Activities to Encourage Speech and Language Development (2024)

FAQs

How to encourage speech and language development? ›

Get your child's attention by saying their name at the start of a sentence. If you ask a question, give them plenty of time to answer you. Teach them about words that go together – for example, you could show them a ball, teddy and a rattle and then say the word 'toy'.

Sing simple songs, and say nursery rhymes. This helps your child learn the rhythm of speech. Place familiar objects in a box. Have your child take one out and tell you its name and how to use it.

How to encourage early language development in children. The best way to encourage your child's language development is to do a lot of talking together about things that interest your child. It's all about following your child's lead as they show you what they're interested in by waving, babbling or using words.

Reading is one of the best ways to encourage communication and language development. As an infant, hearing words and seeing pictures helps a child understand the two are connected. This lays a foundation for speech, which begins around nine months and typically increases as a child grows.

Reading storybooks is most appropriate for developing language skills. It helps students to improve their language fluency, accuracy, and comprehension. Reading storybooks is a powerful tool for developing language skills such as vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and writing skills.

How are play and activities used to encourage speech and language skills? ›

When engaging in play with children, parents and caregivers can model language use and provide opportunities for children to practice their communication skills. For example, they can ask open-ended questions, encourage children to describe their ideas and experiences, and provide feedback and encouragement.

Create a Language-rich Environment:

Surrounding children with opportunities to listen, speak, read, and write can foster language development. By incorporating books, songs, educational games, and other interactive activities into the classroom, educators can engage students in meaningful language experiences.

Language stimulation strategies, where adults use language to respond to children's communication attempts and engage them in extended interactions and conversations, are particularly effective in developing children's language (Justice, Jiang, & Strasser, 2018; Turnbull, Anthony, Justice, & Bowles, 2009).

Therapy Sessions

Incorporating play into therapy encourages natural language development and makes the process enjoyable for your child. The therapist will use games and toys to help your child develop their speech skills.

Create a Language-rich Environment:

Surrounding children with opportunities to listen, speak, read, and write can foster language development. By incorporating books, songs, educational games, and other interactive activities into the classroom, educators can engage students in meaningful language experiences.

Reading and talking with children plays an important role in developing their vocabularyKnowledge of the meaning and pronunciation of words. . Typically, more words are used in written language than in spoken language. The more you read to children, the larger vocabulary they will develop.