The Building Blocks of Spoken Language

As a speech therapist, I’m not just listening for a child’s first words; I’m looking for the skills that emerge before those words. These are called prelinguistic skills; they help lay the foundation for meaningful communication and interactions. Here are 5 skills I look for in children before expecting them to use verbal communication: 

Responding to Environmental Events

Communication begins with noticing what is happening around us. When your child is able to consistently react to the things they see, hear, or feel, they are paying attention to their environment; they are taking an important first step towards interacting with others. One way we can promote environmental responsiveness in children is by providing them with plenty of opportunities to explore the world with their senses. Toys with unique sounds, fun textures, and engaging visuals are a great place to start! Even small moments like splashing water in the bathtub or hearing a noisy car drive by are great opportunities for your child to notice and respond. 

Joint Attention 

Have you ever noticed your child look at a toy, look at you, and then look back at the toy? That’s joint attention! Joint attention is when you and your child share focus on the same object or activity. This skill is an important precursor to language because it teaches your child that experiences can be shared. Try getting in your child’s line of vision and encourage sharing items back and forth, playing social games like peekaboo, pointing out interesting things you see throughout the day, and allowing them to check back in with you. You may be surprised at how many language opportunities will follow! 

Gross Motor Imitation 

Can your child clap when you clap? Stomp when you stomp? Wave when you wave? Before a child can imitate small motor movements, such as speech sounds, it is important that they can imitate large motor movements with their bodies. Big movements like these are an opportunity to teach your child the foundational language skill of “you do it, then I do it!” and, in typical development, children learn to use communicative gestures before using words. Make imitation fun by copying the sounds or actions your child makes, incorporating silly movements during play routines, and inserting an expectant pause to give your child a chance to imitate you. Remember, connection before expectation! 

Turn Taking

It takes two to talk! Before a child has the words for a conversation, they can practice the flow of a back-and-forth interaction through playful turn-taking. Taking turns stacking blocks in a tower, rolling a car to each other, or making silly sounds back and forth are all perfect opportunities to teach your child the skill of turn-taking. Next time you are playing with your child, try following their lead and waiting for them to respond; the pause will give the signal that it is their turn! 

Functional Play 

"Toys are children's words, and play is their language" — Gary L. Landreth.

Playing is the best opportunity for a child to learn the foundational skills needed for spoken language. Functional play, such as pretending to feed a baby doll, putting together a puzzle, or simply stacking blocks, is a vital opportunity for your child to implement skills such as problem-solving, joint attention, and imitation. Rather than trying to get your child to say a word, join in on playing with what they are already interested in. Model simple actions, phrases, turn-taking, and allow them to connect with you. Remember, a child communicates long before they use spoken words!