Pre-Language Skills: The Journey To First Words!

What are pre-language skills?

Pre-language skills are the skills that come before first words. They set children up with the skills they need to be ready to talk and communicate.

They are so important as without these skills, learning to talk and socialise with others will be difficult.

When a toddler comes to see my at the private practice I work at, pre-language skills are always a part of my initial assessment with them. If you feel that your toddler's language skills are delayed, this is a great place to start.

Have a look through the list of skills below and think whether your toddler is doing all these things.

The Pre-language skills:

• Joint Attention: When two people focus on the same object or person, for the purpose of socially interacting with each other. Your baby will be able to look at an object and look at you to show it to you, for the purpose of enjoying it together. There is more on this skill in this section.
• Imitation: Being able to imitate actions and sounds is such an important part of language development. Once children can do this, they then go on to imitating words! 
• Non-verbal gestures: This involves being able to use their hands and body to make a gesture to communicate something they want (e.g. putting their hands up to ask to be picked up, or waving hi and bye). 
• Object Permanence: The idea that an object still exists when it is out of sight. This is an important pre-language skills as children need to understand this so they know that they can talk about an object (i.e. to request it) even if they can't see it.
• Play Skills: Children learn through play and connect with others in play. When your child engages in play with you, they listen to the language you are modelling and learn about the world around them.
• Eye contact: Being able to look at an object and most importantly a person to socially engage with others.
• Turn-taking: Turn-taking develops from your baby's first weeks of life when you interpret your baby's noises, smiles and movements and respond to them with sounds, actions and words. The parent begins to leave gaps for the baby to make a response. Eventually a baby and their parent take turns with sounds, actions and later, words. 
• Anticipation: This refers to your baby's ability to anticipate the next step in a game or activity. For example, they may hear the sound of the garage door closing and know that daddy is home. Or they might see you cover your face with your hands and know you will play peekaboo.
• Cause and effect: This is where your baby begins to understand that their actions cause something to happen. E.g. they hit a button on a toy and it makes a sound. Or more related to language, they put their hands up and you pick them up. 

How do I support my child's pre-language skills?

If you're concerned that your toddler isn't doing some of the skills mentioned above, there's lots you can do!

Our online memberships, Walky Talky Baby and Walky Talky Toddler use evidence based, practical strategies to help your child meet their communication milestones. Both memberships have a big focus on pre-language skills and strategies for HOW to support these skills.

We recommend Walky Talky Baby for children aged newborn up until the stage of first steps and first words. Walky Talky Toddler is perfect for those who are starting to say some words (and starting to walk). 

You don't need to be worried about your child's development in order to join - you can be proactive and learn how to keep supporting your child's language skills (and gross motor skills too!).

And remember, if you're concerned, it's always best to seek advice from a paediatric therapist sooner rather than later.