Blog Post:
Language development is a crucial aspect of a child’s overall growth and development. By the time a child reaches 23 months, they have already acquired a substantial amount of language skills. However, this is also a critical time for parents to continue supporting and guiding their child’s language development. As a parent, it can be overwhelming to know where to start or what to do to help your child’s language skills flourish. In this blog post, we will discuss some tips for navigating language development at 23 months.
1. Read, Read, Read:
Reading to your child is one of the most effective ways to support their language development. At 23 months, children are starting to understand more complex language and have a growing vocabulary. Reading books to them can expose them to a wide range of words, sentence structures, and ideas. It also helps them develop listening skills and expand their imagination. Make reading a daily activity and encourage your child to ask questions and talk about the story.
2. Encourage Communication:
At 23 months, children are starting to form sentences and express their thoughts and feelings. As a parent, it’s crucial to encourage and respond to your child’s communication attempts. Even if their sentences are not grammatically correct or their pronunciation isn’t perfect, praising and responding to their communication will motivate them to continue using language. Engage in conversations with your child, and don’t be afraid to use new words or concepts to expand their vocabulary.
3. Provide a Language-Rich Environment:
Children learn through observation and imitation. Therefore, it’s essential to create a language-rich environment for your child. Talk to them throughout the day, describe what you are doing, and ask them questions. Expose them to new words and concepts by talking about everyday objects, their surroundings, and activities. Playing games like “I Spy” or “Simon Says” can also be a fun way to introduce new words and help your child learn to follow instructions.
Navigating Language Development at 23 Months: Tips for Parents
4. Use Gestures and Visual Aids:
At 23 months, children are still developing their language skills, and they may have difficulty expressing themselves solely through words. Using gestures and visual aids can support their language development and help them understand new concepts. For example, you can use hand gestures to demonstrate actions or use pictures to represent objects or events. These visual cues can help your child make connections between words and their meanings, improving their language comprehension.
5. Expand on Your Child’s Words:
When your child starts using two or three-word sentences, it’s a sign that their language skills are progressing. As a parent, you can help them build on these sentences by expanding on their words. For example, if your child says, “ball red,” you can respond with “Yes, the ball is red.” This technique, known as “language modeling,” helps your child learn new words and sentence structures by hearing them used correctly.
6. Be Patient and Avoid Correcting:
It’s natural for parents to want to correct their child’s language mistakes. However, at 23 months, children are still learning and developing their language skills, so it’s essential to be patient and avoid correcting them. Correcting your child’s language can make them feel self-conscious and reluctant to communicate. Instead, focus on praising and responding to their communication attempts, and they will gradually improve their language skills with time.
7. Seek Professional Help if Needed:
Every child develops at their own pace, and some may struggle with language development at 23 months. If you notice that your child’s language skills are significantly delayed or they are having difficulty understanding or expressing themselves, it’s crucial to seek professional help. A speech-language pathologist can assess your child’s language skills and provide appropriate interventions to support their development.
In summary, at 23 months, children are rapidly developing their language skills and parents play a crucial role in supporting and guiding their language development. Reading to your child, encouraging communication, providing a language-rich environment, using gestures and visual aids, expanding on their words, being patient, and seeking professional help when needed are all essential strategies to help your child’s language skills flourish.