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Receptive Language
Receptive Language
Receptive language refers to your child’s ability to understand what is being said. It is important for everyday life, learning, following instructions and participating in conversations. Your child will understand words before they start saying them.
To know if your child understands, watch how they react to what you are communicating.
For example:
You smile at your child and they smile back
Asking "Where did you leave your boots?" and they point to their boots
Saying "Touch your nose, and then your toes!" and they follow your directions
*This shows that your child is understanding your actions/questions.
Expressive Language
Expressive Language
Expressive language refers to your child's ability to communicate their needs, thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Children first learn vocabulary (words), which gradually become phrases and sentences.
Expressive language can look like:
Gestures and signs
Spoken words and phrases
Picture symbols and written communication
For example:
Requesting objects or actions like "more juice" and "up"
Naming familiar items like "teddy"
Telling a story about their day like "I played on swings today!"
Children need proper hearing and preverbal skills to develop their receptive and expressive language.
Please refer to the section on Hearing and Preverbal Skills for further information.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW!
Here are some tips you can start using now to help your child develop strong receptive and expressive language skills:
Receptive Language Tips
Receptive Language Tips
Expressive Language Tips
Expressive Language Tips
Integrate language in your activities and routines
Use daily routines to explore new vocabulary and language. For example use your grocery lists and grocery store visits as an opportunity to talk about the different sizes, colors, and shapes of fruits.
Expect errors
Many young children make mistakes in their grammar while their language is developing. This is completely normal!
Get your child’s attention
Eliminate distractions (e.g., turn off the TV). Get down to your child's eye level and wait until you get their attention.
Pay attention
To what your child is looking at, reaching for, and vocalizing about. Then, make a comment to show you're interested too (e.g. "That is a big apple!").
Simplify your language
Speak in short and simple, though also complete, sentences. Your key message might get lost in a long string of words. For example, instead of saying, “Can you put on your raincoat, boots, and go get the umbrella because it's been raining all day and we will get wet”, use a simpler sentence like, “Please get me the umbrella.” Focus on the main message.
Give your child a chance to communicate
Listen, encourage, and appreciate all of their efforts to talk. It is very important that your child wants to talk to you. Let them know that you enjoy listening to them and will try to understand them.
Slow your rate of speech
Use a slower rate of speech, so that your child has time to process what is being said to him.
Be a good listener
Listen to what your child said, not how it is said. Acknowledge that you heard your child by smiling, nodding, commenting, or repeating their sentences in conversation.
Use consistent words with your child
If you talk about the grocery store one day, do not refer to it as the “market” the next day. Once you are sure that your child has a clear concept of the word, you can introduce another name for it.
Repeat and use correct grammar
You can help your child learn grammar by repeating back their sentence, with the corrected grammar.
Teach words and concepts through demonstrations
Rather than using flashcards or drills, teach concepts through daily living. For instance, to focus on words such as ‘in’, ‘on’, ‘under’, and ‘beside’, make a point to emphasize these locations throughout the day (e.g., "Your shoes are in the closet").
Talk about what is important
Talk about objects, people, and events in the child’s life. Talk about your child's interests. Talk about their actions and your actions while you're doing them. For example, when you are cooking in the kitchen, describe what you are doing.
Give clear, simple directions
Give LESS information at one time. Break up your message into small parts.
Ask the right questions
Use questions where your child chooses between two options (e.g. “Would you like to go to the park or read a story?” "Do you want a banana or an apple?"). Avoid yes/no questions.
Use visual helpers
Use pointing, showing, pictures and gestures to show your child what you are talking about.
Help expand your child’s phrases
Listen to what your child said and repeat it back using an extra word or thought.
For example:
Child: “Truck.”
Parent: “Big truck.”
Child: “Bird sing.”
Parent: "The bird is singing.”
Repeat your message or say it another way
You may need to repeat or rephrase your questions and comments in an easier way so that your child will understand.
Use description words
During play, such as little, big, fast, slow, clean or dirty. Describing a toy car as "fast" or a stuffed animal as "soft" helps your child add more meaning to words.
You are your child’s first and most important teacher!
Children develop strong speech and language skills through interactions with caring, loving, and attentive parents and caregivers. Research shows that simple changes in how you talk, read, and play with your child can help strengthen communication abilities. Watch this great video by The Hanen Centre: You are the key to your child’s first words.
Your Speech-Language Pathologist or Communicative Disorders Assistant may provide more individualized support.
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