BY KADEEJA HAMNA
Language Stimulation
Language stimulation is a set of interaction strategies that can be used In any context with children Language Stimulation Is particularly useful for early communicators, and early language users.
But why do we need to know how to stimulate language in a child? Won’t they learn it naturally? Sometimes they do.. but sometimes they don’t. Especially when there is a diagnosis of a language disorder.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has defined language disorders as an impairment in the ·comprehension and/or use of a spoken language. written. and/or other symbol systems·. Language disorders should only be diagnosed when it interferes with the child’s ability to meet societal expectations now or in the future. This could Include difficulties with social relationships. academic achievement. and future employment prospects.
Only the parents can provide the best opportunities to their child to develop and reach his her own potential. Professionals, such as speech pathologists. occupational therapists, psychologists and other educators will be there to help parents and the child in the journey ahead . But It Is the parent who knows their child the best, who cares the most about their child and who is the most constant and important person in their child’s smile.
As a parent you can stimulate your child with most common situations at your home .If you notice your child what they are doing you can easily understand how they are imitating the same as you and how easily they are catching the actions and words produced by you.
Approach the child in a very natural way which involves daily activities such as meal time . bath time. and story time . These can help the childrens to learn language naturally.
This creates enjoyable learning opportunities for the child.The mother should notice all the things the child can enjoy and listen more adequately.
TRUST is the first thing that needs to be established between the caretaker and child. When using language stimulation. activities should be arranged in such a way that the child feel It is a natural part of play and Interaction. From the child’s point of view, the activity is “just play our conversation.
The next important aspect Is following the child’s lead. Putting the child In the driver’s seat always drives the interaction forward . This is the best way for a child to communicate and Initiate an interaction.
Everytime the child leads an Interaction and the parent responds to them , they get more information about things that are more interesting to them.All this Information can improve their communication.
THE PARENT SHOULD AWARE ABOUT THREE THINGS IN CHILDREN ARE :
1 OBSERVE
2 WAIT
3 LISTEN
Observation
Watching your child closely In order to see the things that Iha child is interested in. These interests can then be included In what the two of you do together. For eg : on observing your son, the mother learns that her son prefers to hold the block like a telephone rather than use It for construction. Hence. mother picks up on this interest and pretends to use the block like a telephone too to continue the back and forth interaction.
Waiting
Give your child enough time to send messages in their own way. While you may think at times that your child Is not communicating at all. maybe it’s because they are just not getting the chance to communicate. you don’t rush in. the child will have a chance to do more than you may expect. Waiting can also give your child a chance to take in and think about what you are saying. If you ask your child a question and the child does not answer right away, you might assume that your child doesn’t understand the question and ask it again. However your second question may distract the child just as your child is about to make sense of the first one. All children take longer than adults to answer questions. II takes your child even longer. So wait at least fifteen to thirty seconds or more for your child to respond. But be careful. It is possible to wait too long and have your child lose interest. You have to fine tune your waiting to your child’s level of persistence. Your waiting will bring about the best results when your child is motivated
Listening
When you listen carefully to your child’s sounds. words or sentences, you learn about what they can already do and what you can build upon. For example, if your child produces a lot of sounds with her lips, like “pah” and “bah”, you could emphasise motivating things that start with those sounds !like “park” and “ball
When your child first starts to talk, they may oot speak clearly. If your child says ·ow· every time when standing near the door. there is a strong possibility that the child is trying to say “out”. If you listen carefully, you can respond to ·ow” by saying, “Out. Let’s go out. This will give him/her a model of the correct pronunciation of the word.
FACE TO FACE INTERACTION
When a parent positions themselves face-to-face with their child , they will be able to see what their child is interested in. By placing themselves at the child’s level, they become a part of the child’s world . This helps the child to notice the smiles, frowns. eye movements that say as much as words (broadband communication).
As an SLP we also councell the parents how they can influence and support their child’s communication skills such as
1. Talk and engage in conversations. describe activities, and respond to coos. babbling. and gestures.
2. Read together : Reading books exposes children to new vocabulary, grammar, and storytelling
3. Label and describe : Label objects, actions, emotions to build vocabulary and understanding .
4. Encourage communication attempts : Respond to and encourage gestures. pointing. and early language attempts
5. Use baby sign language : Teach simple signs for common items and actions to facilitate communication
6. Imitate and expand : Imitate your child’s language and expand on their sentences to model grammar and vocabulary.
7. Create opportunities : Encourage communication during daily routines, play, and activities
8. Use real objects : Use real objects to demonstrate language concepts and build vocabulary
9. Make it fun : Use games. songs. and playful activities make language learning enjoyable
10. Be a language role model: Model correct grammar. pronunciation. and language use yourself.
Parents’ involvement in their child’s speech and language development can:
-Enhance language skills
– Boost communication confidence
– Foster a stronger parent-child bond
– Support academic success
– Identify potential language difficulties early on
Remember. parents are their child’s first and most significant language teachers. By engaging in language-rich activities and providing a nurturing environment. Parents can help their children develop strong speech and language skills that wil1 benefit them throughout their lives.