construction toys give you an opportunity to talk about size and shape. Use construction toys to follow directions and to build towers or castles. Then play with what you have built.
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4. Musical Games
Children love moving to music and playing musical games. Here are some ideas:
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5. Playing Dress-up
A collection of dress-up clothes will encourage fantasy play and role play. Children can pretend to be someone else and new vocabulary in their imaginative roles. Join in the fun yourself and get dressed-up. Creating fantasy scenarios at home really encourages language and helps children have different social experiences in the comfort of their own home. Here are sone ideas for fantasy play:
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6. Gardening
Getting out into the garden and appreciating nature is a great way to develop vocabulary. Learning about plants and nurturing plants are valuable life skills.
If you don’t have access to a garden, then try growing something in a pot or grow some herbs in the kitchen. A visit to the park or nature preserve eill encourage outdoor vocabulary.
Getting out into the garden and appreciating nature is a great way to develop vocabulary. Learning about plants and nurturing plants are valuable life skills.
If you don’t have access to a garden, then try growing something in a pot or grow some herbs in the kitchen. A visit to the park or nature preserve eill encourage outdoor vocabulary.
7. Puppet shows
Playing with puppets and making up puppet shows is wonderful for language development. Children feel free to talk through their puppet friend. Holding a puppet on each hand is an opportunity for a conversation between the two puppets.
Children love making up puppet shows. They can tell a favorite fairy tale using puppets and entertain the whole family.
Puppets can be easily made out of paper lunch bags or socks.
Playing with puppets and making up puppet shows is wonderful for language development. Children feel free to talk through their puppet friend. Holding a puppet on each hand is an opportunity for a conversation between the two puppets.
Children love making up puppet shows. They can tell a favorite fairy tale using puppets and entertain the whole family.
Puppets can be easily made out of paper lunch bags or socks.
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8. Touchy-Feely Bags
This is a very good way to encourage children to describe objects. You need a cloth bag, pillow case or a sock to put a small object inside so they are not visible. Choose things around the house like a small ball, a teaspoon, a pencil and so on. Have your child feel through the bag or sock and describe what they are feeling. Then as the item is described to you. You have to guess what it is. |
9. Painting
Children love to paint, and it is a great opportunity to learn about colors. It can be messy, but cleaning-up adds another dimension to vocabulary development. There are many different activities using paint. Painting a picture is a great way to help children express their feelings by discussing the picture. |
10. Card Games
There are numerous card games that encourage vocabulary development. Playing card games develops social interactions and vocabulary associated with the game. Before you begin the game check your child has the vocabulary to be able to use cards.
There are numerous card games that encourage vocabulary development. Playing card games develops social interactions and vocabulary associated with the game. Before you begin the game check your child has the vocabulary to be able to use cards.
The key to language development is interaction and along with interaction comes encouragement. Here are a few tips to help encourage children as they develop language.
- Pay attention when our child is talking to you
- Praise good speech and vocabulary
- Help with new words by repeating them
- Add onto phrases or words and boost vocabulary (For example, If your child says, “my ball” you could extend their sentence by saying “yes. Your ball is a big ball”
- Never make fun of mistakes-correct gently by repeating the sentence correctly
- Use TV and other devices sparingly
- Check your child for ear infections
- Talk about what you are doing as you go about your daily chores
- Be a good role model
Book Corner
Corduroy by Don Freeman
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Suess
Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfizer
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCluskey
Shy Charles by Rosemary Wells
Corduroy by Don Freeman
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Suess
Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfizer
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCluskey
Shy Charles by Rosemary Wells