Autumn 2011 - Mandy Mazliah

Raising children
How do you talk to your child?
Caroline Laycock of Talking
Tots says simple activities
can make all the difference…
Somewhere around your child’s first
birthday, they’ll amaze you with their
first word. Chances are that word will
soon be followed by a second and a
third word – and before you know it,
your little one will be chattering away
so much you can hardly get a word in
edgeways!
However, new research shows that
almost half of all children starting
primary school don’t have the
communication skills they need to
learn effectively.
The good news is you can boost
your child’s communication skills
and social confidence through the
right combination of encouragement,
play and practice. One such preschool
activity group is called Talking
Tots. The company was created by
Tracey Park and Lisa Houghton, two
experienced paediatric speech and
language therapists, who saw an
increasing number of children in their
clinics with communication problems.
From a very early age, parents should
be amateur commentators. When
you’re making dinner, tell your baby
about all the delicious ingredients
you’re preparing. If you’re walking to
the park, make a point of naming all
the shops and places as you pass
them by. Don’t overdo it: leave space
for your baby to respond, even before
they can talk. They’ll gradually begin
making noises in response to your
questions and one day they’ll surprise
you with an answer!
Ask questions with options and don’t
anticipate their needs. If your baby
points to the fridge, don’t simply give
them the milk. Instead, say ‘Oh, I see
you need a drink. Would you like milk
or juice?’ which encourages them to
talk to you.
Learning a whole new language is
hard work, and most toddlers will
make a few mistakes along the way. If
your child says “bik” for “biscuit” don’t
correct him. Be a good role model. If
your toddler asks for a ‘bik’, you can
respond, ‘Oh, you want a biscuit’. That
way he hears the correct word and
eventually he’ll pick up the difference.
Helping your child to develop confident
communication will give them a head
start in the classroom, but the benefits
can be life-long. Communication is the
bedrock of almost everything we do,
from making new friends to learning
new skills, so giving children good
communication skills means you’re
giving them the best start in life.
Top tips for helping your child
communicate
• Chatter matters! Tell your baby
what you’re doing, whether it’s
changing his nappy or making his
supper. Don’t forget to leave room
for him to answer you.
• Read as much as you can. Books
help build your child’s vocabulary
and if Mum and Dad can join in
with silly voices and sound effects,
it will encourage your little one to
try out new sounds too.
• Be descriptive. If your child points
to a tree, talk about how big it is,
what colour it is. Help your child to
learn to describe the world around
them.
• Don’t tell your child when she gets
something wrong and don’t use
baby talk yourself. Instead, use
the correct words and gradually
she will begin to copy you.
• Play games. Simple games such
as “I spy” will help your child
become aware of sounds, which
will help him later on, when he
learns to read.
Further information:
To find out more or to book a place
in one of the classes, please visit our
website www.talkingtots.info
42 Newsletter Winter