Developing Preschoolers’ Language Skills

The rate at which every child’s language skills develop differs, with some two year olds barely speaking while others are using full sentences. From the time they walk in the preschool classroom door at two, until they move on to elementary school at five or six, children learn not only how to articulate their needs, but they can also express their feelings to others, and feel comfortable speaking in front of a group.

There are many opportunities in preschool to practice these skills. In our three year old class, the children have several chances each week to practice public speaking. Every Monday during circle time, we pass our class mascot, Mr. Bear, from child to child. While a student is holding Mr. Bear, it is his turn to speak. He can tell us what he did over the weekend, or something else he’d like to share. Most children love this time, as holding Mr. Bear is a treat. Any child who is not holding the mascot understands that he needs to be quiet while another student is speaking. That helps the other children develop good listening skills. For children who are especially shy and not comfortable speaking to the group, they can give Mr. Bear a hug and pass him on to the next student without feeling the pressure to speak in front of the class.

The children have another opportunity to speak in front of the class when we have Show and Tell. Here again, we tailor the questions to the child. Some kids love to talk and are happy to go on and on. For those students, we try to ask more thought provoking questions. For example, if the Show and Tell theme was ‘something I used as a baby,’ and a child brought in a rattle, we might ask why he thinks babies enjoy rattles. Of course, there is no right or wrong answer. The point is to help them become comfortable speaking in front of other people. The children who are unable to speak in front of the group when the school year begins, almost always become comfortable by the year’s end.

If your child is especially shy in these instances, practice with him at home. Role-play what he might say when it is his turn in class. That little bit of practice goes a long way. Take advantage of mealtime to encourage your child to speak to you. Ask him what he did in school, or why he likes to play at his neighbor’s house. The more he practices speaking, the more comfortable he will feel. And don’t forget to listen to his answers. You will learn a great deal about your child through casual conversation.

Early Intervention for Speech Issues

There are two children in my three year old class with speech issues. One is a very bright, articulate little girl who garbles her words and uses letter replacements. While her parents think it’s “adorable,” I recommend they take her to a speech therapist. The other child is a soft-spoken boy who is shy about speaking, especially to adults.

At three years old, a speech problem can be adorable. However, there are many things that can start to happen to a child who cannot be understood by others, and they are far from cute. An outspoken child who is forced to repeat herself all the time can get frustrated. At some point, she may find it easier to simply keep her thoughts to herself.

I have also witnessed peers who make fun of a child for pronouncing words incorrectly, especially when their deficiency makes a word sound completely different. For example, the child couldn’t say his “r’s” so when he meant to say “heard” it came out as “hid.” Another, less sensitive child announced that what he said didn’t make any sense. That was embarrassing, even to a three year old.
When my own son was about four, we were told that he’d grow out of his speech deficiencies. Yet, my husband and I felt that he was a sponge at that point in his life, soaking up information everywhere he went. We thought that he would catch on quickly to speech therapy at a young age, and that we could nip the problem in the bud. Our instincts were right.

He had about nine months of speech therapy which he actually enjoyed. They played games during his sessions, and his homework involved blowing bubbles, whistles, and into straws. It was never a chore. He entered kindergarten speaking beautifully. In fourth grade, I noticed that one of his classmates was still struggling with certain sounds. That reaffirmed that our decision to get our son early intervention was the correct one.