Supporting Language Development in Young Children
This study looked at how kids from different family backgrounds learn language in preschool. They found that children from families with less money had a harder time with words, grammar, and learning new words compared to kids from wealthier families by the time they were 3 years old. The research shows that the way adults talk to kids at home and in school can make a big difference in how well they learn language. It suggests that we should start helping kids with language skills when they are very young and make sure parents and teachers use lots of different words and sentences when talking to kids. Overall, the study highlights the importance of early language support for all kids to do well in school.
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Substantial socioeconomic gaps may be present in preschoolers’ vocabulary, syntax, and language processing skills as early as age 3. The current study provides tips for how teachers and caregivers can support language development in all children and showed that the Quick Interactive Language Screener (QUILS) can help track language growth.
Assess Appropriately: Learning new words is just one part of language development. Use tools that measure vocabulary as well as syntax and language processing, such as the QUILS.
Begin Early: Gaps in language abilities are present by age 3. It is never too early to start supporting language development in children!
Create Conversation: Engage in high quality back-and-forth interactions with children. Try to use various types of words and sentence patterns to expand on what they say.
Daily Discussion: Reading books together, asking engaging questions, and sparking conversation about the story are all great ways to support language skills.
Suggested Citation
National Center on Improving Literacy (2024). Supporting Young Children’s Language Development. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Special Education Programs, National Center on Improving Literacy. Retrieved from https://www.improvingliteracy.org.
References
Levine, D., Pace, A., Luo, R., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., de Villiers, J., ... & Wilson, M. S. (2020). Evaluating socioeconomic gaps in preschoolers’ vocabulary, syntax and language process skills with the Quick Interactive Language Screener (QUILS). Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 50, 114-128.
Abstract
Given the socioeconomic gap between children’s language skills, it is important for parents and teachers to understand the ways they can support their child’s development. This means properly assessing all key components of language skills and being involved in interactive engagement early in the child’s life.
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