Children do not have a fixed age at which they will start understanding your language or start speaking the same. Most of the babies by the age of one start imitating some words like ‘mama’ and ‘dada’. A year later they will start speaking 20-30 words and slowly the count keeps on increasing. But one cannot tell when the child would start speaking clearly and comfortably. Also, there can be chances that your kids cannot speak or understand the conversation as well as other children. There is nothing to worry about because some children may take some time to speak.
If your child is facing such a problem, you don’t need to rush to a pediatrician. Instead, you need to understand how to improve your children’s speech. We at Bhartiyam International School present you with 5 Ways To Improve Your Children’s Speech by doing child speech therapy at home.
Let us look at 5 Ways to Improve Your Children’s Speech-
Speak to them as much as possible
Speaking to your child as much as possible is the key. Try to speak to them using gestures, words, and actions so that they have a better idea of what you are trying to say. This way they can understand what is going on around them and will relate to your words and actions. This way you can establish two-way communication.
Talk slowly and try to make words simple by imitating baby language. Give them time to understand what you are trying to say. Once they understand they will reply to you in some way. These are some of the ingredients of Child speech therapy which when done correctly can work miracles.
Use short and simple words
There is an acronym used in Child Therapy - KISS which means Keep it Short and Simple. Try to speak to them in short and simple words that they can understand easily. Repeat those words often whenever you talk to them until they learn their meaning. Observe them and see which words they are picking up and are reacting to. Then often in your conversation include those words and also make them speak those words. Here are some examples of easy words like milk, apple, brush, bath, in, out, sleep, up, down, sit, stand, food, banana, orange, play, ball, shirt, bye-bye, shoes, water, car, cat, dog, bird, hands, legs, eyes, doll, toy, pen, pencil.
Tell stories at bedtime
Readout your kid's stories at bedtime or whenever it is possible. It helps them think and grow their imagination while they understand the story. Children like stories and they like to think about them too. They will ask you some questions about it by saying a few words, actions, and gestures which will help them to learn new words. Most of the kids remember stories that their parents tell them until they grow up. This will help to create a bond between you two and you will soon see positive results in your children’s speech.
Keep them away from TV and mobile
Keeping your children away from television and mobile devices will help them improve their hearing and comprehension skills, as both devices are a major distraction.
To get your baby to talk, we recommend that you do so. Mobiles have the same effect on children as television, and when children are engrossed in watching videos or playing games on mobile, it will take away their attention. Most children find it difficult to understand what they are told about what is happening on television. When you talk to them while the TV is on or when they are with mobiles, the sounds and visuals of those devices are more appealing to them than what you tell them. This is why it is crucial that you spend more time with your child and talk/play with them.
Never criticize your child
Make it in your habit to never criticize your child. In this world nobody is perfect so don’t expect your children to be one. Children often make mistakes with words and their spellings, but by criticizing them you are only letting them down and making them underconfident. Instead of criticizing them, tell them the right word or pronunciation whenever they make mistakes, tell them the right word or pronunciation. By praising them you can increase their speaking efforts.
Conclusion-
Talk to your children and tell them what is going on around in the world. Tell them about any situation that is happening at present. For example- If you are driving a car tell them about the importance of a car and how to always drive it safely. While walking you see a tree educating them about that plant. Turn every situation into a healthy discussion. The main motive behind child speech therapy is to engage them with imaginative experiences that can stimulate children’s intellectual curiosities.
At Bhartiyam International School, we know the potential of each child. With a professional team of highly-skilled teachers and world-class facilities, we know the efforts it takes to turn the child into great students. So, these were the 5 Ways to Improve Your Children’s Speech. To know more about us you can visit our website by clicking here.