Speaking

Here are the foundation skills involved in 'speaking'.

Try talking to yourself and thinking out loud when your child is around. It may not feel normal to narrate your thinking, but neuroscience shows it can help language development. 

Read stories regularly to your child.  When reading stories it is best to model best practise. Be dramatic so that children can learn how to recognise character voice, tone, volume and body language create suspense, interest and enjoyment.

Share a wordless picture book with your child or even a picture and have them narrate what is happening. You can find wordless picture books at our local library, just ask the librarian. 

Get creative in making up different role play situations:

• Shop (use food out of the pantry, paper money, baskets or shopping bags and dress up clothes)

• Hospital (bandages, plasters, sling, dolls/teddies for patients)

• Restaurant, dog groomers, hairdressers, mechanic, famers etc

Puppets are useful and allow children ti retell stories or create their own stories. It means they can experiment with volume and their voice. Making your own puppets can be lots of fun too!