Strengthening Your Young Child’s Interaction Skills
In our last post, we discussed the idea of a “language house”: the foundation of the house is a child’s ability to interact with their caregiver, the walls consist of receptive language (everything a child can understand), and the roof is made up of expressive language (everything a child can say). A child’s language house requires a strong foundation. If we try to put the roof on before the foundation is solid and the walls are up, the entire structure can topple.
So, how can we best strengthen a child’s language foundation?
One easy adjustment you can make while communicating with your child is to get down on their physical level. If he or she is playing on the floor, you can sit on the floor as well. If your child is eating lunch, you can join them at the table. This type of face-to-face interaction is important because it can give you a clearer perspective on exactly what your child is saying and doing. Additionally, it lets your child know that you are interested in them and that you are ready to communicate.
Once you’re at your child’s level, the next step is to carefully observe what your child is paying attention to. Here, you can wait expectantly for your child to initiate the conversation. This first conversational turn may look different than you’d expect, depending on your child’s current communication level. He or she may simply look at an item to convey what they are interested in. Watch and listen carefully! This initiation can be subtle and easy to miss.
Now that you know what your child wants to talk about, follow their lead. By staying focused on your child’s interest, you will keep them in the interaction for longer and give your child more opportunities to communicate. There are many ways to follow your child’s lead: join in on their play, imitate their sounds or actions, or comment on what they are doing or saying.
Getting face-to-face, observing your child’s interest, waiting for them to initiate, and following your child’s lead are all great ways to build your child’s language foundation. As you and your child get into the habit of communicating this way, the interactions will become longer and longer. The more opportunities your child has to communicate with you, the more practice he or she will get sending and receiving messages. Eventually, these interactions will develop into more advanced communication, such as gestures, sounds, and words.
Need more support with strengthening your child’s communication skills? We’re here to help! A licensed and certified speech-language pathologist can evaluate your child’s communication skills and create an individualized treatment plan. For more information, check out our website or call (914) 893–2223.
