Helping your child talk. As your child approaches toddlerhood, there are many developmental milestones to look forward to, such as walking and talking. However, not all toddlers talk early, which can be worrying for parents who wonder if something is wrong.
How do I get my child to talk? How to help a child talk
A common question parents ask themselves: Your toddler won't talk overnight—it takes patience and consistency. First, let's discuss what speech milestones to expect in toddlers.
By their first birthday, most one-year-olds can consistently say two words—mostly “mama” and “dada.” At 15 months, another word or two is added. There should also be plenty of identifying cues: pointing to an object and making a vocal sound.
Most children at 18 months can say at least six words. They will begin to repeat others. They may also recognize and point to body parts. Language skills really advance between 6 months and 18 years. A 50-year-old should be saying several two-word phrases and about XNUMX single words. There will also be many sounds that sound like conversation but are not understood. This is called jargon.
By age 3, your child should begin saying three-word sentences and having short conversations. Speech intelligibility should progress from 70% at age 3 to 100% by age 5 (1).
Ways to help a child speak
Create speaking opportunities to help your child speak.
There are countless ways to create talking opportunities to help your child learn to talk and encourage them to begin talking. These opportunities usually arise when your child wants something. To get a ball, you can place a favorite toy out of reach. Wait until your child sees it, then let them ask for it.
If your child starts pointing instead of talking, say, “Do you want the red car? Here’s the red car.” This helps them understand how to use communication and speaking skills to ask for help.
Another way is to anticipate what your child is looking for, then, again, put it out of reach. If it's snack time and they generally want yogurt, wait until they ask for it.
When walking around the house, try rearranging some of your child’s toys. Place items on a table or shelf—keep them at eye level so they can spot them. Then wait for your child to ask. Repeat back what your child says or tries to say. This subtly engages children while boosting their confidence when they remember something. During a routine, such as getting dressed, do something out of order, or pretend to forget. Forget to put on their pants and go straight to socks and shoes. Let your child catch your mistake and then offer praise like, “Yes, pants come before shoes. Good job.” If your child doesn’t catch it, you can subtly point out your mistake. Say something like, “Where are your pants? Did Mommy forget?” Your child will love playing this.
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Working on expanding language skills to help the child speak
When trying to expand your child's language skills, you should always focus on reaching the next level. Don't try to skip ahead and teach your child something too complex, but avoid going backward either.
Many young children speak or communicate using only a few words. Your goal is to gradually expand their vocabulary. As you do this, always listen to your child and follow their lead.
Skipping to something too complex won't keep them engaged or even encourage them to try. Remember, fun is the best way to learn. Language comes naturally to almost all children, but progress will be aided if you use topics that interest them.
Does your child love animals? Talk about animals you see in real life or those you see in books. Listen and notice when your child tries to communicate. We've included some strategies you can use:
Make the words bigger
As a toddler, your child will likely only be able to say a few words. So, it’s a good idea to start by adding more words to what they say. Let’s say they hand you a toy car and you say the word “car.” Then, give it back and say, “Yes, a car, a big blue car.”
Take what your child gives you and increase it a little before returning it. This is a strategy you can use from an early age, even if your child isn't yet speaking. If they point to a ball, say, "Ball! That's a big ball." Use small words that they can understand and imitate.
imitation of words
When your child tries to say a word, use what they give you and imitate it. This is similar to what you do when babies babble. You mimic their sounds and words, showing them that you are being heard. In turn, your child will begin to imitate you and your words, thus expanding their language skills.
Describe and comment
Be the sportscaster during playtime – narrate and describe what your child is doing. If they’re playing with a ball, say, “You throw the ball – it goes up and down.”
Help your child organize by making suggestions. If your child loves playing with farm animals, suggest putting the sheep in the barn. This will get them thinking and give them a new perspective. But remember to follow their cues—don't become the director of the play.
Elimination of negativity
Young children are still learning, so if you keep meeting their efforts with negativity, they will eventually stop trying. Expand their words instead of saying it's a mistake. If your child mispronounces the word "elephant," reverse it and repeat it with an affirmative, "Yes, elephant." This is more helpful than saying negatively, "No, elephant." By doing this, you are correcting without being overly rude.
You should also try to limit testing. If you and your toddler are playing, avoid constantly asking what different toys are called. Testing them repeatedly, especially during play, can become annoying and disrupt the fun.
Naming your praise
“Good job” is easy to say, but it’s better to be specific. Title your praise by saying things like, “Well done on putting away all your toys.” This reinforces the good things they do and encourages good behavior. As your toddler expands their vocabulary,
Expand your praise
Instead of saying “Good job,” use “Good job saying please” or “Good job saying thank you.” You’re also helping to create a positive feeling about communication, motivating them to keep trying and adding more words. Remember to take turns. Most of us are guilty of always taking charge of situations with young children. However, it’s essential to give them a turn whenever possible. It’s a great way to practice communication skills, even if it doesn’t involve speaking. Let’s say your child looks to you if they need help with something, like opening a juice box. Ask your child, “Do you need help opening the box?” Then wait for them to hand it to you, thus taking their turn.
Be quick to respond. As your child learns to talk, it's essential to demonstrate the importance of communication. Responding quickly is a great way to do this. Responding immediately to both words and gestures can help your child develop and formulate more advanced language skills.
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I keep notes
A great way to track progress is to keep a journal. Note the words or gestures your child uses to communicate. They may be moving away from unwanted objects, not wanting to, or shaking their head. Communicative gestures are a vital part of learning how to talk. Your toddler should associate words with their actions, such as greeting or saying goodbye, waving, or shaking hands. Keep track of what they've accomplished and then build on it. It's also helpful to keep a journal if your child needs to see a specialist.
Reading Together
Reading with young children to get them talking is different from reading a story at bedtime. Here, you want them to look at the book with you. On each page, point to the pictures, ask questions, and help them describe things. Although it may seem strange to read books to an infant or toddler at such a young age, it actually stimulates language comprehension. Research shows that the speech and language skills of children who are read to far outpace those of children who have had limited exposure.
When should you help a child speak?
Babies typically utter their first word sometime between 8 and 15 months of age. It depends largely on what you do to expand their language and how often you do it. Babies will likely make slow progress at first. Once they reach 18 months, they should learn approximately ten new words each month.
Their vocabulary expansion accelerates from around 17 to 20 months of age. They're approaching the 50-word mark, and you can expect new words every day. However, remember that numbers don't always add up—every child is different and learns at their own pace. Focus on how they use words. Communication is the main skill to look for.
Source: How To Get My Toddler To Talk
