TALK ABOUT IT : GROWING LANGUAGE AND VOCABULARY THROUGH INTERACTION AND ENGAGEMENT

The following tips are some ways to help your child interact and engage with you every day to meaningfully grow language and vocabulary.

1. CREATE WAYS TO TALK WITH YOUR CHILD

Conversation happens around us all of the time. Create ways to include your child in the conversation! This is especially important for children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

First, watch to see if your child is joining in the conversation or appears to be left out. Then, create ways to encourage talking. There are lots of different ways that we can help children participate in conversation:

• Think of topics you might explore. What people, places, toys, and activities are special to your child?
• Keep the conversation going by using lead-in or starter statements like, "I wonder…" "What do you notice?" "Tell me more about that" "What else do you want me to know about this?"
• Encourage conversation during good times and in good places where you know your child will enjoy talking with you.
• Above all, be a good listener. If you're going to talk to your child, give your child time to talk and respond to you. Children learn language by listening to conversation in their family's language or languages and by interacting with the important adults and children in their lives. Make sure to include your child in the conversation!

2. ACTIVELY LISTEN TO YOUR CHILD

Remember to listen to your child. It is equally important to listen to what your child is saying, as it is to talk to your child. When you listen to what he or she says, you can pick up on things they like, activities that interest them, and learn more about what areas of language they may be struggling with. Do your best to avoid distractions and limit background noises, so your child can have your undivided attention while you play and talk.

For children who are deaf and hard of hearing, active listening is especially helpful in the early days of listening and spoken language development. Listening helps identify sounds your child is struggling to hear, which could be a technology issue. A combination of active listening and working with your intervention team can help improve the child’s access to sound, and lead to faster language development. 

3. HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE CONVERSATION

Children first learn about who they are by interacting with the important people in their life. When you talk directly to your child, help them understand the conversation. When children who are deaf and hard of hearing first develop language, it’s hard to follow more than two people who are talking. Take care to watch your child, and repeat all or part of what was just said in words that your child already knows. Help others understand how they can adjust their communication to make sure everyone is able to fully participate.

4. PLAN FUN FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Your child should participate in all the fun activities other children in your family participate in. Here are some examples of things you can do:

• Have a family dance party and encourage everyone to get up and move! Feel the beat of the music and get your rhythm going. Laugh, enjoy, dance, clap, stomp, have fun!
• Create a movie night at home and make sure your child can hear the sounds of the movie. Ask questions about what’s going on to see if your child is understanding: “What just happened?” “What do you think will happen next?” “Was that funny/silly/scary/sad?”

• Plan a family game night and break out a fun board game. Talk out every move, and leave time for everyone to take turns picking a game.

For children who are deaf and hard of hearing, asking questions to see if they understand what they hear is crucial for them to understand the language around them.

5. PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR BIG EVENTS

Prepare your child for big events such as birthday parties, family gatherings, or weddings by talking together ahead of time about what will be happening. Develop a script to answer questions from others about the child's hearing loss, and practice what will happen during the event. Then talk through your experiences after the event, as well. One idea is to create an Experience Book and use it to talk together about the exciting time your child had.

6. NARRATE EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING

Even as babies, we communicate about our basic needs: "I'm hungry, I have a dirty diaper, I want to be held." As children grow, they also learn to do things on their own. How can parents help? Narrate. Tell your baby what you are going to do, what you are doing, and what you just did. Even if your baby can't respond yet, your baby will learn that there are words for everything you do. Especially for babies who have just received hearing aids or cochlear implants, constant talking will quickly connect the pathways between sound coming in and the brain understanding it. Keep narrating and — sooner than you expect — your child will be chatting back and forth with you!