English In Early Childhood How Children Acquire Language

Education consultant and writer Tracey Chapelton talks about how young children acquire language. Here is some additional advice for parents and educators. A child who is not speaking may be actively listening and may need time to process what they are hearing before saying anything. It is important to value listening as well as speaking by giving the child lots of exposure to the language. Non verbal responses from young children are perfectly acceptable. They show that the child has understood the message. Dont force a child to speak, they will when they are ready. Forcing a child to speak before they are ready could actually delay language development. Be genuine in your interactions with young children. Use mime and gesture as you would if you were talking to the child in their home language. Value the home language. The skills that children develop while learning their home language are transferable to an additional language.