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Language Development in Children

The Importance of Language Development

One of the most important development in the child is their language development. Not only does it support your child’s ability to communicate, it also supports your child’s ability to:

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  • express and understand feelings

  • think and learn

  • solve problems

  • develop and maintain external relationships

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Language and Literacy

Understanding, using and enjoying language is the first step in literacy, and the basis for learning to read and write. It is important for children not to fall behind in language acquisition in the early years since it can impact their ability to read and write and can lead to falling further behind academically if there's a delay in their literacy skills. 

Children Language Development: The First 6 Years

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Encouraging Early Language Development
in Young Children

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TALKING WITH YOUR CHILD

Verbal Interactions with your Child:

  • Talk with your child the same way as you would have a conversation with a "talker"

  • You want to use as many different words and contexts

  • Use correct words and vocabulary when talking with your child

  • Do not use 'baby talk' (such as using words like 'wawa' instead of 'water') 

  • Take pauses to allow your child to respond to you. This might be coos, gurgles, pointing or verbalizing sounds

  • Respond to all attempts of your child's attempt to communicate by using the correct words or sentences

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READING WITH YOUR CHILD

The Importance of Reading to Your Child:

  • Reading allows children to hear a lot of new words

  • Read books about different topics allows a variety of exposure to vocabulary

  • Allows the child to hear various sentence structures and ways to use words

  • Linking the books to what is happening in your child's life peaks their interest and creates links between words and vocabulary for them

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RAISING CHILDREN IN BILINGUAL HOMES

Bilingual Children

  • Ensure that both parents agree on raising the children in a bilingual home

  • You can do a 'One Person, One Language' approach, where parent 1 speaks language A and parent 2 speaks language B

  • You may also take a 'common language' approach where you speak Italian to the children, your partner speaks Chinese to them and when you are all together, interacting as a family, everyone speaks English

  • It is easier if you and your partner understand the second language used to communicate with the children

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