Children need to understand words before they can start to use them
Children learn to talk by hearing words over and over again.
They need to hear a new word many, many times, and understand it, before they are able to try to say them themselves.
Understanding language can also be called 'receptive language' or 'comprehension'.
Click on the link below to find out more about children's development of receptive language.
What can I do to help my child's understanding?
General strategies to support all children
Using symbolic sounds e.g. brum, meow
‘Talking Time’ with my child
Listen, Think, Talk (parent-child interaction strategies)
Vocabulary:
You can monitor your child's early vocabulary development using our First Words List
How can I help my child understand language at different ages / stages?
For further activity ideas and pictures, see the 'vocabulary' tab on the left of this page.
Key Words:
Concepts:
Developing understanding of big and little
Developing location knowledge - Prepositions
Concept Development: What to Expect and When
Concept Development for Key Stage 1 and 2
Concept Development for Key Stage 3 and 4
How to Refer
Click here to find out how to refer a child.