“doggy,” however, shouldn’t be a problem.
Lend an ear . Toddlers love chattering to themselves as they play and don’t require a full-time audience. But when they direct their chatter at someone else, they (like anyone else) need to feel they’re being listened to. When your toddler addresses you, give him the respectful attention he deserves. Don’t pick up the phone, turn to speak to your husband, continue to read the newspaper or watch TV, or walk into the next room. Stop, make eye contact, and listen, even if you don’t completely understand what’s being said (see page 424).
Sharpen her ear . Sharpening your toddler’s auditory acumen will help with deciphering the nuances of language. Listening to conversation is important, but so is listening to the birds singing, the telephone ringing, the buzzer buzzing, to sirens and running water. Point out these sounds and listen to them together.
Speak when you’re spoken to . Even you if you don’t have the slightest idea of what your toddler has just said, you can respond with, “Hmm, that’s very interesting” or “Is that so?” But before you write off what your toddler is saying as gibberish, try to read body language, facial expressions, and other visual clues. If he’s headed for the door, sweater in hand, an appropriate response might be: “Would you like to go out? We’ll be going out in a few minutes.” Is she rubbing her eyes and whining? Then try, “Are you tired? Do you want to take a nap now?” Is he gesturing or pointing at the refrigerator while talking? If so, ask, “Do you want a drink? Do you want a piece of cheese?” Sometimes you’ll guess right, and even if you don’t, your child will be delighted that you responded. When you just don’t get it, there may be frustration and tears. Either way, immediate feedback will provide your toddler with the motivation to keep speaking.
Provide air time . Sometimes young children don’t speak because they aren’t given the opportunity—either because their needs are anticipated before they express them, or because everyone around them is always talking, hogging the air time. So be careful to leave an occasional opening for your littlest conversationalist. Eventually, it will get filled.
Once more, with feeling . Repeating what your toddler says in other words (“You want milk?” “Yes, that is a doggy.” “You want to go out?”) does double duty. It shows you understood what he or she said and also gives you an opportunity to correct mispronunciations in a natural, nonjudgmental way. Using an animated, conversational tone of voice, with plenty of rises and falls, helps to maintain interest.
Ask away . Researchers have found that even before toddlers are capable of supplying answers, asking them questions is one of the best ways to spur their language development. A good way to begin is to give a youngster who has fewwords (but can shake yes, nod no, grunt, and point) the opportunity to give these simple responses (“Do you want your snack now?” “Show me which book you want to read.”).
As your child becomes more verbal, you can try for more verbal responses. If your toddler points at a ball or motions toward a book, don’t hand the desired object over immediately. Instead, ask “What do you want?” If any sound is forthcoming, interpret it as a request for the desired object and say, “Oh, you want the ball” or “You’d like to look at this book?” If you don’t get a response, don’t press for one. Instead, help out with another question: “Do you want this ball . . . or this book?” Accept a grunt, nod, or pointing finger as an answer, but then translate it into words for your toddler: “Ah, you want the book. Here it is.”
When your child initiates a conversation, instead of simply restating what you think has been said, ask for more information. “Do you want to go out?” Pause to allow for a reply. “Where would you like to go?” Pause again.
Lend an ear . Toddlers love chattering to themselves as they play and don’t require a full-time audience. But when they direct their chatter at someone else, they (like anyone else) need to feel they’re being listened to. When your toddler addresses you, give him the respectful attention he deserves. Don’t pick up the phone, turn to speak to your husband, continue to read the newspaper or watch TV, or walk into the next room. Stop, make eye contact, and listen, even if you don’t completely understand what’s being said (see page 424).
Sharpen her ear . Sharpening your toddler’s auditory acumen will help with deciphering the nuances of language. Listening to conversation is important, but so is listening to the birds singing, the telephone ringing, the buzzer buzzing, to sirens and running water. Point out these sounds and listen to them together.
Speak when you’re spoken to . Even you if you don’t have the slightest idea of what your toddler has just said, you can respond with, “Hmm, that’s very interesting” or “Is that so?” But before you write off what your toddler is saying as gibberish, try to read body language, facial expressions, and other visual clues. If he’s headed for the door, sweater in hand, an appropriate response might be: “Would you like to go out? We’ll be going out in a few minutes.” Is she rubbing her eyes and whining? Then try, “Are you tired? Do you want to take a nap now?” Is he gesturing or pointing at the refrigerator while talking? If so, ask, “Do you want a drink? Do you want a piece of cheese?” Sometimes you’ll guess right, and even if you don’t, your child will be delighted that you responded. When you just don’t get it, there may be frustration and tears. Either way, immediate feedback will provide your toddler with the motivation to keep speaking.
Provide air time . Sometimes young children don’t speak because they aren’t given the opportunity—either because their needs are anticipated before they express them, or because everyone around them is always talking, hogging the air time. So be careful to leave an occasional opening for your littlest conversationalist. Eventually, it will get filled.
Once more, with feeling . Repeating what your toddler says in other words (“You want milk?” “Yes, that is a doggy.” “You want to go out?”) does double duty. It shows you understood what he or she said and also gives you an opportunity to correct mispronunciations in a natural, nonjudgmental way. Using an animated, conversational tone of voice, with plenty of rises and falls, helps to maintain interest.
Ask away . Researchers have found that even before toddlers are capable of supplying answers, asking them questions is one of the best ways to spur their language development. A good way to begin is to give a youngster who has fewwords (but can shake yes, nod no, grunt, and point) the opportunity to give these simple responses (“Do you want your snack now?” “Show me which book you want to read.”).
As your child becomes more verbal, you can try for more verbal responses. If your toddler points at a ball or motions toward a book, don’t hand the desired object over immediately. Instead, ask “What do you want?” If any sound is forthcoming, interpret it as a request for the desired object and say, “Oh, you want the ball” or “You’d like to look at this book?” If you don’t get a response, don’t press for one. Instead, help out with another question: “Do you want this ball . . . or this book?” Accept a grunt, nod, or pointing finger as an answer, but then translate it into words for your toddler: “Ah, you want the book. Here it is.”
When your child initiates a conversation, instead of simply restating what you think has been said, ask for more information. “Do you want to go out?” Pause to allow for a reply. “Where would you like to go?” Pause again.
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