Handouts That Support Toddler Language Development
While "handouts" is a novel way to describe these tactics, there are a number of things you can give your toddler in order to encourage his language development. It is important to remember, though, that language development is an active process, not a passive one. It is better to give your toddler one handout and interact with it with him
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Books
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Picture books are an excellent handout to help toddlers develop language skills. Sit with your toddler on your lap, and read him an age-appropriate book. Don't just read the words on the page, though. Rather, you should point to specific pictures, and label them for your toddler. Encourage him to say the words back to you, but don't force it. Language takes time to acquire, and it is better for it to be a non-frustrating, fun activity rather than a chore.
Treats
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You can use treats to support language development in toddlers, although you shouldn't overdo it. Buy a favorite food of your toddler's, like ice cream or M&Ms, or any other sweet, fun type of food. Hand it to him if he can ask for it, but only if he asks for it. Start by just having him say one word, then encourage him to say an entire sentence, like "Mum, may I please have [candy]." This handout will help teach a toddler how language can be beneficial by helping people get the things they want.
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Toys
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Toys are also effective handouts for toddler language development, because they can be interacted with to work on different words. A toy car, for example, is a good handout because you can play with it with your toddler, then try to get him to verbalize both the noun and verb, and perhaps even an adjective. "Car drive" is a fairly typical sentence for a 2-year-old; "car drive fast" is more advanced.
Adjective Handouts
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Hand your toddler something that can be described with a clear adjective. An ice cream container, for example, is cold. Hand it to your toddler and say "the ice cream is cold." Give her other cold objects in order to distinguish the word "cold" from the other words in the sentence. Over time, toddlers will be able to tell what "cold" means through this process of identification.
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References
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