RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE
One way we have learned to improve a child’s understanding of language is to give him or her less of it at any one time.Our video based research has shown , over and over, that much of what late talking children hear is mismatched language. Mismatch means that the language they hear is much more complicate, fast and with adult meanings than the child can process and try to do.
Think of this: If you are learning a foreign language as your children actually are, you will understand the simplest and shortest amount of language at first. In that case the problem is not that you have a receptive language problem but rather your partners are giving you much more stimulation and information than you can handle at the time.
So…if your child is not responding to you, shorten what you say. A rule we use at times is to talk only about one to 3 words longer than you child can say.
Three other strategies have helped me get children understand language.
- Talk about things your child know and cares about.
- Use visual cues and physical expressions boot th keep his attention and to act out the meaning.
- Use real life action words more than concepts or adult words.
Conclusion: Matching is one of the keys to receptive language. You will find your children understand you more and talking more when you follow the general matching rule: “Act and communicate in ways your child can try to do.”