Every newborn child possesses the ability to learn a language and speak, but how they do so is heavily influenced by their environment. This is the point at which the parental involvement comes into play. Generally, parents have the power to create a rich linguistic environment in which their children can learn and practice new words and phrases. So, in this way, parents may create a significant impact on their child’s speech and language development. If you are a parent who is unsure how to support your child’s speech development, follow the key tips for parents in promoting speech development in children suggested below.
Frequently Engage in Conversation
Talking to your child is one of the most simple and effective strategies to help them improve their speech and language skills. The more you converse with your child, the more exposed they will be to language. Attempt to engage in talks with them throughout the day, explaining what you are doing and why. Furthermore, encourage them to ask you questions in return by posing questions to them.
Practice Face-to-Face Talk and Active Listening
When speaking or conversing with your children, pay close attention to their faces and eyes. This will help your kids understand the importance of looking at people when talking. Moreover, when you have face-to-face conversations with children, they will pick up on hints about how to shape their mouths to pronounce words by glancing at your face. Also, during conversations, actively listen to what they speak and reply thoughtfully to boost their confidence in communication.
Read Aloud Together
Another fantastic method to support your child’s language and speech development is through reading. Especially, by reading, you can help your kid to learn new vocabulary and teach them about sentence structure and how to combine words to produce meaning. Make reading a part of your everyday habit. It is always best to begin with picture books. Read aloud to your child from appropriate books using expressive tones and gestures. To improve comprehension, point to visuals, name objects, and ask questions.
Play Interactive Language Games
One of the important steps in supporting your child’s speech development is to make your home a language-rich environment. So, incorporate language into everyday activities, read aloud, and play interactive language games. Mostly, games like ‘Charades’ or ‘Simon Says’ will make language learning more enjoyable. Particularly, by playing language games, you may introduce new words and phrases to your kids and help them increase their vocabulary. Also, this will help you to make happy memories and develop your child’s speech.
Sing Together
Songs and nursery rhymes are yet another best way to introduce your child to new vocabulary and linguistic concepts. Together recite nursery rhymes and sing songs. These activities will introduce your child to rhythm and melody. Always choose tunes and nursery rhymes with repetitive and simple lyrics. This is because repeating linguistic patterns will promote speech development. Furthermore, when singing, encourage your child to join in by clapping hands or imitating the actions related to the songs or rhymes.
Provide Choices
Simply by offering options to your kid, you may easily motivate them to build their language skills. “Do you want to wear the red shirt or the pink shirt today?” is one example of a question you may pose. Alternatively, you may ask your child to assist you in making choices like “Which book should we read next?” This will not only allow your children to practice speaking, but it will also boost their confidence and interest in what they are studying.
Play with Phonetic Sounds
Create a playful environment where you both can take turns to produce animal sounds and mimic environment noises or musical instruments. This will help your kid to recognize and imitate the intricacies of different sounds. Furthermore, this activity will help your children to improve their phonological awareness and speech development.
Promote Storytelling
Encourage your kids to narrate stories verbally or by drawing pictures. Ask them to use descriptive language, sequence events, and explain their ideas and emotions. This activity improves narrative abilities, develops speech, and fosters creativity.
Practice Tongue Twisters
Tongue twisters are an effective approach to improve speech speed, clarity, and fluency. Along with your child, practice different tongue twisters. Begin with simple sentences and progressively add complexity as your child becomes more comfortable.
Limit the Screen Time
Restrict the screen time of your children because excessive exposure to screens might harm their language development. Make sure they spend more time to have in-person conversations and participate in activities that promote language learning. Set aside specified hours for screen time and encourage physical activity, creative endeavors, or board games for the remainder of the time. When you can’t avoid screens, encourage them to use language-learning apps and games. These can help your child’s speech development.
Conclusion
By implementing the above-listed practical tips and engaging activities into your everyday routines, you may help your kid develop speech and language skills. Remember to be patient, offer positive reinforcement, and recognize your child’s accomplishments. Especially, with your help and a language-rich home environment, your child will have the best opportunity of developing excellent communication skills.
In case, the tips for parents in promoting speech development in children recommended above don’t work for you, book an appointment at Asha Speech and Hearing Clinic. On our team, we have experienced speech therapists. They will examine your child thoroughly and provide effective personalized speech therapy to improve your child’s communication.