Enhancing Language Development in Early Years

July 19, 2024

In this post

Introduction

Language plays a critical role in young children’s development, as it is what all other areas are built on, and it is also a prime area in the early years foundation stage (EYFS). It lays the foundation for thinking and learning (Department for Education), helps children build and maintain relationships with others and enables them to make sense of the world around them. It also helps them to develop important skills, such as problem-solving, social and communication and enables them to understand and express emotions.

Parents, caregivers, and even educators play an essential role in children’s language development. They should provide a nurturing and stimulating environment conducive to learning in the home and educational settings and monitor and support language development in their children. They can use various strategies to enhance language development in early years children, which can also help to develop other skills and gauge whether there are any language and speech problems early.

This blog post aims to give insights into language development in the early years and will provide information on language milestones in early childhood. It will cover why early language development is important, and some examples of strategies parents and caregivers can adopt to enhance language and speech skills in children between 0-5 years old.

The Importance of Early Language Development

Language is:

“The principal method of human communication, consisting of words used in a structured and conventional way and conveyed by speech, writing, or gesture” (Oxford Dictionaries).

Language is fundamental to everything humans do and is how we communicate. It encompasses many things, such as using words, speech, gestures, sounds, writing, symbols, signs, etc. Babies develop language skills even before they utter their first words (the University of Edinburgh, 2021), and young children develop rapidly in their early years. Therefore, their experiences, influences and what they learn during the first few months of their lives will set the foundations for forming language later on.

Early language development has lifelong impacts. Without it, children cannot learn, understand and interpret information, express themselves, communicate, socialise or make sense of the world around them. There have been numerous cases of “feral” children, which can demonstrate this point, who have been isolated from human contact at an early age and have grown up without communication, language and social skills, significantly impacting their learning and development. Research on the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns also suggests that the isolation and lack of socialisation impacted young children’s language skills (BBC News).

A child’s healthy development depends on having a good understanding of language in their early years. Language is an essential building block for all other areas, and it can be difficult to achieve later if they do not develop it early (GOV.UK). For example, most older adults trying to learn a foreign language will find it more difficult than when they were children.

Early language development is also crucial for future academic success. According to Roulstone et al. (2011), the first few years of a child’s life are critical to their subsequent performance. If children’s language skills develop slowly during their early years, it can result in them having difficulties with literacy and academic skills. Language development prepares them for school, as they will need these skills to know how to read, write and understand what they are learning.

Research conducted by Bleses et al. (2016) suggests that early years children’s vocabulary, especially in decoding and reading comprehension, can predict their educational outcomes. They found that children who started to talk later than others were at risk of lower attainment and obtained below-average scores in reading measures. Therefore, language skills development is also essential for literacy and reading.

According to Speech and Language UK, facts concerning children’s speech and language have only recently started to hit the headlines, and some examples include:

“Children’s language at age 2 predicts reading, maths and writing ability when they start school”.
“Vocabulary at age 5 can predict how well a child does in exams at the end of school, and even their longer-term outcomes”.

Some further reasons why early language is important include:

It helps children build social connections and communicate with other children to establish friendships and play, enhancing their learning and language development.
It is strongly correlated with cognitive development, as it involves play, back-and-forth interactions and learning in the early years (Department for Education, 2023).
It helps children communicate their needs better to others, improving their health and well-being and reducing outbursts, tantrums and frustration.

Language Milestones in Early Childhood

There are language milestones in early childhood, which are stages where children develop language and speech. Here are some of the typical language milestones for children aged 0-5 (these ages are a rough guide only):

0-12 months

Between birth and six months, children may:

React to loud noises.
Recognise familiar voices, i.e. parents.
Turn towards sounds on hearing them, e.g. toys.
Smile and laugh, especially when someone else is smiling and laughing at them.
Make sounds to themselves when someone is talking to them and to get attention, such as coos, gurgles, squeals, babbling, etc.
Watch people’s faces when they talk to them.
Have specific cries for different needs, i.e. hunger cries and tiredness cries.

Between six and twelve months, they may also:

Smile and laugh (giggle), especially when someone is smiling or laughing at them.
Listen carefully to what people are saying and turn when someone is talking.
Watch faces and look at people when hearing their name called and when someone talks to them.
Start to play with sounds, but it is still babble, such as “no-no” or “up-up”, and will take turns when speaking to adults.
Try to get attention by making sounds and gestures, such as pointing and waving.
Start to understand simple words, such as “bye-bye”, “daddy”, “teddy”, and “mummy”, especially when pointing and using other gestures.
Enjoy games such as “peek-a-boo” and get excited when someone sings songs and rhymes.

12-18 months

Between twelve and eighteen months, children may:

Understand more words but cannot yet say them, e.g. body parts and everyday objects. They may point to these when asked.
Enjoy simple stories and point to pictures when an adult reads to them.
Understand simple instructions and questions, such as “Kiss mummy” or “Kick ball”.
Babble strings of sounds and use up to 20 single words, such as, “car”, “daddy”, “dog” or “duck”.
Copy adult gestures, such as waving goodbye, and what they say, such as “bye”.
Like listening to people singing and music playing, and maybe do a little dance.
Enjoy engaging in easy pretend play, e.g. pretending to give their teddy a drink.

18 months-2 years

Between eighteen months and two years, children may:

Use 50 or more single words that are recognisable, but they will often cut some letters off, i.e. b, d, p, m, t and w.
Enjoy listening to simple stories with pictures.
Start to understand more words, e.g. between 200 and 500, and acquire new ones more regularly.
Combine words into two to three-word sentences, e.g. “Bye daddy” or questions such as “Where’s mummy?”.
Increase their mimicking of words and sounds.
Name objects they see more regularly.
Focus on activities more, especially when pretend-playing with a favourite toy.
Understand simple instructions and questions better, e.g. “pick up teddy”.

2-3 years

Between two and three years, children may:

Use more words, e.g. up to 300, but may shorten them, e.g. “nana” for “banana”. They may also have difficulty with particular sounds, such as r, th, ch and sh, but adults should still be able to understand them.
Be able to listen to and remember picture stories.
Start to put longer sentences together, e.g. made up of 2-3 words, such as “I want teddy”.
Start using plurals and some past tenses.
Say their first name when asked and refer to themselves as I, my, me or mine.
Understand simple questions starting with where, who, and what.
Begin to grasp instructions with more words, e.g. “Where is teddy?”.
Ask more questions, such as what things are or what they do.
Remember the names of things and action words, such as “fall”.
Respond to adults more frequently and talk about what they are doing during play.
Start to play and share with other children more.

3-4 years

Between three and four years, children may:

Focus and listen to longer stories with pictures and some words.
Speak more clearly so it is easier for strangers to understand them.
Start to ask enquiring questions, such as “where”, “who”, “why” and “what”.
Join words together and start using longer and linked sentences, e.g. four or more words, but may still find certain sounds difficult, such as sh, ch, th, f, j, l, r and w.
Still making some mistakes in pronunciation, especially when using the past tense, i.e. we “swimmed” instead of we “swam”.
Begin to plan how they will play with others, e.g. games, and engage in imaginative play, such as make-believe.
Be able to focus when listening to longer stories.
Answer questions on what they are doing, where they went, what they have read or why something has happened. However, it will still be basic responses.
Start to join numbers and colours to words, e.g. ‘blue ball’ and “two dogs”, and understand time-related words, such as “tomorrow”.

4-5 years

Between four and five years, children may:

Be able to have longer conversations, take turns and use well-formed sentences.
Better understand instructions and follow requests.
Use more complicated words in sentences, such as “might”, “because”, “in-between”, etc. They may also understand those related to sequences, e.g. “first” and “next”.
Still have some grammatical difficulties, e.g. they may say “deers” instead of “deer”.
Stay on topic when telling a story.
Consider the meaning behind words and ask more questions about what certain words mean.
Find it easier to say words with trickier sounds, but may still struggle with certain ones, such as “elephant”.
Begin to select their own playmates and friends.

Parents and caregivers play a critical role in supporting their children’s language and speech development through every milestone. How they will do this will depend on the age of their children and their situations, but here are some suggestions:

Use different sounds – when a young child coos or babbles, make the same noises back to them to encourage them to make more. Mimic conversations with them when they make sounds and give them time to respond, teaching them to take turns when talking. Also, to keep them interested, introduce various sounds, such as a rattle.
Keep them close – a child needs to be able to see faces clearly when someone is talking, so they should be close to their face. Ensure they are at eye level by kneeling, lying down or picking them up.
Play with them – playing with a child daily is essential for their language and overall development. It can involve playing with toys, reading, singing, rhyming or playing games like “peek-a-boo’”. As they move into the further stages, board games, online games, or outdoor games can teach them how to listen, focus and take turns. Some examples of different types of play can be found here.
Talk to them – talking to a young child about everyday activities, such as mealtimes, can help them to learn words. Even though a child will not understand the words at certain stages, they will be listening. Talking in a light singing voice and short and simple sentences can keep them interested and help them to copy. In the later stages, get them to talk about various things, e.g. their day, a specific subject, past occurrences or activities, which can help them learn language and memory skills.
Use various ways to keep them interested – when talking to a child, it is important to captivate their interest in different ways, such as singing and acting or using gestures, facial expressions, pictures, drawings, objects, toys, costumes, etc. It will also help with memory retention and learning.
Use open questions where possible – instead of asking questions that require children to respond with yes or no answers, try to ask open questions to encourage them to talk more, e.g. “What game would you like to play”? It is also a good idea to provide them with some choices if they struggle to decide.
Link actions and gestures to words, questions and instructions – to help a child associate words with actions or gestures, do both simultaneously, e.g. saying “bye-bye” while waving. They can also be combined with questions and instructions, e.g. pointing to juice while saying, “Do you want juice?”. Limit options to two or three to avoid confusing them.
Suggest more words – to help a child add more words to their sentences, give them suggestions, e.g. if they point and say “teddy”, say back to them “Teddy please”. It can also help them learn how words fit together, e.g. if they say, “big dog’” say, “big black dog”. Continue to introduce new words to enhance their language and communication skills. Also, giving them choices can encourage them to talk, e.g. “juice or milk?”.
Repeat words – saying words repeatedly is a good way for a child to remember them. Also, if they get a word wrong or cannot remember it, ask them what they mean, e.g. if they point to their teddy and say dog, a parent or caregiver could say, “Teddy?”. If a child does not get a word quite right, do not correct them but repeat the whole word to help them learn the word and sound.
Let them help – providing a child with an opportunity to help with simple tasks, such as planting seeds, can help them learn more words when talking about what things are and what is happening.
Be patient with them – young children may still find certain words and phrases difficult at various stages, so it is important to be patient when they talk, give them time to finish their sentences and not jump in.
Identify and understand what they are learning at school – if parents and caregivers know what their children are learning at preschool or school, they can help them with their learning and support them in learning new words.

These are a few examples of how parents and caregivers can support their children’s language development. It is also important to monitor children to ensure they are developing the speech and language skills for that particular milestone. It can be tricky to spot, but they can use their child’s behaviour, reactions, gestures and responses up to 12 months. After 12 months, using words, following instructions, using sentences and phrases, and how they respond will be key in identifying whether there are any issues, such as language delays or impairments.

It is important to note that children do develop at different rates, so parents and caregivers should not be alarmed if their child is progressing faster or slower. Some children may need some extra help to develop their language and speech skills. If parents and caregivers have any concerns, they should always seek advice from a professional.

Further information

Strategies to Enhance Language Development

According to Unicef, between birth and eight years old is the most critical period of human development. Therefore, parents and caregivers have a fundamental role in their children’s language development in their early childhood, and what they do or do not do can significantly impact their academic and future success.

Parents and caregivers should encourage their children to develop their language and speech skills; it is never too early to start. We have covered some ways to support development in the previous section, but here are some further examples of strategies to adopt to enhance children’s language development:

Provide plenty of play opportunities

Children learn through play and develop language skills by role-playing, telling stories and make-believe (UK).
They should have opportunities for free play, i.e. child-led play, which should also include settings where they can play with other children.
It is important to provide resources and an environment that interests them so they can engage in their own play.
Adults can also lead their play and join in if they want them to learn specific words, sentences or phrases.

Read to them regularly

Reading is an excellent way to enhance language development in children’s early years, especially if parents and caregivers read to them daily.
Even from birth to six months old, language skills can be developed by reading interesting and interactive books full of pictures.
Pointing to the words while reading them can help children connect written and spoken words, boosting their literacy skills.
Do not be afraid to go off script, i.e. talk about parts in the book to encourage children to speak and ask relevant questions, e.g. ‘Which animal is your favourite?’.
Act out different characters or use various voices, facial expressions and gestures to keep it engaging. Don’t be afraid to be silly.
Have plenty of age-appropriate books available, but be prepared to read the same book more than once, especially with toddlers. Use this as an exercise to get them to guess what happens next and finish sentences, which helps boost memory, remember words and encourage them to talk.

Be good role models

Young children will watch people around them and copy them. Therefore, adults need to be good role models when using language and speech and teaching their children, e.g.:
Make eye contact by getting down or bringing them up to be on their level.
Speak slowly, clearly and calmly.
Use simple sentences and age-appropriate language, and leave small gaps when talking so children can respond and take turns.
Actively listen, e.g. let them talk without interruption, listen to what they say, be fully attentive, repeat back to them and clarify anything misunderstood.
Comment on what children are doing and what is happening rather than asking numerous questions.
Use the correct pronunciation, e.g. “something” and not “summat”.
Use gestures while using words, e.g. pointing to a ball and saying’ ball, and when speaking. Also, incorporate facial expressions, signs and tone of voice.
Avoid using ‘baby words’, e.g. ‘doggie’ instead of ‘dog’.

A language-rich environment at home is critical for a child’s development, as it provides lots of opportunities for young children to learn and develop their language, communication and speech skills through talk, stories, singing, rhymes, acting, imaginative play, practical activities, interactions and taking turns. It has many benefits, such as:

It provides opportunities for young children to learn new words and start to think about ideas, which can enhance their cognitive skills.
It can increase their vocabulary and enhance their language, speech, communication and literacy skills, which can help them in school and further education.
It can make it easier for children to thrive and learn as parents and caregivers provide them with the tools to succeed.
It will make it a fun way of learning, and children can learn effectively through play. In fact, play is essential in early brain development (Parentzone Scotland).
It can boost their IQ later in life if more words are spoken to a child in their first three years of life (Cherub Nurseries).

The Role of Technology

We are in a digital age with technology developing faster than no other. It forms part of our daily lives, from using apps on smartphones and tablets to reading e-books and playing games on interactive devices. Young children are accessing technology earlier than ever, with 25% of 0-2-year-olds and 36% of 3 to 5-year-olds owning an iPad (Billington, 2016).

Technology has an important role in young children’s learning and development. It can support their language, communication and literacy (National Literacy Trust). It provides new ways for them to learn, e.g. through apps, online games, videos and e-books. It can also be beneficial for language development, for example:

Like any other toy or book, if parents and caregivers interact with children while they are using technology, it can be a great learning tool.
Playing with technology can be a fun way to learn. It provides a source of entertainment for children and can stimulate their imaginations. It can keep them interested and engaged. Numerous online games and apps can help them learn words and phrases and associate sounds with the words.
If using video calling, young children can interact with their family and friends, especially if they cannot see them in person. It enables them to socialise and use communication skills while using technology.
It prepares early years’ children for ICT use in schools and further education, which requires them to have good language, digital and literacy skills to succeed academically.

While it can have benefits, it can also have drawbacks in language development, for example:

Access to the internet can expose children to safeguarding risks, e.g. inappropriate/harmful content and interactions, which could impact their language and speech development.
There are a lot of slang terms, abbreviations and acronyms on the internet, especially on social media platforms, which can be confusing for young children when learning language and literacy skills.
Higher screen time can lead to negative outcomes, such as displacing positive activities, e.g. socialising and physical activity, and unhealthy eating (RCPCH screen time guidance). Socialising is fundamental for a child’s development, including language and speech.
It can impact children’s ability to control their emotions (UK).

It is essential for parents and caregivers to strike a balance when using technology and only use it as a support tool. It should not be a substitute for other types of play and still requires adult interaction to be beneficial.

Here are some tips for using technology:

Choose the right kind of technology, activities and games which support learning and development.
Have technology-free spaces and times where young children can develop their language and speech skills in other ways, e.g. reading, games and outdoor activities.
Supervise children’s play with digital technologies to ensure they are safe and secure. If they use the internet, apply appropriate filters and safe searches. There is information on internet safety in early years here.
Adjust children’s screen use according to their developmental age and individual needs. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) screen time guidance has some recommendations for screen time.

Language Development in Multilingual Families

Some families are multilingual, meaning they can speak more than two languages. According to the Guardian, around six million people with non-British nationality were living in the UK in 2021, with 9.6 million born abroad. Children in these families are raised learning different languages, which can have unique advantages and also challenges, for example:

Advantages

Learning languages comes naturally to babies (National Literacy Trust), so it can be easier at a younger age rather than older.
It can enhance children’s cognitive development.
It can improve their language and communication skills through enhanced vocabulary and grammar.
It can maintain important family and cultural connections.
It can increase their cultural awareness, helping them understand different cultures and appreciate different perspectives.
It can help them academically and later in life in their careers.

Challenges

Children may get confused between different languages when trying to learn them.
It may take them longer to learn vocabulary in different languages.
They may mix different languages when talking, making it difficult for other children and strangers to understand them.
They can lose their mother language if they only use English, which can also affect their ability to learn the latter.
They may struggle with their cultural identity, making it difficult to make friends and fit in.

Here are some tips for families who speak multiple languages at home:

If English is a second language, parents and caregivers need to continue using their mother language with their children from birth as well as learning English.
Adopt the one-person, one-language model, e.g. one parent speaks in English and the other in the mother language.
Use English outside the home environment and the mother language inside the home. Young children will also learn English at preschool and school.
Play games, read, tell stories, rhyme, sing songs and play music in the mother language.
Look for community activities where their mother language is spoken, written, read and played.
Encourage video calling with relatives living overseas (if applicable) so young children can listen to them talking in the mother language.
Try to incorporate the mother language in activities their child is interested in, e.g. baking, playing with toys, outdoor activities, etc.

The National Literacy Trust has further advice and resources to support multilingual families here.

The Importance of Early Intervention

Young children will develop at different rates, and in most cases, there will be no cause for concern if they are progressing a tad more slowly than others at their age. However, some children may have language delays, where their development is slower. Normally, young children start saying their first words between 12-18 months.

Parents and caregivers should look out for some of the signs of language delays, which can include (this list is not exhaustive):

Absence of babbling or attempting sounds by 15 months old.
Not pointing to objects when asked at 18 months old.
Not talking by 2 years old, but may use sounds.
Inability to use short sentences by 3 years old.
Finding it difficult to follow instructions.
Omitting words from sentences.
Finding it difficult to put sentences together.
Frequently confusing words.
Poor pronunciation and articulation.

Parents and caregivers should seek professional advice at the earliest opportunity if they have any concerns regarding their children’s language development. They could contact their GP or a speech and language therapist. If they find their children have language delays, it is important to remember that there are plenty of resources and support to help them. Speech and Language UK has plenty of advice, including a child’s progress checker here.

Conclusion

Language development in early childhood can impact young children’s outcomes in later life and has lifelong benefits. Language and speech skills underpin academic success and promote socialisation. Poor language development can have many negative impacts, meaning children struggle to learn. They will find it hard to make sense of the world around them and make friendships, affecting their overall life.

At each stage of language development, parents and caregivers should monitor their children’s progress and support their development through various means, such as talking, playing, reading and other essential interactions. As this blog post has demonstrated, there are many strategies to adopt to enhance language development in early years.

Although technology has a role in the early years of language development, in an ever-increasing digital world, parents and caregivers must balance its use and regard it as a support tool. Young children must interact and socialise with adults and other children, as understanding facial expressions and gestures is crucial in language development.

Parents and caregivers play a vital role in young children’s language development. Their actions or inactions can influence how children learn and their language, communication and social skills. They can use the information in this blog post to help enhance their children’s language development. There are also plenty of resources and support online and from their GP if they have concerns regarding their child’s language development or need help enhancing their skills.