Language: The Ultimate Life Skill
HOW WE UNDERSTAND, COMMUNICATE, and INTERACT WITH OTHERS
As speech-language pathologists, we have a good understanding of how complex language can be. Before we share our unique perspective, we thought it might be helpful to start by giving you a few official definitions of language:
“The principal method of human connection, usually spoken or written (but also including sign language), consisting of the use of words (or gestures) in a structured or conventional way. Oxford Dictionary
“A system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, express themselves. The functions of language include communication, the expression of identity, play, imaginative expression, and emotional release.” Britannica
“The words, their pronunciation, and the methods of combining them are used and understood by a community. Merriam-Webster
In undergraduate and graduate school, we discuss in-depth the five domains of language: phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. We won’t bore you with the details; however, there are 3 aspects of language we want you to consider:
Receptive language
Expressive language
Social language
We consider language to be the ULTIMATE life skill.
It’s the way we communicate with each other. The way we connect, express, and create.
Today we want to help you see the bigger picture.
Because the words we hear. The words we read. The words we speak. The words we write. They all make a difference. They all mean so much.
The Power of Language
Three Aspects of language that impact us daily
Language surrounds us everyday. It’s present from the moment we are born. As you read above, language is defined as the principal method of human connection. That’s pretty powerful and we think it’s worth acknowledging the impact language has on a child’s development and life skills. Let’s walk through three types of language skills together.
Receptive Language
How we understand our world
Receptive language is our ability to understand the words that we hear (spoken) and see (signed/written).
I don’t know what a typical morning looks like in your house, but I’m often giving my 5 year old directions to complete tasks as we move through our morning routines. Let’s sit down for breakfast. Food stays on our plate. Put your shoes on. Etc.
If I think back to when she was 14 months old, she didn’t have the understanding to follow many of the directions I can give her now. So how did she learn to follow directions? She learned them by 1) having many opportunities of observing an adult model the action, 2) doing the action herself, and 3) having those specific words paired with the action to make it meaningful.
Why it matters: Receptive language skills directly impact communication, cognitive development, academic success, and social skills. The ability to comprehend information and follow instructions lays the groundwork for life skills and academics. As your little one grows, their receptive language will grow too. We get to be the first person to show our children how to make sense of their surroundings. What an important role!
A kind reminder:
Children learn best when we make things relevant to their own environment.
Toddlers are constantly learning from their parents about the world around them.
Receptive Language milestones
These are the receptive language milestones by age, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Note: Every child develops at their own pace. Some children meet these milestones earlier, right on time, or later than others.
The goal: Meet your child where they are in their receptive language development.
If you’re concerned about your child’s receptive language skills, speak to your pediatrician about your concerns and ask for a speech-language therapy evaluation referral.
Expressive Language
How we communicate with the world
Expressive language is exactly what it sounds like. Our ability to express ourselves. A simple definition, yet a very complex process.
As parents, we’re often excited and expectant to hear our child’s first word! Infants are processing our verbal words and/or signs for about a whole year before they’re able to express themselves. The point is, children will understand vocabulary words and concepts (receptive language) before they’re able to express them through verbal words or signs.
Why it matters:
When a child is struggling with expressive language, they can become frustrated. Developing expressive language skills allows children to effectively communicate with the people around them. That’s YOU, their family, peers, and others around them. Expressive language also has a direct impact on a child’s ability to participate in classroom and academic activities.
A kind reminder:
We often see parents getting caught up in having their child understand and express words like ABCs, colors, and numbers. This is okay, but here’s what’s better:
Start with power words. These are words that we use frequently and in a variety of situations. For example, the word “help” is more functional and valuable than the word “purple” especially for young toddlers who are just beginning to learn and use words to communicate.
When we take the time to be intentional with helping our children develop functional (most basic) expressive language skills effective communication is more likely.
Expressive Language Milestones
These are the expressive language milestones by age, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Note: Every child develops at their own pace. Some children meet these milestones earlier, right on time, or later than others.
The goal: Meet your child where they are in their expressive language development.
If you’re concerned about your child’s expressive language skills, speak to your pediatrician about your concerns and ask for a speech-language therapy evaluation referral.
SOCIAL LANGUAGE
How we interact with others
Social language is how and why we use language to interact with others. It also encompasses non-verbal language like body language. Receptive language is used for listening and expressive language is used for talking during social exchanges. Through language, children learn to take turns, understand and express their emotions, and increase their self-awareness. By engaging in conversations, children learn to actively listen and share experiences. Language is a catalyst for interaction and building meaningful relationships.
Why it matters:
The social part of language is critical to how we communicate with another. It’s the how and why of how we connect - we share memories, tell stories, and relate to one another. Humans are naturally social. That in and of itself makes language a very needed life skill.
Note: ASHA states “Cultural and linguistic factors may influence appropriateness and/or relevance of benchmarks. Variability may exist in the acquisition of milestones due to a number of factors (e.g., linguistic diversity and neurodiversity).”
SUMMARY: Language is an important life skill
Parents can support their children’s language through play & daily routines
In summary, language truly is the ultimate life skill. Without language, it would be almost impossible to interact, communicate, and connect with our world. As parents, we get to support our child’s language development every day! We can do this easily through play and daily routines.
5 simple ways to increase language opportunities daily
Talk out loud. Talk about what you’re doing. Literally name what you see.
Talk about what your child is doing. Pair words to their actions to make it meaningful and relevant.
Give options. This allows them the opportunity to use their language skills of understanding and expressing.
Read a book. Make it part of your daily routine. Whether it’s before bedtime or in the morning at breakfast, books expose children to tons of language and new vocabulary.
Repetition is key. Provide lots of opportunities to practice a new concept or vocabulary word during the day. Don’t overcomplicate it. For example, teach the word/concept “on” when you’re turning “on” the lights, the faucet on, putting a shirt on, and putting a stacking ring on the stack. You get the ideas! There are so many language opportunities in our own daily environment. Use what you have and make much of it.
TODAY
We encourage you to pick just one of the five strategies we just mentioned above and work it into your daily routine. Next, try adding another and another. Let’s play an active role in building our child’s language skills. — It’s a skill they’re going to have and use the rest of their life!
If you’re looking for more encouragement, we got you covered! Sign up for our popular Play Day Challenge.
Ready to really dive in? Our most comprehensive resource for proactive parents, The Play by Play, is available in the shop.
Source:
Al-Harbi, Salwa Saeed. “Language Development and Acquisition in Early Childhood.” Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn), vol. 14, no. 1, 8 Nov. 2019, p. 69, https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v14i1.14209. Accessed 19 Jan. 2023.