Learning Vocabulary

Vocabulary development can vary greatly from child to child. Generally, first words should coincide with first steps. By toddler age, children will start to combine words into phrases. How can you boost your child’s expressive and receptive vocabulary development?

Talk, talk & talk some more! Relatively simple, but immensely important. Try narrating your actions while interacting with your child. This technique is two-fold, exposing your child to more words, grammar and expression as well as relating it to concrete items around you.

Bombard your child with a single word. Pick one word to focus on during play and say this word over and over in many different contexts. It can feel overwhelming to be charged with increasing your child’s vocabulary. Pick one word at a time to focus on and set realistic goals for you and your child.

Boost receptive vocabulary. This refers to what your child can understand separate from what they are expressing. Receptive language skills are the building blocks to later expression. Ask your child to point to pictures in a book or ‘go find’ different toys. Start with simple one-step directions then increase to two.

Activity of the Month

Fall Nature Walk

Take a walk to explore the changing seasons. Collect leaves, acorns, and other fall treasures.  Discuss the colors, shapes, and textures of the items you find.  Encourage your child to talk about what they see and describe their collection.  This activity enhances vocabulary related to nature and the seasons.

Recasting

Recasting involves restating your child’s sentences in a more complex or correct form.  If your child says, “I find leaf,” you might respond, “Yes, you found a big, red leaf.” This helps to model proper grammar and sentence structure without direct correction. It can also help to expand on the child’s vocabulary.

Book of the Month “We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt” By Steve Metzger

A fun, repetitive story that takes children on a leaf hunt through different environments. The book encourages discussion about different types of leaves and introduces sequencing and descriptive language.

App of the Month Speech Blubs

An app that uses videos and interactive activities to teach new words and sounds. It’s designed to engage children in language practice through fun, user-friendly games and activities.

Do you have concerns about your child’s speech and language skills??

Contact one of our speech pathologists today at (610) 454-1177 or Contact an SLP at Premiere