Children's Language - Western NSW LHD Speech Pathology

Language is an essential tool for communication that involves comprehending and utilising words and sentences to interact effectively with others, whether in spoken or written form.

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Overview

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​​Receptive language refers to comprehension or understanding what others say. Receptive language skills are essential for making sense of the sentences we hear or read, such as understanding questions, and following instructions. ​​

Some children have trouble understanding what others say or write. They might have difficulty:

  • following directions
  • answering questions
  • understanding concepts (for example, where something is or what it looks like).

Expressive language is the way we use words and sentences to express our thoughts, feelings, and ideas. We rely on expressive language skills to talk with others, build relationships, express our views, and participate in activities.

Some children have trouble using words and sentences. They might have difficulty:

  • asking questions
  • using all the words in a sentence, including little words (such as a and the) and grammar to add meaning (for example, cat versus cats)
  • putting words in the right order in a sentence
  • naming objects or pictures
  • telling a story
  • using words to tell someone what they want or how they feel.

Speech pathologists help children who have language difficulties.

For many children, there is no known cause for their difficulty with understanding and/or using language.  ​There are different terms that are used to describe language difficulties in children. These include developmental language disorder (DLD), specific language impairment (SLI), language delay, and language impairment.

What is children's language and how to help

The short video explains:

  • What is language?
  • What should a child know and when?
  • How can I help a child with language difficulties?​​​​​​
4:00

Children's language

Children's language - What it is and how to help.

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Video transcript

Children's language

Language refers to understanding and using words and sentences to communicate with others.

Language can be divided into two components: receptive and expressive language.

Receptive language refers to comprehension or understanding what others say.

This includes following directions, answering questions, and understanding sentences and concepts such as where something is and what it looks like.

Expressive language is the use of words and sentences to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas.

This includes telling others what you want or how you feel, naming objects or pictures, or putting words into sentences in the right order and with correct grammar.

Children learn language skills at different ages.

Children typically say their first words at 12 months of age and begin to put words together and understand two-step instructions by two years of age.

Children can typically say sentences containing four to five words by three years of age, and by five years of age children say and understand more complex sentences and tell simple stories.

For some children, language skills do not develop at the age that we expect.

Children with language difficulties may have trouble talking with others, forming relationships with others, and participating in activities.

You can find out more about children's language skills in the what should a child know and when section on this webpage.

If you have concerns about a child's language development, a speech pathologist can help.

Speech pathologists assess children's language and may provide specific advice and therapy to help them learn new language skills.

There are also ways that you can help children who are waiting to see a speech pathologist with their language development.

You can read books together every day, talk about the pictures and what children are interested in on the pages.

Play games and do activities together, talk about what happens while you are playing, think of words that match the game, and say them often while playing.

Repeat what children say, add some words to make their sentences a little longer.

You can add information, for instance, a child might say push the car and an adult might say push the red car. Or you can add information to make their sentences clearer.

A child might say dog woof and an adult might say the dog says woof.

Praise children if they try to copy the longer sentences that you say.

It's okay if they don't copy you.

Reading books, playing games, repeating and adding to what children say and praising children can help them develop their language skills.

To find out more, see the helping children with language difficulties section on this webpage.

You will also find some handouts with fun ideas and practical activities to help children's language development.

What a child should know and when

Children learn language skills at different ages.

Children typically say their first real words at 12 months of age. These are most often names of people and objects (such as ball, car). They begin to put two words together (for example, throw ball) and understand two-step instructions (for example, give me the ball and the car) by 2 years of age. Children’s vocabularies continue to grow to include different words, including action words (such as jump, push) and describing words (big, fluffy). Children typically say sentences containing 4 to 5 words by 3 years of age. By 5 years of age, children typically say and understand more complex sentences and can tell simple stories.

To read more about children’s language development across different ages, visit:

What you can do to help

​You can help young children learn words and sentences in different ways.

Read books with children every day. Talk about the pictures, and what children are interested in on the page.

​​Play games and do activities together. Think of words that match the activity (names, actions, describing words). Say these words often during the game (for example, blocks, box, put on, stack, fell). Say the words in short sentences too (stack the blocks, the blocks fell down). Pause and give children a chance to try and say the words.

​​​​Repeat what children have said. This shows that you're interested in what they say. Make their sentences a little longer by adding some words.

  • Repeat back sentences to add information:
    Child: Jump up
    Adult: Big jump up
  • Repeat back sentences to make them clearer:
    Child: Dog woof!
    Adult: The dog says woof!

Praise children if they attempt to copy the longer sentences you say. It is okay if they do not copy you.

Printable handouts

Here are some handouts with practical activities/ideas you can do with children to help their language development.

Download the summary page for tips on helping children with language (PDF 694.86KB)​.

Helping children with language

Download the language (PDF 1.77MB) resource for the complete collection of language handouts.

The handouts include suggested play-based activities and books that provide opportunities for children to hear and learn about different words, sentences, and uses of language.

Help children to:

More information

Visit these websites for more information about supporting children’s language development​:​

Check with your local library for story time or other children’s groups that may be held at the library.​​

Please note: This web page has been developed for families by Western NSW Local Health District and​ Charles Sturt University, as part of a NSW Health Translational Research Grant titled “Waiting for speech pathology: Device versus advice?”.

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