COURSE OVERVIEW:
Children vary in their development of speech and language skills. However, they follow a natural progression or timetable for mastering the skills of language.
Communication and language development is about more than talking. It means all the different ways a child understands and communicates, only part of which are spoken words.
Communication and language development is important, because speaking is an indicator of fine motor skill development and a reflection of cognitive development.
Children grow and develop rapidly in their first five years across the four main areas of development. These areas are motor (physical), communication and language, cognitive, and social and emotional.
Language development and literacy is no doubt a critical part of any child’s overall development. It supports the ability of the child to communicate, and express and understand feelings. It also supports the child’s thinking ability and helps them develop and maintain relationships.
Language development lays the foundation for the reading and writing skills in children as they enter and progress through school. Language is needed for all aspects of their education in the classroom as they connect with peers and teachers, and throughout their lives as they grow into adulthood. So, developing language skills is of absolute significance for every child’s progress in later life span both as social beings and in pursuing an education.
Because speech and language are different, so are the disorders associated with them. In children, a speech delay or disorder usually presents with speech sound errors that impact on their speech clarity. Speech therapy for kids helps to address speech difficulties.
In contrast, because language is about meaning, a child with a language delay or disorder can have difficulty understanding what is said or have limited vocabulary to communicate their needs, wants and thoughts. Or, they may have difficulty with both understanding and expressing language. Difficulty in understanding what is being said is known as a receptive language difficulty. Difficulty in communicating what they want to, such as their thoughts or needs, is called an expressive language difficulty.
In this course you will learn how to support the development of communication and language and understand the difficulties in language development for Babies, Toddlers and Young Children.
This course starts by explaining the development of children’s communication and spoken language. Then provides many specific suggestions on how to help children’s communication at different ages and through a variety of activities and opportunities. Finally, discusses the difficulties in language development and addresses the delays or problems in language development.
After completing this course you should be able to:
- understand and explain the development of children’s communication and spoken language
- use a wide range of strategies to support the development of communication for babies, toddlers and children
- recognise and support children who experience difficulties within language development
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:
- What communication and spoken language development is?
- What’s the difference between speech and language?
- The link between language development and literacy
- The importance of language development and literacy in children
- The speech and language difficulties in children
- The risks associated with delayed language and literacy development
- How children vary in their development of speech and language skills?
- The development of communication
- How children communicate through non-verbal communication?
- How cultural differences affect children’s communication and language development?
- When does children’s speech or expressive language develop?
- How to analyse the development of children’s spoken language in terms of vocabulary and grammar?
- How young children show through their communication and behaviour that they understand what is said to them?
- How children learn the subtleties of communication?
- How do children learn language?
- How children learn through imitation?
- How language is linked with children’s capacity to think?
- The communication of babies and toddlers
- How communication starts from the early weeks and develops before the first spoken words?
- How sounds are accompanied by meaningful gestures as babies communicate?
- When does the first recognisable words emerge?
- When does the first word combinations appear?
- The spoken language by babies and toddlers
- The communication skills of two to five year olds
- How young children may make logical mistakes in their words or simple grammar?
- How young children understand language and ideas?
- How young children understand social communication?
- The communication skills of children from five to eight years
- The phonological system
- How to support the development of children’s communication?
- The very early communication with babies and toddlers
- How to use infant directed speech?
- How to listen and talk to children?
- How to promote children’s conversations?
- How to communicate with children in a group?
- How to use circle time to promote communication?
- How to help children learn an additional language?
- The difficulties in language development
- How to communicate with children who choose not to talk?
- How stammering shows in different kinds of difficulty with fluency in a child’s speech?
- The disabilities that affect speech
- How to support children with language disabilities?
COURSE DURATION:
The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.
COURSE DELIVERY:
Purchase and download course content.
ASSESSMENT:
A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.
CERTIFICATION:
Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.