Boosting Language Development in Children

Verbal communication is important in child development. It helps children express basic needs, learn social interaction, and lays the foundation for reading later in life.

Recent studies indicate that exposure to language through sound isn't enough. The best benefits are derived through interactive speech.

Scientists compared the impact of adult speech, TV, and adult-child conversation on the acquisition and improvement of language skills on children from birth to age four. Watching TV had no impact, positive or negative. Reading aloud to a child and monologue speech (talking to a child without their response) elicited small improvements. Adult-child conversations fostered the greatest strides in learning and improving language skills. In fact, the study showed conversational speech was six times more powerful in helping a child learn language, compared to just reading aloud!

The back-and forth nature of conversation allows for corrections in the mistakes a child naturally makes in acquiring its native tongue. It builds vocabulary, fosters fluency and helps put words into meaningful context. As an added bonus, it makes children more expressive emotionally and socially more confident.

All these factors play a major role in learning early reading skills. So parents, get baby to babble back, and your toddlers actively engaged in verbal expression.

Ask questions and wait for responses. Follow up with another question, then another one!

Offer choices, so your child has to verbalize a want or need. React to your child's response to keep the communication flowing.

Play rhyming games and sing songs that require participation from both of you. For example, Mommy says, “Hey Mr. Knickerbocker” and baby responds, “Boppity Bop!” and keep the song going.

Personal engagement and animated interactions makes learning a language more fun for a child. And for a child, fun plays a big part in early learning!