Orlando Speech Therapy; Support Your Child’s Language Development

Reading and literacy skills are vital for the development of early language, social communication, and success academically. Well before a child opens a book and decipher the letters and words to form sentences, they develop and understanding of how written language is used in their environment.  Through signs, logos, and labels they see, they are learning how to read and an understanding of our written language.

Emergent literacy skills are the first steps in learning to read. There are many ways to help your child with the skills.

Phonological awareness 

Phonological awareness is an important skill in the development of early language, it is the process of understanding that sounds can be controlled to become words. You can help your child become more aware of different speech sounds talking about them during reading activities.

Print awareness 

Print awareness is when a child shows they have an understanding of what signs, logos, and labels, mean. It is also when a child realizes that the words on pages on a book tell a story. Which is why it is important for a child to follow the words on a page with their finger, before they can read.

You can also support print awareness, by talking about the physical parts of the book, who drew the pictures and wrote the words.

Alphabet awareness 

When a child understands that each letter represents a sound and when grouped together they form words, is alphabet awareness. Reading together is a great way to support this skill. There are a lot of books that highlight the alphabet, when reading, talk about the individual sounds the letters make.

Oral language skills

Oral language skills are necessary for reading comprehension and early language development. You model oral language skills every time you have a conversation with your child. New vocabulary is also important to teach your little one for word knowledge and literacy.

If you have any concerns about your child’s speech or language development, don’t delay. Treated early enough, some disorders can be prevented or even reversed.

Take the first step by contacting  First Words Speech Therapy, we provide a comprehensive evaluation for a variety of speech, language, and occupational needs. We are dedicated to providing personalized care to meet your child’s speech and language needs.