Vocabulary Learning for Littles

For a child to become a good communicator he must be able to understand what he hears and he must be able to talk about a variety of things.  These two skills require good vocabulary knowledge and use, and a strong vocabulary is also a strong predictor of academic success.  A child developing language at a typical rate will have a vocabulary of at least 50 words he can say by age 2 and this number increases rapidly between age 2 and 4.  When language development is typical, children will often shock you at what they pick up.  I vividly recall driving on the highway with my 2-year-old daughter after she spent time with grandpa the farmer.  She pointed out the window and yelled “irrigation!” much to my astonishment.    

We all understand more words than we use and the same is true of children.  Your child needs to learn the words for things in his world (eg. Ball, puppy, house) but he also needs to learn describing words (eg. Wet, sticky, big), action words (eg. Push, hug, break) and concept words that are routinely used when giving directions (eg. First, behind, after).  This variety of words will allow your child to understand questions, directions and comments he hears and word-variety is also critical for children to develop the ability to combine words into increasingly complex messages (eg. Big dog, little red truck, wet sand on my hands). 

For a child who is learning language naturally, you can support vocabulary development simply by exposing him to new vocabulary all the time through activities, new experiences, books, and conversation.  When language development seems slow, a more focused approach is often needed to highlight the most meaningful words for your child and facilitate their use. 

Do you have questions about your child’s vocabulary skills?  Book an in-person or virtual consultation with me through our online portal https://www.lethbridgetherapycentre.com/contact or send me an email with your questions to brie@lethbridgetherapycentre.com.

Brie Schindel

Registered Speech-Language Pathologist

Lethbridge Therapy Centre