Children's speech and their learning.

It’s fairly well known in educations circles that children’s speech is on the decline. (As are the literacy levels in general.) What that means is more and more children are becoming increasingly difficult to understand.

Their oral language test results are lower than what’s expected for their age or stage of learning and this can really hinder their learning in other areas of school; writing and spelling in particular.

Don’t leave this up to the school to work on because it’s what happens at home that is key for your children’s success.

Top tips to develop clear and correct speech for your children. 

1.  When you are speaking with young children the most important thing is facing them, children learn by doing so if they can see your mouth as you speak they are more likely to pick up sounds correctly.  

2. Eye contact gives them a greater sense of safety and that you are listening to them.
3. Speak a little bit more slowly when you speak to them, to give their brains time to process what you said.
4. Wait. Give them time to form a response. It takes, on average, 5 seconds for a child to respond to your question or comment so literally, a slow count to 5 in your head while you wait.
5. Eat dinner around the table. Turn the TV off and remove all devices from the the table.

Children’s brains grow when engaged in conversation with an adult. 5 conversations turns are best, not instructions or close ended questions.

Children’s vocabulary increases, their understanding of correct grammar and syntax also increases, even if yours is incorrect. (I saw, not I seen. Th is enunciated Th not v or f, just to begin).

You learn so much about your child that you will never find out if you haven’t spoken with them and in our busy lives, dinner time around the table is the best place to do this if you are busy throughout the day.

As they tell you what they have seen or heard you can tell them whether something is correct or not. Some information a mean ‘friend’ may have told them, you can correct this opinion with what is actually correct.

General knowledge increases as you can discuss what is happening around the world.

The 3 ways I can help you improve your child’s speech

1. Download the free e-book to get started (and you can join in)
2. Book a time to call and discuss what concerns you have
3. Go straight to the Say It Clearly school and take a look at this course that you can do at home that covers all aspects of speech development.