You might think that speaking to your child is a fairly simple concept. But did you know that the way you do it impacts their language capabilities and vocabulary?<\/p>\n
Two Stanford psychologists conducted a study that found:<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also another reason to have regular conversations with your child: it\u2019s important for interview success.<\/p>\n
Conversation is an important component in school interviews for Primary 1 admission. During their interviews, children need to converse with the interviewers and peers, and they are judged on their fluency, pronunciation and willingness to speak. Hence, to ensure that your child will be comfortable and competent during his\/her primary school interviews, it is important to talk to them frequently at home and at school, whether in English, Chinese or another language.<\/p>\n
It can feel natural to mimic your child\u2019s level of speech when talking to them. However, the results of the Stanford study and the importance of conversation to interviews means that this isn\u2019t the best way to help your child.<\/p>\n
Here are some tips on making your conversation meaningful:<\/p>\n
Engage in your child\u2019s interests<\/b><\/p>\n
The best way to start a conversation with your child is by taking an interest in what they are doing and what they are interested in. For instance, when you see your child playing with blocks, bend down to his\/her level, sit face to face<\/b> with them and ask questions and give comments<\/b>. For example, \u2018Oh wow I love this little house you are building. Who is it for?<\/p>\n
Take turns<\/b><\/p>\n
Be careful not to take over the conversation, even if your child isn\u2019t very talkative at first. Pause and wait for your child to give their responses. If he\/she has not learnt to speak yet, wait for their gestures and facial expressions. This teaches them the expectations of a conversation.<\/p>\n
Use short but complete sentences<\/b><\/p>\n
When talking to your child, stick to easy and simple sentence structures such as, \u2018This pencil is blue,\u2019 or \u2018Would you like a pencil?\u2019 Though it\u2019s important to keep your speech simple, it shouldn\u2019t be incomplete, e.g. \u2018Hayden want banana?\u2019 Your child learns vocabulary and grammar from everything you say, and they can understand a lot more than they can produce themselves. Use clear, complete sentences, and your child will imitate these later on.<\/p>\n
Use gestures<\/b><\/p>\n
Children might not understand everything you say to them. Using body gestures and facial expressions helps children interpret the message and associate words and their meanings. For example, you can use a simple dressing mime to reinforce the phrase, \u2018Let\u2019s put on our clothes!\u2019<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t pick a time – just do it!<\/b><\/p>\n
It\u2019s important that parents and caretakers are constantly speaking to their child every chance they get, not setting aside small, separate blocks of time. Keep talking with them, and you\u2019ll be amazed by how quickly they improve.<\/p>\n