Language therapy focuses on enhancing a child's ability to understand and use language effectively. Expressive language skills involve the ability to communicate, ideas, and feelings, while receptive language skills pertain to understanding spoken or written language. This therapy can greatly benefit children by improving their communication, boosting their confidence, and helping them build stronger social communication skills. By addressing these skills early on, children can experience enhanced learning and better overall academic performance. Language therapy helps children express themselves and comprehend the world around them.
Take a Brief Look at Some Early Language Milestones
Expressive Language:
1. 12 months: Babbling begins to take on the sounds of the child's native language, and they may say their first words.
2. 18 months: Vocabulary expands to about 10-25 words, and children start to use simple words to express needs.
3. 2 years: Vocabulary grows to around 200 words, and children begin to combine two to four words into simple sentences.
4. 3 years: Vocabulary reaches about 1,000 words, with more complex sentences and the ability to ask questions.
Receptive Language:
1. 12-18 months: Children begin to understand simple commands, like "come here," and may respond by following basic directions.
2. 2 years: They can follow two-step directions, such as "pick up the ball and give it to me," and start to answer simple questions about their needs or surroundings.
3. 3 years: Children can follow more complex directions and answer questions about familiar topics, demonstrating an understanding of basic concepts like colors and shapes.
4. 4 years: They can follow multi-step instructions and answer questions with more detail showing improved comprehension of language.