One of the most wonderful aspects about two-year-olds' development is watching their language grow and flourish. With sufficient support, children are usually chattering away by their third birthday. Speech is considered to be essential to other aspects of development and so it is now a high priority in the EYFS as well as the other nations' early years curricula. In this first article in a series on communication, we look at what you might expect from children's speech and how best you can support it.
THE JOURNEY
The language journey of children is at first glance remarkably slow. At 18 months, most children can only say 15 or so words, and by the time they reach their second birthday they may only have 50 or so. I say 'only', but in reality, breaking into a language is a very complex task and one that occupies children's brains even before birth.
Children are born into a world of sound where there is not only a mixture of human voices but other sounds too. By the time they are a year old, they have worked out which sounds belong to the language that they will be learning. Amazingly, they will have learnt that some combinations of sounds also have meanings, with most babies and 10-month-olds actively responding to a few words.
This is only the start of the challenge, because then they need to be able to reproduce these words and then put them in the order used by others around them. It is this task that children between the age of two and three are trying to master.
Incredibly, during this year children will move from being able to stick two words together to being able to construct simple sentences and questions. They will also be able to understand a lot of what is being said to them and the amount of words used will jump from 200 at two-and-a-half years to being quite difficult to count at three years.
THE IMPACT OF LANGUAGE
Being able to talk seems to open many doors in terms of children's overall development. Firstly, there is a link between language and behaviour. Once children are able to express themselves and also understand the situation, behaviours linked to frustration start to disappear.
Language also changes the way that children play. You might notice that there is a link between children's language level and the way that they role play, for example. Most children really start to enjoy role play when they are closer to three, although younger children who are doing well with their language are likely to join in too.
Language also helps children work out more about the world around them. A feature of two-year-olds' growing language is the use of simple questions, notably 'What's dat?' Those endless questions that sometimes drive parents mad are, of course, helping the child to categorise objects, find links between them and develop their thinking.
EARLY INTERVENTION
Given that this is a huge year for children's language and its links to learning and behaviour, it is perhaps not surprising that a lot of emphasis is given to monitoring children's language. While it is true that children do not follow a strict developmental timetable, language is one area where adult input really counts.
The argument for early intervention when children's language seems slower than expected is that with additional support and the involvement of parents, outcomes for children are very positive.
On the other hand, if children are not given support there is a real danger that they become isolated from peers whose play and interests are changing and they are more likely to become increasingly frustrated. We also know that on the school front, children are more likely to learn to read if their language is fluent at the start of reading process, which in England is now ridiculously early.
FEATURES OF SPEECH IN TWO-YEAR-OLDS
As part of two-year-olds' language journey, there are some characteristics that are worth noting and you may need to explain them to parents.
Monologues
Most adults talk to themselves, but usually when they are alone. Two-year-olds, on the other hand, are likely to vocalise or talk when they are playing or just to themselves. This is a healthy sign and eventually you will start to hear that children are using it to organise their play or themselves.
Interestingly, too much background noise, including music, can prevent children from doing this. You might like to note whether children in your setting are doing this and if not, consider the level of noise.
Echolalia
As part of the language learning process, it is common to find two-year-olds repeating a word or two that an adult has just said almost like a parrot. 'Get your shoes,' says the adult; 'Shoe' repeats the child. This is called echolalia and is nothing to worry about, provided that the child does have some words of their own that they use with meaning. Some parents find echolalia very annoying, but it is worth reassuring those parents that it is just a stage and that most three-year-olds no longer need to do it.
Sound production
It takes time for children's speech to become clear. Young two-year-olds can be hard to understand, although this changes by the time most children reach their third birthday.
Sound production is linked to the development of the muscles in the mouth, including the tongue and the shape of the mouth. While sounds such as 'p', 'b', 'd' and 'm' are straightforward, others such as 'th' and 'r' are difficult. This means that it is not a problem if a child is saying 'What's dat?' or 'Wabbits'.
Stammering
Between the age of two and three years, there is a likelihood of stammering. Stammering, or stuttering, is usually just a passing phase, but we do need to recognise it when it happens and if necessary consider whether a referral is needed.
There are a lot of theories as to why children stammer, with the main focus being on a time lapse between the child's thinking about what to say and the production of words. While for most children it is a phase, you should note whether most interactions include a stammer and also how frustrated the child appears to be. It is also important to find out from parents whether there is a family history of stammering, as it may be that the child will need additional support.
How adults and other children respond to a child who stammers is important. There are some tips to bear in mind. Firstly, you should reduce any urgency in speaking situations because this can put pressure on the child. A good example of this is in a small-group situation, where you can direct a question at a single child rather than asking the group. This way, it is not a race between children as to who can speak first.
There are also simple ways in which we can reduce the sense of urgency when talking to the child. Sitting down next to them rather than standing helps the child to feel that you are not likely to rush off. Similarly, slowing down your own speech also helps the child to feel that there is plenty of time. The way that a stammer is reacted to is also important. The golden rule is never to interrupt the child or complete what they are trying to say. You should also 'shield' the child from other children, especially older ones who may try to chip in enthusiastically.
ON TALKING TERMS
Language development cannot be divorced from social and emotional development. The first speech that babies make is to coo and vocalise back to their parents. When it comes to developing children's speech in settings, it is therefore essential to look at the quality of the relationships that children have with the adults, especially their key person. Put simply, children talk more to people they want to be with. It is essential not to underestimate the impact on a child's language if they do not have a strong bond with their key person.
Signs that a 'talking' relationship is in place will often include some physical contact, as children tend to snuggle in when they are comfortable with an adult or take their hand to show them something of interest. If children do not have this type of relationship, their opportunities to talk and so develop their language will be significantly reduced. Keep an eye out for children who are reported to be chatty at home but do not exhibit the same behaviour in your setting. It may be that they are not yet on talking terms.
SMALL THINGS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
As well as needing someone to talk to, children and adults also need to have something to talk about.
I am always fascinated to see that very small changes can bring great talking opportunities. For example, grown-up place mats with drawings of birds on them can suddenly create a talking opportunity as a child points to a bird, while an adult putting on a silly hat can create not just laughter but also words.
INVOLVING PARENTS
While trained professionals should be good at promoting children's speech, no one is as good as an interested parent. Most parents tend to be able read their children very accurately and they, of course, usually have that magic bond with their children. The trouble is that many parents do not realise quite how good they are and what a difference they can make if they can find time to have a couple of conversations with their child. Interestingly, they may not be aware of what to expect during this important year and how their one-to-one interactions may speed their child along.
Anything, therefore, that we can do to help parents realise their importance in their children's language journey is important. One tip is to try recording children's language regularly. Not only does this provide a great record of children's progress, it can also help parents to hear how their child's voice and speech is changing. You can use recordings of a child to talk about what you might expect next in their development. As many smartphones now come with a voice recording function, some parents may also be interested in recording their child's speech and emailing it over to you to add into their records.
OBSERVATION MATTERS
- How often does a child want to communicate with their key person in your nursery?
- Are there signs that a strong relationship exists between the two?
- With parents, count the number of words that a child uses at two years old - refer the child if there are concerns, especially if they have little understanding or desire to communicate.
- In what situations does the child seem to talk?
- What do parents say about their child's language at home?
SKILLS INTO PRACTICE
- Focus on how strong the relationship is between the child and the key person.
- How much time is available for the child to be with their key person or another adult that they have a bond with?
- Think about how much background noise there is in your setting.
- Avoid situations where children have to 'compete' to be heard.
- Are older children in the setting interrupting the two-year-olds?
- Create some talking points that will motivate children to speak.
- How much feedback do you provide parents about their child's language development?
- Are parents aware of the usual milestones associated with language - as depicted, for example, on the ICAN Stages of Speech and Language Development chart?
