As parents, we anxiously await our baby’s first words. By the time that they are teenagers, however, we sometimes wish we could get them to close their mouths occasionally! As parents, we do what we can to help our children develop. We try to encourage them in every possible way. One of the ways that we can encourage our children when they are toddlers is in the area of speech.

By the time your toddler reaches eighteen months of age, you should be regularly reading to him. You will want to read to him every day if possible. When you read to your toddler, read at a slower pace, and use expression in your voice. Ask him to point to pictures of objects or people in the book as you name them. This will help him to begin to connect the words with the objects. Turn this around a little bit as your toddler gets older; instead of asking where the bird is, for example, ask where the flying animal is.

One of the best ways to encourage your toddler with speech is to use modeling techniques. These are ways that you can demonstrate to your toddler the way to talk. One modeling technique is called “self talk.” Self talk is essentially narrating your activities in the first person. You might say “daddy is hanging up a picture. Daddy needs a nail. Here is a nail. Daddy needs a hammer. Here is a hammer. I need to pound in the nail. Pound, Pound, Pound!” Parallel talk is a similar modeling technique. Parallel talk uses the same short and simple sentence structure, but is used when you are doing an activity with your toddler. Parallel talk is not so much self narration as it is group narration.

Yet another modeling technique uses combinations. When your toddler says “cup,” for example, tack an extra word onto it. “Blue cup” you might say in response, or “Get the cup.” By using combinations, you will expand the way that your child puts words together in sentences.

If you believe that your child’s speech is not progressing as it should, speak to your health care provider. She may be able to refer you to a speech pathologist who can help to see if there are any specific speech difficulties of which you should be aware.

Posted in Baby and Toddler

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