Babies learn to speak in stages. They start with babbling. Then they proceed with practising making individual sounds. They string those sounds together and come up with words. String of words make their sentences. The only means by which they learn is through conversations.
As the child grows, he undergoes development in five distinct areas. They are:- Cognitive Development, Social & Emotional Development, Speech & Language Development and Fine motor skill development.
- Cognitive development is about learning and solving problems. It ranges from exploring small things to mathematical calculations.
- Social and Emotional Development occurs in a child to help interact with others. This includes helping ourselves and enhancing self-control. It can start from a simple smile in a small baby to taking turns in games.
- Speech and Language Development is about learning, speaking, understanding and using language.
- Fine Motor Skill Development is all about the ability in a child to use small muscles. Mainly the use of the hands and fingers to pick small objects and then ton write and use on complex works in future.
- The child’s ability to use large muscles refers to the development of Gross Motor Skills. It can start up with managing sitting with supports to pulling up to a stand to sit later and skipping.
Talk To Your child During Meals:
- Use action words like chewing, cutting, drinking, eating, pouring and tasting frequently to describe all your works.
- Use simple names of things around you. It may include names of dishes, food, furniture and utensils etc.
- Come up with descriptive words like names of colours, textures of food, and words like hungry, thirsty, full, empty, all gone, little, more etc.
- Use opposite word combinations like hot/cold, empty/full, whole/half, on/off, yummy/yucky, more/less etc.
- Use words that describe locations in, at, on, next to, under, behind, away etc.
Talk To Your Child During Bath:
- Use action words like drip, dry, scrub, splash, wash, rinse, rub etc.
- Use simple names of items bathtub, bath toys, soap, shampoo, towel, washcloth etc.
- Use opposites of descriptive words clean/dirty, cold/hot, empty/full, hard/soft, wet/dry, warm/cool etc.
- Name all the body parts. Start with Head, neck, chest, back, hands and legs. Then add hair, face, eye, nose, ear, mouth, shoulder, palm, thumb, nails, elbow, wrist, knee, thighs, ankle, toes, fingers, foot, etc.
- Use words indicating time like after, before, first, next, now, later, then etc.
Talk While Dressing:
- Action words like button, pull, put, stand up, sit down, snap, tie, zip etc. must be used.
- Talk about body parts and cloths (shirts, pants, sweater, muffler, scarf, sleeves, collar, buttons, zip, watch etc.).
- Use opposites of descriptive words like clean/dirty, new/old, long/short, light/dark, same/different, pretty/ugly, right/left, little/big, rough/smooth etc.
- Do use location words like on, inside, here, there, this, under, in, out, through, around etc.
Others:
- Set a group of objects around your child which he/she uses most often. discuss its name, size, color and weight very often and let your child also speak. Use body touch and body movements while singing rhymes, games and songs. Group all the objects that go together. Play with your child asking him to guess the answer about the objects around him.
- Introduce new words through stories and pictures. Use magazines, story books and other visual aids to help you in this. take him on walks to the neighbourhood. Add names of people, names of things around like trees, flowers, leaves, animals, birds, insects, road, cars, bikes, cycles etc. Get word cards with the word and its picture on it. Teach him signs and signals in your environment, like going right, left, straight, down etc.
- Model correct pronunciation and grammar but don’t do it often. Try restating their words in simple and correct manner. They will surely learn though their speed will be little slow.
- Give enough scope for him to respond to your conversations. Take the help of short stories and incidents.
- Ask more open-ended questions so that they can think and does not end up with a yes or a no.
- Talk with your child as you play with him. Use objects that can stimulate their imagination. Artificial fruits, vegetables, cooking sets, dinner sets, dolls etc. Be interactive.
- Teach him how to interpret emotions like happy/sad, cry/laugh, love/hate, kind/harsh, good/bad etc.
- Encourage them with writing activities.
- Take the help of word games using the sound.
- Sing songs to them.
