Chase, Age 25 Months, Learning Language Skills

To Think About:

• How does Chase use language skills during this interaction?

• How does Dorinda encourage Chase to use and “play with” language?

• What might Chase be learning about speaking and listening?

What the Experts Say About This Interaction

What Chase does:

• Sings along with his mom, which builds language skills.

• Follows his mother’s hand movements that go with the song lyrics, which shows how Chase is able to connect the words of the song with what the words stand for in “real life” like a twinkling star.

• Shows how much he loves singing with his Mom and sees how much his Mom loves being with him—which builds his self-esteem.

What Dorinda does:

• Suggests they sing together - building language skills.

• Does hand movements to add another dimension to the singing. This also helps Chase develop the small muscles in his hands that he will use to write and draw later on.

• Shows her pleasure in this activity with her son, letting him know how loved and special he is to her.

Think About How Your Child Is Learning These Skills

• How does your child communicate her thoughts and feelings?

• What are ways you encourage your child’s communication skills?

• Think of a recent interaction you had with your child.

• How did he or she let you know what he was thinking and feeling?

• How did you respond? How do you think your response encouraged his or her language skills?