Welcome to our blog! Today, we’re excited to share some valuable insights from our gifted ASHA nationally certified Speech-Language Pathologist, Marcella, on the importance of targeting language during play. Playtime isn’t just fun; it’s also a critical opportunity for language development. Engaging with children in specific ways can significantly enhance their communication skills. In this post, we’ll explore four effective techniques to target language during play, helping you make the most of these precious moments.
- Narrating Play. One of the simplest yet most effective techniques is narrating play. As you and the child engage in various activities, talk about what you’re doing. This constant stream of language provides an environment that helps children learn new words and understand sentence structure.
- Repeating Back. When a child speaks, repeating back what they say can be incredibly affirming and educational. This technique shows that you’re listening and also reinforcing their language use while encouraging more attempts at communication. If the child is nonverbal, you might wonder how to apply these techniques. Even if a child makes noises or babbles during play, repeating those sounds back to them can be beneficial. This practice acknowledges their attempts at communication and fosters a back-and-forth interaction, laying the groundwork for verbal communication.
- Expansion. Expansion involves taking what the child says and adding a bit more information to it. For example, if the child says, “She’s jumping,” you could respond with, “Yes, she’s jumping on the trampoline.” This technique helps to model more complex language structures and introduces new vocabulary in a natural context.
- Recasting. Recasting is similar to expansion but focuses on correcting grammatical errors in a gentle and supportive way. If a child says, “Her is jumping,” you could respond with, “Yes, she is jumping.” This method helps children learn the correct way to express themselves without discouraging their attempts.
Targeting language during play is a powerful way to support a child’s communication development. We hope these strategies inspire you to make playtime even more enriching for the children in your life. To watch our beloved Speech-Language Pathologist, Marcella, share these valuable tips, click the link below. Happy playing and learning!
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-EMILY SMITH, Illinois State University, Senior Research and Marketing Intern
-NICOLE BUTLER, M.A., CCC-SLP/L (ASHA Certified and licensed Speech-Language Pathologist, Founder and Executive Director of Speech Within Reach.)
SPEECH WITHIN REACH provides in person and virtual telehealth speech therapy for children and adults. We are happy to support your speech therapy needs. Please feel free to reach out to us.