What are language & conversation skills?
When we talk with our children, we’re teaching them how to talk, listen and interact with others. When child is showing you something they’ve done, asking you a question or talking about their day, they are ready to learn. Even if you only have a few minutes at the time, lots of little moments really count.
Why are language and conversation skills important?
The more words children encounter when they are young, the better. It helps them build a bigger vocabulary and understand more at school.
Talking with parents, carers, and other family members helps children become more confident. It also keeps the communication channels open between you and your child. This is a key part of having a close and supportive relationship as they grow older.
Read a blog on this topic:
You count your steps, but what about the number of words you say?
Here are some ideas to get you started
So how can you get the balance right?
- For babies, any sound can be a way of communicating with them. Talk, sing and coo to them as much as you can. Name things around them as you talk. This is how they learn what things are called.
- As they get older, kids will start to name things. They might point and say “truck”. You could reply, “Yes. It’s a red truck.” So you have let them know they are right, given them a new word and put it all in a simple sentence for them.
- Playing rhyming games, reading, and guessing games help children learn more about words and letters.
- Older children can be encouraged to think about and express their ideas and opinions. They can also learn to exchange views with you. These are all good ways to develop their communication skills, and build a strong bond. You may also want to think about how to teach children that not everyone has the same opinions. As they get older, they need to know how to politely and respectfully disagree with other people at times.
Help your child develop language & conversation skills
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