How to teach a child to speak?

Children begin to make a variety of sounds from the moment they are born. They cry, cry out, and coo. And the longer this period of cooing lasts, the more parents start to worry and think about how to get their child to talk. However, it is worth remembering that all babies are different. And each of them has its own pace of development.

At what age do children start talking?

The range of ages when children begin to speak their first words is quite wide. Moreover, its boundaries are not clearly defined. Someone starts talking closer to a year old, and someone's parents are looking for an answer to the question of how to teach a child to speak at the age of 3.

All of these are variants of the norm. However, it is important to see that the child demonstrates progress in his or her perception of language. That is, he should understand what adults are saying to him. And also to convey his wishes and thoughts to his parents. Even if not yet with words.

The reaction of children to adult speech and their ability to communicate with their parents depends primarily on their age.

Closer to two years old, children can easily combine words into phrases. At this time, their vocabulary usually includes several dozen words.

If a child's speech development does not meet these stages, there is no reason to worry. Often, speech delays are just an individual feature of the baby. However, for your own reassurance, you should consult a speech therapist or pediatrician.

How to teach a child to speak

If you really want to hear your child's first words and phrases as soon as possible, you can help him or her speak. To do this, you should follow these tips:

• When talking to your baby, be sure to look at him or her. This way, he or she will see how your lips move when you say words. This is especially evident when you say vowel sounds, as well as B, P, D, and M. Children first observe adults and then imitate them. How to teach a child to speak? Make it easy for your child to imitate you.

• You need to react to the baby all the time. If he looks at something or points with his finger, if he makes some sounds or just opens his eyes in surprise, talk to him in all these cases. Name the objects he is pointing at. Ask what exactly surprised him. Children are guided by gestures before they start talking. Your goal is to reinforce these gestures with words.

• If a child asks you for something, encourage him or her to say the name of the thing. Pretend that you do not understand where she is pointing. Ask him again, holding the object in your hands - "Do you want an apple? An apple?"

• As soon as you hear a new word from your child, be sure to repeat it. Your child needs to see that you understand it. Make different phrases with this word so that the child understands the peculiarities of further use of words in speech. If the baby says "ball", say "Yes, it is a blue ball. Shall I give you the ball?"

• Read aloud. There is no better way to improve language skills than reading books. In addition, the time spent together listening to interesting stories is priceless. It helps you to get closer to your child and deepen the existing bond.

• No matter how much you want to, never nag your baby. Speak normal language as you would with an adult. The basis of children's behavior in the first years of life is imitation. This means that the baby will repeat after you all your speech inaccuracies and mistakes.

Folk methods to get a child to start talking

How to teach a child to speak? This question was asked by our mothers and grandmothers. And they had their own secrets of how to quickly "talk" a baby. What exactly do these folk methods include to get a child to start talking?

How to encourage your child to talk

At first, a young child listens to the voice of his parents. Then he begins to correlate certain concepts with the words that name them. The next step is for the child to repeat certain words. How to teach a child to speak at 2 years old? At this age, you can actively use the following techniques:

• Name both your actions and the child's actions. Repeat throughout the day "you are sitting in a high chair", "you are jumping", "you are going to the kitchen". Both at home and during a walk, use words to describe the world around you: "look, a dog is running", "a girl is sitting on a swing", "the sun is shining brightly".
• Ask your child questions. At first, he will try to answer them with gestures or even sounds. But later he will use more and more words.
• Buy or borrow a couple of wimmelbooks from the library. They will help your child learn many new words on different topics in the form of a pleasant game. In addition, such books improve children's skills in recognizing different objects.
• Do articulation exercises with your child. They will prepare the child's speech apparatus to reproduce the necessary sounds.

Tips for parents

In no case should you try to put pressure on your child. Allow your child to develop at his or her own pace. However, be sure to praise him for all his achievements, no matter how small.

The child should be sure that you are really interested in everything he or she tells you. So listen carefully, ask clarifying questions, show surprise and joy. Talk to your child in a fun and emotional way, trying to smile as often as possible.

In general, encouraging a child to talk requires creating a favorable environment, constant communication, and maximum support. It may take a little time, but with your patience and regular practice, your child will become more confident with each passing day.