Articles on how to support your child's language development

Happy talk

Language development
Most children say their first words between 12 and 18 months and will have a burst of language development before they turn two. A typical two-year old will use up to 500 words, rising to 1,000 by three. He will join words together to make short sentences, such as 'That my house', or 'Want juice and biccy.' He'll understand simple instructions and will respond to basic 'who', 'what' and 'where' questions.

Between two and three, your child will also start using word endings such as plurals and the past tense, for instance, 'Daddy comed see me in garden.' Toddlers like to ask a lot of questions, which can be testing, but this is your child's way of learning new words, so make an effort to answer his questions, even if you're busy.

Some children will not be able to make a full range of sounds, and often have problems with 'sh', 'ch', 'th' and 'r' sounds. Sometimes they will stammer when they try to share all of their ideas before their language skills are fully developed, but don't worry,this is perfectly normal. show your child you are listening by looking at him, and give him plenty of time to finish talking.

Talk more
One of the best ways to help your toddler develop good language skills is to talk to him more. Children learn by listening to your voice and working out the sounds that make up words, so the more you talk to your child, the more he'll be able to pick up new words.

Try to make a running commentary of events part of of your daily routine. The supermarket, for example, is a good place to chat and introduce new words because it's an interactive environment. As he's sitting in the trolley facing you, describe some of the items you are putting in the trolley.

Offer your child choices throughout the day to encourage langauge development, for example 'Do you want juice of milk?' and always show an interest when he tries to say something. Praise him and repeat words back, adding some extra descriptive words. Expanding his sentences in this way helps him to extend his vocabulary and shows him how words can fit together.

Listen up
It is very important to respond to your child's attempts to communicate. When he is telling you something, make eye contact, listen and then reply to what he has said. Being a good listener teaches your child a crucial part of all communication - taking turns. It also shows him that you love and value him, which helps to build his confidence.

Avoid baby talk
It's important to give your toddler the correct example of speech sounds, particularly if he is having problems saying certain words or sounds. Rather than correcting him or making him repeat it - which could make him feel anxious or frustrated - say the word correctly, emphasising the sound he got wrong. So if he says 'Gog', say 'Yes, it's a dog.'

Limit TV
Try to limit the time your child spends watching television to no more than an hour a day. Over-exposure can affect listening and attention skills. When your child watches TV, sit with him and talk about what you're watching. If you're too busy, make sure that he's watching a programme designed for his age group. Try not to leave the TV on in the background, especially at mealtimes, so he has a better opportunity to listen to others in the household talking.

Read with your toddler
Sharing books is a great way to help your child to develop talking, listening and concentration skills. Cuddle up while you read to him as this will add to his enjoyment. Choose stimulating pop-up books or those with short, simple text and lots of pictures to point to and talk about. Don't be afraid to read the same book again and again - repetition helps children to understand and remember the language they hear and it will encourage him to finish familiar sentences.

Sing along
Singing nursery rhymes and songs is a great way for you to interact with your child and encourage language skills. Most rhymes also encourage some sort of physical action, which adds fun and surprise. Good rhymes include Old MacDonald, London Bridge, The Wheels on the Bus and Row, Row, Row your Boat.

The last word
Between two and three, those children who were lagging behind in their verbal ability often start to catch up with those who were racing ahead. But if you're worried about your child's progress, see your doctor who, if necessary, can refer you to a speech therapist.

Written by Liz Attenborough for the Tesco Baby and Toddler Club magazine, Winter 2004

What boosts your child's self-esteem, helps you bond with him and makes him feel loved? What helps him socialise and improves his listening and learning, too? It's not some wonder-therapy or a complicated teaching technique. It's simple. Research shows talking and listening to your child more not only makes him feel valued and loved, but also boosts brainpower and makes him a confident communicator.

But 75% of headteachers across the UK say that in the past five years, more and more children started nursery or school with poor communication skills, unable to form a sentence and make themselves understood. And what's really worrying for mums is that children with poor language skills are more likely to have learning, behaviour and relationship problems in later life.

So why the sudden decline in language development of under-3s? There's a whole host of possible reasons, says Liz Attenborough, manager of the National Literacy Trust's Talk To Your Baby campaign. 'Parents' hectic working patterns mean there's less time to talk. Family mealtimes together are a rarity these days and buggies face away from the mums so there's less change for eye contact," she explains. "What's more, some parents feel that expensive educational toys teach communication skills, when time spent just reading to or playing with their children would bring as much pleasure and more benefits."

So - let's get talking! It sounds easy, doesn't it? But with so much going on in our lives, we often don't have as much time to spend doing this as we'd like to. And when we do get five minutes together, we just want to switch off, turn on the telly and plonk them in front of it with a bag of chocolate buttons. Well, the good news is that TV isn't all bad, as long as it's in moderation. In fact, it can be a great talking opportunity when you watch it with your little one, says Liz Attenborough. "Videos are especially good because the repetition and familiarity of words and phrases makes it easier for children to learn from them." Switch off the TV after the programme has finished and discuss what you've seen with your child. Try to limit TV time to around half an hour for under-2s or an hour for 3- to 5-year-olds.

Other simple steps can make a world of difference, too. No matter how busy you are, you can fit talking to your child in your daily routine so that everything becomes a learning experience. Talk about the shopping as you're putting it away. Chat about the birds and cars you pass as you walk him to the park. Make eye contact with your child as much as you can when you talk.

Debbie Hawkes, 33, from Leicester, found bathtime was a great opportunity to encourage her son Ashley, 3, to talk. She says: "He loved pointing to his body parts - head, hands, feet and tummy - and getting me to name them and pour water over them with a toy watering can. I'd encourage him to say the words after me, and over time he began saying the words himself instead of just pointing."

You may not get a two-way conversation going for some time, but keep talking anyway - and don't feel daft when you're out and about. Shirley Davies, 39, from Coventry, says: "One day I was at the supermarket with my daughter Layla, 9 months. I chatted as I put the groceries in the trolley and one old guy came up to me and said, "You're wasting your breath - she won't answer you!" I felt really small, but I carried on because I know Layla loves to be talked to and she's a person in her own right. Why should she be ignored?"

Liz Attenborough agrees. "The key is to chat whenever you can," she says. "Show you're interested in what your child is trying to tell you by stopping to listen to him too. You are your child's first and greatest teacher - he loves the sound of your voice and will learn more from you than anyone else."

"I teach them through play"

Lianne Harper, 39, from Stockport, took her children's language development for granted - till she found there were problems. She says: "My eldest, Michael, now 15, had a big vocabulary by the age of 2. But Cameron, now 10, was slow to talk and eventually diagnosed autistic." When her third son Ashley, now 7, showed a language delay, Lianne took action. "I enrolled Ashley into a private nursery for two days a week, hoping he'd pick up words from the other children. His speech improved but looking back I think it was because I was spending more time speaking and reading to him at home. When Bethany, now 2, came along, I made a conscious effort to talk to her more, sing nursery rhymes and read to her as much as possible with the result that she was saying her first words before she was 1. Now she's a real chatterbox and so confident. I've come to realise that you can't just rely on them picking up words from what they hear in the background. They need to be spoken to and listened to."

"Books helped his language skills"

Tracey Coles, 32, from Cardiff, is mum to Daniel, 3. Daniel was frustrated because he struggled with words. "Until recently, Daniel would point at things, mumble and I'd say the word for him," Tracey says. "When he wanted tot tell me something he couldn't point at, I didn't understand and he'd get cross. My health visitor said he'd need speech therapy. But in the meantime, his nursery set up a Language and Play class. Daniel loved it and I learnt new ways of communicating with him. The teachers told me to make a bag of props to go with his favourite story, We're Going On A Bear Hunt. It really sparked his interest. He couldn't get enough of the book and I saw a huge improvement in his words. It was like a switch was turned on - suddenly he could speak clearly and build sentences. Now when he wants something, he's able to tell me."

This article is from Prima Baby magazine, April 2005