What Is Language?

Language refers to the words we use and how we use them to share ideas and get what we want. Language has to do with meanings, rather than sounds. Language can be divided into three different areas: Expressive, Receptive and Pragmatic.

Expressive Language is the use of words and gestures to relate ideas and thoughts.

Receptive Language is also called auditory comprehension. It is the process of perceiving language and assigning meaning to it.

Pragmatic Language is the use of language in context, also know as social communication.

Language Disorders

A language disorder refers to an impaired ability to understand and/or use words in context. A child may have an expressive language disorder (difficulty expressing ideas or needs), a receptive language disorder (difficulty understanding what others are saying), or a mixed language disorder (which involves both receptive and expressive impairments). Language disorders may include difficulty with some of the following skills: expressing meanings and ideas, solving problems, vocabulary knowledge about semantic relationships, using words appropriately, predicting, inferring, answering questions, grammar, syntax, following directions, and figurative language.

Pragmatic Language disorders incorporate aspects of both receptive and expressive language and are difficulties in the use of language within context, also know as social communication. Children with pragmatic language impairments may have difficulties with conversational skills such as initiating, maintaining, and concluding topics, reciprocal communication, requesting, commenting, greeting, protesting, modifying language based upon specific situations or partners, and using appropriate tone and prosodic elements to convey meaning.

• The following link from ASHA provides a nice overview of language: ASHA Language Info

• A general overall of developmental milestones for speech and language can be found at this link: Normative Data on Development

Receptive/Expressive Language Practice

Here are some ideas to work on language at home:

• Have your child tell you about a book they read (sequence the story, answer questions who/where/what happened, etc.).

• Have your child tell you what they did yesterday/will do tomorrow (using correct verb tense).

• Have your child tell you about their day (who, what, where).

• Have your child tell you the steps in washing a car, making a sandwich, riding a bike, playing their favorite game, etc.

• Have your child tell you how a truck and a car are similar and different (cat/mouse, sun/moon, chicken/duck, etc).

• Have your child tell you about their favorite food- what it looks like, comes from, size, shape and color of it.

• Have your child name something that goes with a hot dog, peanut butter, socks, etc.

• Have your child list as many animals that live on a farm, things you need to got to the beach, boy's/girl's names, etc.

General Parent Suggestions

In Early Grades K–2:

• Talk with your child a lot.

• Read different types of books. Read every day, and talk with your child about the story.

• Help your child learn sound patterns of words. You can play rhyming games and point out letters as you read.

• Have your child retell stories and talk about his day.

• Talk with your child about what you do during the day. Give her directions to follow.

• Talk about how things are the same and different.

• Give your child chances to write.

In Later Grades 3-5:

• Keep your child reading. Find books and magazines that interest your child.

• Ask your child what he thinks about what he hears or reads. Connect what he reads to events in his life.

• Help your child connect what she reads and hears at school, home, and other events.

• Talk out loud as you help your child read about and solve problems.

• Help your child recognize spelling patterns. For example, point out the beginnings and endings of words, like "pre-" or "–ed."

• Get your child to write letters, keep a diary, and write stories.