3 Great Ways to Help Your Child Break Down Language Barriers

An important part of speech-language therapy is working at the child's current level and gradually increasing the difficulty of the task. For example, a child cannot be expected to explain what happened in a story if he or she is unable to explain what happened in a single paragraph. Working at your child's level is important and will be discussed using the following three strategies.

1. Use "Wh" Questions to Practice Comprehension

Asking the "wh" questions, who, what, when, where, why, and how, are an effective means to practice comprehension exercises. These exercises can also be incorporated into daily activities, which makes them even more functional.

Remember to start with a small goal. When reading a story to your child, read only one sentence and then ask them a "wh" question about it. For example, you read "Katie went to the mall today." Then you ask your child, "where did Katie go?" or "when did Katie go to the mall?" If your child answers a few questions like this correctly, then you can move on to reading two or three sentences at a time and then an entire paragraph.

It is better to make sure your child is understanding the story as you go along rather than you drilling him or her with a lot of questions at the end. You don't want your child to feel frustrated. Language comprehension doesn't need to be more frustrating than it already can be, so be sensitive to your child's responses and try to recognize what level he or she is at.
Here are more examples of "wh" questions at the sentence level that you can practice with your child:

1. John went to the store.
Who went to the store? John
Where did John go? To the store

2. Kim bought a puppy for her mother.
Who bought a puppy for her mother? Kim
What did she buy? A puppy
Why did she buy a puppy? (more difficult) to give to her mother

Practice basic "wh" questions in sentences with this No Prep 15 page packet at my TpT store, SpeechWise! Be sure to follow me for new fun activities!

2. Have Your Child Repeat Information to Make Sure the Message Has Not Been Lost 

If you are not sure your child has understood your message, ask him to repeat it back to you. This is a great strategy to reduce misunderstandings and to ensure that your child is truly comprehending what you've said. Some children with language difficulties may require you to repeat instructions a couple times, others may require three or four repeats. A good way to make sure your child understands is to ask him to repeat the message to you and make sure the message is correct.

If your child is still not understanding your message, you may need to simplify it. For example, if you've asked your child to put away his toys and then come to dinner, this is a two-step direction. Your child may only be able to process the first step of this instruction, which is: put away your toys. Working with a speech-language pathologist can help your child move toward comprehending two or three step directions, but you have to first work at the child's skill level. If your child is unable to understand complex and multiple step instructions, focus on one thing at a time. What is it you would like your child to do first? Once your child has put away his toys, then ask him to come to dinner.

3. Make Sure YOUR Message is Clear

We can all misunderstand each other, and it can be as much the fault of the speaker as the listener. Are you walking in the other room as you talk to your child? Are they unable to see your lips move or your gestures while you're talking? Non-verbal, or body language is vital to communication and even the most clearly spoken messages can be misinterpreted if you cannot see the speaker's face to know how he or she is feeling.

Is there a lot of background noise when you are talking with your child? Some rooms may echo, such as rooms without a lot of furniture or rooms with hardwood or tile flooring. Consider that your voice may not be carrying as adequately and some of what you're saying may be difficult to understand if you are not facing your child when you speak. For a child who is already experiencing speech and language delays, these seemingly small factors can make comprehension even more difficult.

Work at Your Child's Level

Find out what your child CAN do and work from there. Focus on all the amazing and wonderful skills your child has and try to expand upon those step by step. Consider setting up an evaluation with a speech-language pathologist if you have concerns about your child's language abilities.