Be an interactive language partner with your child so that you are helping him learn to use language to communicate. When your child asks for something, respond appropriately, and he will begin to understand that exchanging information back and forth is an effective way of communication.
Describe how things taste, what they feel like, and how they smell. Speak with your child and ask him to reply—this will support the development of communication skills. You should use two- or three-word phrases when speaking with your child.
By the time your child reaches two, he should know and use 200 or more words when speaking.
It is important to stay in tune with your child’s language communication and to talk often with him using a rich and varied vocabulary. The number of different words and phrases you use on a daily basis, as well as the number of conversations you have with your child, are both directly related to your child’s language development. So keep up the talking!
Sign Language
Sign language is a form of communication used as your child combines hand and body movements to make words.
Your child is naturally drawn to speaking because it is the fastest and easiest way for her to communicate with others; however, during this age it is still difficult for your child to express exactly how she is feeling, especially during times of stress.
That is because her vocabulary is still developing, and she is in the process of learning to pronounce words heard in his environment. Starting with simple signs, such as happy or sad, can give your child another way to express how she feels without using spoken language.
The other wonderful aspect of sign language is that your child will see it as fun. You use it as a way to support your child’s language skills as you teach the signs for words and the alphabet. By teaching signs you are helping your child with letter recognition and vocabulary building. In addition, teaching your child to use sign language as another outlet for communicating helps your child feel confident to “speak” her wants, needs, and feelings.
When you are able to understand her needs and be responsive, you are supporting your child’s emotional development, which is crucial for developing self-esteem and the ability to learn.
