Department of Elementary Education
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Facts about Language Development in Elementary Age Students
Children will increase their language skills by: -reading and having books read to them -watching TV and videos -listening to people talk -listening to stories -listening to the radio -singing Vocabulary increases dramatically during this age. Most children should be good readers by the time they leave school and understand adult conversations. Children gradually learn how adults talk in different ways. They like to joke and play with words. Often they go through a stage of 'toilet jokes' where they experiment with 'naughty' words. You can help your child's language development by: -getting help if you think there are problems; ask the teacher, principal or speech pathologist -setting a good example - reading, joining a library, speaking clearly, enjoying words, playing spelling games -providing tapes and stories for children to listen to and read -reading rhymes and poems -singing to and with your children -reading to your children even when they can read themselves -allowing children to choose what they read. |