Tips to stimulate communication skills in preschool children

Published: 19 Mar 2021 Tagged: Communicationconversationearly interventionearly signsexpressive languagelanguage developmentlanguage skillslate talkerslate talkinglisteningpre-schoolerspreschoolerpreschoolersreceptive languageschoolschoolssignsskillsspeakingstimulation

One statement usually said by speech, language and education specialists is that every child learns language the same way, but not at the same time. It is especially true when we analyse speech and language skills development in children with a neurodiverse condition. Children are preschoolers when they are between 3 and 5 years old, so their communication is mostly oral or based in hand gestures. They are expressing themselves through verbal, sign or picture (expressive language) while is assimilating what is said to them (receptive language) through their daily experiences with other people.

Within this age range, some traits might draw attention to check if the child has receptive language issues involving:

• Understanding what gestures mean
• Following directions
• Answering questions
• Identifying objects and pictures
• Taking turns when talking with others

Expressive language issues might be involved with:

• Asking questions
• Naming objects
• Using gestures
• Putting words together into sentences
• Learning songs and rhymes
• Using correct pronouns, like “he” or “they”
• Knowing how to start a conversation and keep it going

Though most preschoolers don’t read yet, there are some early signs of literacy issues involving:

• Holding a book right side up
• Looking at pictures in a book and turning pages
• Telling a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end
• Naming letters and numbers
• Learning the alphabet

When one or more of these issues are identified in the child, there might be a chance of speech and language disorders, which should be treated as early as possible for more effective and lasting outcomes. The support of specialists such as speech and language pathologists and special needs education consultants would be of great help, but there are many simple activities that parents, carers and teachers can conduct to stimulate communication skills:

• Be patient, the child needs stimulation and not pressure
• Encouraging the child to ask you questions
• Flashcards play, showing the child flashcards for the child to describe the picture and filling with more information in case the child is too vague or plain in description
• Giving the child time to answer questions
• Help the preschool teacher, as a volunteer in the classroom or playground, so you can identify your child and other children’s behaviours to point out social interaction opportunities
• Helping the child learn new words
• Listening and responding when the child talks
• Normalise conversation, speaking with no restriction and always indicating the correct way to speak, always with kindness and empathy
• Playing “Robot Helper”, as if you were the child’s robot and must do actions according to the child’s instructions
• Point to signs in the grocery store, at school, and outside
• Pointing out words you see
• Puppet conversation, since there’s a higher chance of a child engaging in a friendly conversation with a puppet than with other people
• Reading to the child every day, sometimes reading picture books with no words
• Setting limits for watching TV and using electronic media
• Speaking to the child in the language you know best
• Talking a lot to the child

With some of these activities, your child will have many opportunities to stimulate communication skills and overcame some barriers that might be hindering the child’s intentions to make friends. Always remember that the support from specialists can indicate the most probable reasons for preschool communication issues, so you can contact Speakable for this procedure.