Is Your Child's Speech and Language Ready For School?

Is your child approaching school age? Do you wonder whether their speech and language is developing age appropriately? All children develop differently, but read on for some general guidelines!

It is such an exciting time when your child reaches school age and begins that big transition into the classroom. It can be a very overwhelming time for your child and also for the family. There are some areas to consider when determining whether your child is ready for school. Remember, every child develops in their own unique way and as such, the areas discussed in this blog are just a guide. Please get in touch with us if you have any specific questions or concerns about your child’s transition to school.

Speech

Speech is the ability to say individual sounds and the way in which we use those sounds in words. When a child starts school, they should be understood by others 100% of the time. BUT, they may still be developing their ability to say sounds such as /r/ and /th/. Your child may still say something like “I like dis one” or “weady, set, go!”. Even with these sounds still developing, they should be easily understood.

**It is also a great idea to get your child’s hearing tested before they begin school.

Language

Language can be broken down into two different areas, receptive language and expressive language. Receptive language refers to our ability to understand what is being said to us. Expressive language is how we use words and express ourselves. By the time your child reaches school age, they should be able to, or be developing the ability to:

Receptive:

• Follow one and two step instructions independently such as “get your hat and put your socks on”

• Have some knowledge of basic concepts such as colours, shapes and numbers

• Recognise pictures in books, on television or in videos

• Understand simple questions such “what?”, “where?”, “who?”, and “when?”, and be developing an understanding of more complex questions such as “how?” and “why?”

Expressive:

• Answer and ask questions often

• Talk to other people about familiar or past events

• Use full sentences of 5 or more words such as “I need to go to the toilet”

• Use grammatically correct sentences, BUT they may still be developing things such as verbs. For example, your child may say “I catched it” instead of "I caught it", and that is okay!

Social Skills

Social skills are also known as our pragmatic language skills and this is our ability to use our speech and language skills effectively and appropriately when interacting with others. Some things to consider prior to the big transition into the classroom are:

• Does your child make friends easily?

• Does your child take turns and play with other children?

• Does your child participate in and share ideas in group activities?

• Can your child start and keep a conversation going with children and adults?

Literacy

Literacy is the ability to write, spell and read. You might be thinking “but my child can’t do these things yet”. That is okay! There are many pre-literacy skills that your child has developed or is developing which provide the foundation or stepping stone to be able to read, spell and write. Some areas to consider include:

• Does my child show an interest in books and reading?

• Can my child write their name or be motivated to try?

• Does my child recognize letters in their name when they see them?

• Is my child beginning to develop their skills in rhyming?

• Is my child able to identify some letters and their sounds?

How Can A Speech Pathologist Help?

A Speech Pathologist can assess your child through:

• Screener assessments: These are quick informal assessments that are used to identify whether your child may require extra support.

• Formal/standardised assessments: These are more time consuming but provide specific data on what areas your child might require additional support.

Assessments can be done directly with your child, through observations of your child in their natural play environment and/or parent interview and checklists. A Speech Pathologist can then diagnose any difficulties with communication and provide therapy and/or recommendations for the home and classroom to best support your child and their development.

If you have any concerns or questions about your child’s transition into the classroom or maybe you just want some peace of mind, please get in touch with us at info@articulatespeech.com.au or give us a call on 0401 347 766.