When a child's language skills are delayed and parents are doing all the "right" things, many parents are often frustrated and wondering why their child's language isn't developing as expected. Understandably, parents eagerly await a child’s first words, but did you know that before your child can speak, they are busy developing a series of crucial communication skills? These early skills, known as prelinguistic skills, are the foundation of language development and are essential for your child to eventually express themselves clearly. If a child is demonstrating difficulty with even 1 of these skills, their child may exhibit a speech delay. These are the skills that a child will use to communicate without using words and may include the use of gestures, joint attention skills, turn taking and imitation. By understanding these skills and engaging in simple activities, you can play a vital role in helping your child build the communication abilities they need for speaking and social interaction.
Let’s take a look at 11 important prelinguistic skills, what they look like, why they matter, and how you can help your child develop them.
1. Reacting to Environmental Stimuli
What It Is: This is when your child reacts to things happening in their environment, such as sounds, lights, or movement. For example, they might turn their head when they hear a noise or look towards a moving object.
Why It’s Important: Reacting to environmental stimuli shows that your child is becoming aware of their surroundings. This awareness is a key first step in learning how to process and respond to information, which will later help them understand language.
Activity:
Clap your hands or make other soft sounds and see if your child reacts by turning their head or focusing on the sound.
Use toys with lights or moving parts to encourage your child to watch and react.
2. Responding to People
What It Is: When your child responds to someone talking or interacting with them, such as by smiling, cooing, or making eye contact.
Why It’s Important: Responding to people helps your child learn the basics of communication. It’s their first step in learning that they can use behaviors (like sounds or gestures) to interact with others.
Activity:
Engage with your child by talking or singing to them. Wait for them to respond, whether it’s through sounds, facial expressions, or reaching out to you.
Play simple games like “peek-a-boo” where they can react to your actions.
Look and sound fun!
Position yourself in front of the child and be animated with your facial expressions, your gestures, etc.
3. Taking Turns During Interactions
What It Is: Turn-taking is when your child participates in a back-and-forth exchange, whether it’s babbling or playing a simple game.
Why It’s Important: Learning to take turns is the foundation of conversations. It teaches children that communication involves both listening and responding, which is essential for future verbal interactions.
Activity:
Play games that encourage turn-taking, such as rolling a ball back and forth, blowing bubbles, playing peek-a-boo back or clapping hands together.
Take turns making sounds with toys like a rattle or a tambourine, so your child learns to wait for their turn.
4. Developing a Longer Attention Span
What It Is:This skill involves your child being able to focus on activities for a longer period, such as looking at a book or playing with a toy.
Why It’s Important:A longer attention span helps children stay engaged in learning activities, which is crucial for their cognitive development and for understanding how to participate in conversations and play.
Activity:
Read books together with colorful pictures or interactive features like flaps and textures.
Offer toys like puzzles or stacking blocks that require concentration and encourage your child to play with them for longer stretches.
Point and gesture to direct attention.
5. Joint Attention
What It Is: Joint attention is when your child and another person both focus on the same object or event. For example, you might point to a bird outside, and your child looks to see what you're pointing at.
Why It’s Important: Joint attention is a key milestone in language development. It shows that your child is starting to understand that objects and events have names, which is the first step toward understanding words and communication.
Activity:
Point to objects in your environment and say their names, encouraging your child to look at them with you.
Play with toys together, like dolls or cars, where you both focus on the same thing and take turns interacting with it.
6. Playing with a Variety of Toys
What It Is: This skill is about your child exploring and playing with different kinds of toys, from dolls and blocks to musical instruments and stuffed animals.
Why It’s Important: Playing with a variety of toys helps children develop creativity, problem-solving skills, and an understanding of how objects work—all important for communication and language development.
Activity:
Provide a mix of toys with different textures, sounds, and functions, such as stacking cups, musical toys, or action figures.
Play alongside your child, modeling how to use the toys in different ways, like stacking blocks or pretending with dolls.
7. Following Directions
What It Is: Following directions means your child can understand and act on simple commands, like “come here” or “give me the ball.”
Why It’s Important: This skill shows that your child is starting to understand that words can guide actions. It’s a foundation for learning more complex instructions as they grow and a key part of understanding language.
Activity:
Give simple, one-step instructions like “touch your nose” or “give me the toy,” and help your child follow them.
Play a game of “Simon Says,” where your child listens to commands and performs actions accordingly.
Give consistent directions during daily routines. For example: "It's bathtime! Let's head to the bathroom!"
Repetition and routine is the key!
8. Purposeful Vocalization
What It Is: Purposeful vocalization refers to when your child makes sounds with intent, like cooing, babbling, or making noises to communicate needs or express excitement.
Why It’s Important: Vocalizing on purpose helps children understand that sounds have meaning and can be used to express themselves. It’s the precursor to saying actual words.
Activity:
When your child makes sounds, respond by mimicking them. This shows them that their vocalizations are important and helps them learn new sounds.
Sing songs or nursery rhymes together to encourage your child to babble or repeat sounds.
9. Imitating Gestures, Sounds, and Words
What It Is: Imitation is when your child copies actions, sounds, or words you make. This helps them learn how to use gestures and vocalizations to communicate.
Why It’s Important: Imitation is a crucial step in language development. It helps children learn how to form their own gestures, sounds, and eventually words, by copying those around them.
Activity:
Play a “copycat” game where you clap, wave, or make animal sounds, and encourage your child to imitate you.
While dancing, introduce movements and try to get them to imitate you.
Introduce some basic signs or gestures like waving, or signs for "more" and "all done"
Show your child how to use toys in different ways, like making a doll wave or a car move, and encourage them to copy your actions.
10. Using Gestures or Signs
What It Is: Before speaking, many children use gestures like pointing, waving, or shaking their head to communicate. Some may also learn simple signs to express needs (e.g., “more” or “all done”).
Why It’s Important: Gestures are a key step in communication development. They allow children to express themselves before they can speak, helping bridge the gap between non-verbal and verbal communication.
Activity:
Teach your child simple signs or gestures, like waving “hi” or “bye,” or using a sign for “more” when they want more food.
Encourage your child to use gestures to communicate needs, like pointing to a toy or signing “all done” after a meal.
11. Initiating Interaction for Needs or Play
What It Is: This skill involves your child starting interactions on their own, either to request something (like food or help) or to engage in play.
Why It’s Important: Initiating interaction is a sign that your child understands the power of communication. It shows that they’re beginning to use gestures, sounds, or words to get what they need or to engage in social play.
Activity:
Give your child a toy and wait for them to initiate interaction, such as handing it to you, making a noise, or reaching out.
Play pretend games together, like cooking in a toy kitchen or playing with dolls, and encourage your child to take the lead in starting interactions.
Final Tips for Parents:
Celebrate Small Wins: Every time your child responds, imitates, or uses gestures, celebrate their effort. These are important milestones in their communication journey.
Provide Plenty of Opportunities: Engage in activities every day that encourage your child to practice these skills, whether it’s through play, talking, or reading together.
Be Patient and Responsive: Your child will develop these skills at their own pace. Respond to their attempts to communicate and engage in back-and-forth interactions to support their growth.
By focusing on these 11 prelinguistic skills, you are helping to set the stage for your child’s future language development. These early communication skills are the building blocks that will allow your child to develop strong social and verbal abilities. So, keep interacting, playing, and supporting them as they learn and grow!
“Sorting Out the 11 Prelinguistic Skills...” Teachmetotalk.com, 23 Oct. 2019, teachmetotalk.com/2018/07/30/sorting-out-the-11-prelinguistic-skills/.
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