Acknowledgements - gapitc

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Strolling Stories
Take your child for a walk outside.
Begin to tell a story by describing what you see along the way. Occasionally stop,
point to an object, and let your child fill in the word.
For example, “One day Noah and Mommy went for a walk. On the way they saw
a _______ (point to a mailbox). Yes, a big, black mailbox. Oh, look, here comes
Señora Blanco, with her _________ (point to her dog) Right, that’s Pepe, Señora
Blanco’s playful puppy. What’s that over there?”
As your child identifies an object, add words to describe it in more detail. Encourage
him to name as many things as he can.
When you get home ask him to tell another family member about your walk.
Special Needs Tip
If your child has a visual impairment, describe large objects that
are easy to see.
Surround your child with meaningful language. Describe what he is doing, what he’s
playing with, what he sees and what he hears. This helps develop vocabulary.
Remember that you are a language role model. Use full sentences with good grammar
and pronunciation.
Two year olds are learning the rules of talking. They will make mistakes by saying
things like “I took my socks off my foots.” Rather than correcting them, it is best
to reflect back what they’ve said, correctly—“I see you took your socks off your
feet, Gaby.” In time, they will learn to speak the way adults around them speak.
Take time to talk one on one with your child every day. Get down on his level, make
eye contact and listen as he tries out new words and puts sentences together.
Be patient if your child gets frustrated when you cannot understand what she is
saying. Tell her you are sorry you do not understand and ask her to keep trying
and show you what she means.
Young children may push, hit, or bite when they cannot make themselves understood.
Help your child learn the words to tell what he wants and what he does not!
Let your child play with old telephones that are no longer working. She can practice
language while pretending to make a call.
Avoid asking “why” your child has done something—two year olds cannot analyze
their own behavior. Ask him to tell you what happened instead.