General Strategies to Promote Communication at Home and School

Respond to children’s communication attempts and expand their language by building onto what they are saying 

Use new, complex, and interesting words in conversations

Embed language games, songs, and rhymes into daily routines and experiences

Ask children meaningful questions about their actions, interests, events, or feelings

Incorporate alternative ways and systems of communication based on children’s individual needs (e.g., using pictures or visual cues to foster communication)

Get down to the child’s level when talking with them.  Sit on the floor or a chair instead of standing above them.

Make sure that you have your child's attention before you speak.

Acknowledge, encourage, and praise all attempts to speak. Show that you understand the word or phrase by fulfilling the request, if appropriate.

Pause after speaking. This gives your child a chance to continue the conversation.

Read to children frequently. When selecting books and other printed materials, make sure they represent a variety of cultures, languages, abilities, family structures, and life experiences

Give children two- and three-step directions to follow: "Go to your cubby, and get your jacket.” Break down multi-step directions if children are having difficulty.

Encourage children to give directions to others. Follow his or her directions as he or she explains how to build a tower of blocks.

Talk about spatial relationships (first, middle, and last; right and left) and opposites (up and down; on and off).

Offer a description or clue, and have children identify what you are describing: "We use it to sweep the floor" (a broom). "It is cold, sweet, and good for dessert. I like strawberry" (ice cream).

Work on forming and explaining categories. Identify the thing that does not belong in a group of similar objects: "A shoe does not belong with an apple and an orange because you can't eat it; it is not round; it is not a fruit.

Sing simple songs and recite nursery rhymes to show the rhythm and pattern of speech.

Riddles are an excellent way for kids to learn how to really listen to the sounds of words, understand that some words have more than one meaning, and how to manipulate words.

Use photographs of familiar people and places, and retell what happened or make up a new story