Improving speaking and comprehension skills

Language Skills: Foundations for Communication

Language is the key to connecting with the world around us. From the moment babies start babbling to when they form full sentences, language skills develop continuously throughout childhood. Strong language skills are vital for learning, socialising, and thriving in everyday life. But what happens when a child struggles with understanding or using language? That’s where speech pathologists come in to help.

What are Language Skills?

Language skills are the abilities we use to understand (receptive language) and express (expressive language) thoughts, ideas, and feelings. Language encompasses a wide range of components, including vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, and the ability to follow and engage in conversation.

For kids, these skills are crucial for success in school, building friendships, and understanding their world. Both receptive and expressive language skills are developed as children grow, though they may develop at different rates.

Receptive vs. Expressive Language

Receptive Language

Receptive language refers to the ability to understand language. This involves listening and processing spoken words, following directions, and comprehending stories or information. Children with receptive language difficulties may struggle with understanding instructions, answering questions, or interpreting what others say.

Expressive Language

Expressive language refers to how a child communicates their thoughts, feelings, and needs. This includes using words, sentences, and non-verbal communication (such as gestures or facial expressions) to express themselves. Children with expressive language difficulties may struggle to form sentences, use correct grammar, or find the right words to express themselves.

How They Relate

While receptive and expressive language skills are related, they don’t always develop at the same rate. For example, a child may understand more language than they are able to express. Alternatively, a child may be able to speak in full sentences but have difficulty understanding complex instructions or following a conversation.

Differences between receptive and expressive language abilities can be a key indicator of language delays or disorders. For instance, a child with a receptive language delay might understand simple phrases like "sit down" but struggle with more complex sentences. A child with an expressive language delay may know what they want to say but have difficulty putting words together in a way that makes sense.

Why Language Skills are Important

Language is the foundation for so much of what we do. For kids, developing strong language skills is crucial for several reasons:

1. Academic Success

Children with strong language skills are better equipped to learn to read, write, and engage in classroom activities. Language skills are foundational for subjects like reading comprehension, problem-solving, inferencing information, and understanding instructions. Poor language abilities will result in classroom struggles.

2. Social and Emotional Development

Strong language skills are crucial for children to make friends, engage in social interactions, and express their emotions and needs. Language allows children to articulate feelings like frustration, sadness, or happiness, which helps them navigate relationships, participate in conversations, and understand social cues, ultimately supporting their emotional regulation and social development.

Age Norms and Expectations for Language Development

While every child develops language skills at their own pace, there are general age norms that can help track language progress. Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) has useful resources on their website which detail communication milestones for language (https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Public/Public/Comm-swallow/Speech-development/Communication-milestones.aspx

Following the information released by SPA, below are some typical milestones:

  • By 12 months, children can
    • Understand around 10 words
    • Recognise some familiar people and objects
    • Respond to their name 
    • Start to use sounds, gestures and some words
  • By 18 months, children can
    • Understand up to 50 words and some short phrases
    • Follow simple instructions (e.g. ‘throw the ball’)
    • Say around 6-20 single words
    • Name some body parts
  • By 2 years, children can
    • Follow simple 2-part instructions (e.g. ‘give me the ball and the car’)
    • Respond to simple wh-questions, such as ‘what’ and ‘where’ 
    • Understand when an object is ‘in’ and ‘on’ something. 
    • Say more than 50 single words
    • Put two words together (e.g., ‘bye teddy’, no ball’)
    • Start to use ‘mine’ and ‘my’. 
  • By 3 years, children can:
    • Follow more complex 2-part instructions (e.g., give me the teddy and throw the ball) 
    • Understand simple wh-questions, such as ‘what’, ‘where’ and ‘who’ 
    • Say four to five words in a sentence 
    • Use a variety of words for names, actions, locations and descriptions 
    • talk about something in the past, but may use ‘-ed’ a lot (e.g., ‘he goed there’) 
    • Have a conversation, but may not take turns or stay on topic. 
  • By 4 years, children can
    • Answer most questions about daily tasks 
    • Understand some numbers and colours
    • Use conjunction words, such as ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘because’, to make longer sentences 
    • Describe recent events, such as morning routines, and ask lots of questions
    • Use personal pronouns (e.g., he/she, me/you) and negations (e.g., don’t/can’t) 
  • By 5 years, children can
    • Follow 3-part instructions (e.g., put on your shoes, get your backpack and line up outside) 
    • Understand time related words (e.g., ‘before’, ‘after’, ‘now’ and ‘later’) 
    • Begin to recognise some letters, sounds and numbers. 
    • Use well-formed sentences to be understood by most people 
    • Tell simple, short stories with a beginning, middle and end 
    • Use past and future verbs correctly (e.g., ‘went’, ‘will go’) 

It’s important to remember that these milestones are guidelines. Some children may reach these milestones earlier or later, and that’s okay. However, if significant delays are noticed in either receptive or expressive language skills, it’s a good idea to consult a speech pathologist.

How Speech Pathologists Can Help

Speech pathologists are trained to assess, diagnose, and treat language delays or disorders. Here’s how they can support children with language difficulties:

1. Comprehensive Assessments

A speech pathologist will conduct a detailed assessment to evaluate both receptive and expressive language skills. This may include standardised tests, informal observations, and parent reports. Understanding a child’s language strengths and weaknesses is the first step in creating an individualised treatment plan.

2. Targeted Therapy

Once the assessment is complete, speech pathologists develop therapy plans that may include activities to improve range of vocabulary, sentence length and structure, grammar and more depending on the child’s age and gaps in knowledge. Speech pathologists often use fun, engaging activities to target specific areas of language development, such as through book reading, play, and language-specific games with goals and targets integrated.

3. Parent and Caregiver Education

Speech pathologists work closely with parents and caregivers to provide strategies and tips for supporting language development at home. Encouraging reading, asking open-ended questions, and creating a language-rich environment can all help reinforce therapy goals.

4. Ongoing Support

Language development takes time, and progress is monitored regularly. Speech pathologists will adjust therapy as needed to ensure continuous improvement, and they provide ongoing support and feedback for both the child and their family.

When to Seek Help

If you notice that your child is having difficulty understanding directions, following conversations, or expressing themselves clearly, it might be time to reach out to a speech pathologist. Early intervention is key to supporting language development and ensuring your child has the best possible foundation for future communication and learning.

Conclusion

Language skills are fundamental to a child's success in school, relationships, and life. Both receptive and expressive language play important roles in communication, and a child’s ability to understand and express language can develop in different ways. If you have concerns about your child’s language skills, a speech pathologist can provide expert assessment and tailored therapy to support their growth and development.

With the right support, children can build the language skills they need to thrive, and a speech pathologist is there to guide them every step of the way.

References:

  1. Rescorla, L. (2009). The Language Development Survey (LDS): A Child’s First Words. Journal of Early Intervention, 31(4), 326-334.
  2. Speech Pathology Australia. (n.d.). Communication milestones. Retrieved February 20, 2025, from https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Public/Public/Comm-swallow/Speech-development/Communication-milestones.aspx