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Kids have to reach certain milestones at a given age. You can find charts online that discuss what children can achieve in terms of language. It includes the number of words they can pronounce and the list of words they can understand. Not all kids achieve that milestone at the same time. Some of them are slightly behind, and it’s understandable. They might eventually get to where you want them to be. However, if your child is consistently behind, and the language problems are getting worse by the day, you have to do something about it.
Spend more time with your child
Perhaps, you’re too busy with work and household chores that you don’t realise your child is already experiencing language difficulties. The problem worsens when your child has no one to talk to. You’re not always around. Therefore, if possible, you have to spend more time talking to your child. You could play games, read books or fool around. The goal is that your child can hear you speak and practice the natural use of language.
Check what your child watches online
If you’re one of those cool parents who are okay with letting your child watch videos on YouTube without checking them, your child could be in trouble. It’s easy to click on any video online, and your child might open inappropriate or unnecessary content. For instance, it’s possible for your child to encounter cartoon videos in a different language. It will confuse your child even more. Some videos also have characters who baby talk, and it doesn’t help improve language learning at all. Try to control the videos your child watches online to avoid confusion and promote learning.
Consult with a speech pathologist
It might be time to get an expert opinion if you think that the remedies you tried aren’t working at all. Experts know how to keep your child up to speed. They will diagnose the problem and look for methods that might work for your child. It might be pricey, but worth the fees when you know it’s the only way for your child to learn better.
Use educational apps
It’s possible that your child loves to play with a smartphone or tablet and taking it away could cause tension. Instead of depriving your child of the chance to use the phone for fun, you can maximise available technology such as educational apps. With the aid of apps like Kidsmart, your child will learn and enjoy at the same time. Some apps focus only on language learning. They help improve pronunciation and grammar. Since your kid doesn’t feel like being in a traditional classroom setting, it won’t be difficult to encourage the use of this app.
Don’t freak out that your child doesn’t speak clearly or is yet to catch up with everyone else. It’s never too late. You can look for strategies to promote language learning. Many people have speaking problems until adulthood, but they eventually manage to speak well.
