Language development in the early years is crucial for laying a strong foundation for learning, communication, and cognitive skills. Supporting children in their language journey from a young age sets them up for future success in their academic and social lives.

So, how can we effectively promote language development in the early years? Explore the methods recommended by La Petite Ecole International Bilingual School in Ho Chi Minh City to ensure comprehensive and effective language growth for your child.

Language development in the early years encompasses the cultivation and enhancement of essential language skills, including listening, speaking, reading, writing, and communication. Early intervention in language development is key to establishing a solid base for the child’s cognitive, emotional, and social growth in the years to come.

>> Read more: Five essential domains of early childhood development

To maximise effectiveness, it’s important to select language development strategies tailored to each child’s age and unique needs.

Understanding the typical stages of language development in early childhood can help parents better support their child and choose appropriate educational methods. Here’s a breakdown of the key stages:

• 0 – 1 Year: During this stage, babies explore their surroundings primarily through their senses. Their first forms of communication include crying, laughing, and producing simple sounds. They begin to recognise familiar noises and respond to them.
• 1 – 1.5 Years: At this stage, children start to “programme” their brains for speech. Simple words like “mummy”, “daddy”, “eat”, and “sleep” begin to emerge. They enjoy mimicking animal sounds, the noises made by objects, and adult speech.
• 2 – 3 Years: This period is marked by a significant increase in language use. Children can form simple sentences, understand and follow basic instructions, and exhibit a curiosity about their environment by frequently asking “why.”
• 3 – 5 Years: By this stage, children can communicate quite fluently, tell stories, and ask more complex questions. They enjoy listening to stories, singing, reading poems, and are starting to become familiar with letters and numbers.

Language truly is a magical gateway, opening up a vast and vibrant world for children. Helping children develop their language skills from an early age is akin to equipping them with a golden key to explore their surroundings. Here are some benefits of fostering language development in early childhood: 

1. Enhancing Early Language Skills

Language serves as a crucial tool for children to express their ideas, communicate with peers and teachers, and engage in learning and play. By focusing on early language development, parents provide children with opportunities to practise listening, speaking, pronunciation, and to build a rich vocabulary. 

>> Read more: Develop communication skills for preschoolers

This early investment in language development helps children communicate more effectively, improve their vocabulary and grammar skills, and establish a strong foundation for future learning and interaction. Additionally, it supports the development of logical thinking and creativity, boosts confidence in expressing opinions, and enhances critical thinking skills.

2. Stimulating Brain Development

Between the ages of 2 and 5, children often ask many questions to explore the world around them. These questions indicate that their brains are translating thoughts into language. Learning a new language during this period helps children absorb information quickly and stimulates brain development.

Language development allows children to access and understand the world more effectively, improves communication, and enhances their awareness of objects and events around them. This, in turn, helps children better navigate their lives and contributes significantly to their future growth and maturity.

3. Developing Moral Values

Language is not only a tool for communication but also plays a significant role in shaping and nurturing moral values in children. From a young age, children learn to use polite expressions such as “please,” “thank you,” and “sorry.” These practices help build a foundation of moral principles and basic cultural norms.

Children raised and educated in a morally supportive environment are more likely to grow into well-rounded individuals, setting the stage for future success.

4. Enhancing Artistic Appreciation

The development of language skills in children not only improves communication and learning but also fosters their artistic abilities. Language enables children to express and articulate their emotions and ideas, and encourages exploration and creativity.

Children can showcase their artistic talents through drawing pictures of nature, animals, or scenes of their play experiences. They can also create stories, plays, or poems based on the vocabulary and knowledge they have acquired.

1. Teach Children to Listen and Speak Clearly

In the early years of language development, it’s crucial for parents to focus on clear pronunciation and provide timely corrections to ensure children speak correctly from the start. This early guidance lays a strong foundation for their future language skills.

Parents should prioritise clear communication by speaking slowly, maintaining eye contact, and listening attentively. Incorporating facial expressions and gestures enhances understanding and creates a positive atmosphere for language development.

2. Read Stories and Books Together

Regularly reading stories and books is vital for language development in the early years. Engaging stories introduce new vocabulary and expand children’s understanding of the world. Listening to parents read helps children develop concentration, memory, and imagination.

Choosing age-appropriate books that match a child’s interests makes reading more engaging and allows them to explore through each page. Encouraging children to retell stories builds their expressive skills and confidence in communication. Furthermore, reading and storytelling contribute to the development of values, problem-solving abilities, and logical thinking.

3. Play Age-Appropriate Songs

Music is a powerful tool for enhancing language development in the early years. Young children, with their acute sensitivity to sounds, benefit from listening to lively and catchy songs, which supports natural language acquisition. Songs help children learn new words and simple sentence structures while also improving their musical appreciation, memory, and focus.

Selecting songs with clear and relatable lyrics makes learning language enjoyable and effective, adding an element of fun to the process.

4. Encourage Participation in Artistic Activities

Engaging in artistic activities is not only a way for children to discover their talents but also an effective method for enhancing language development in the early years. Activities such as reading poetry, drawing, or performing in plays introduce children to new vocabulary and diverse sentence structures.

These creative pursuits also foster cognitive skills, imagination, and innovation. By participating in such activities, children are encouraged to use language to express their emotions and thoughts naturally.

5. Describe Ongoing Activities

Daily conversations between parents and children, even simple remarks about everyday activities, play a crucial role in language development. Describing actions and objects around them provides children with specific sentence models and exposes them to intonation and flexible language use.

Even if children are not yet able to respond verbally, listening and interacting with them helps in their natural language acquisition process. This method supports their ability to understand and assimilate language effectively.

6. Use Word-Enriching Games

Language development games are a fantastic way for children to learn while having fun. Flashcards, word-matching games, and letter-guessing activities introduce children to new words and varied sentence structures while also enhancing their cognitive skills, imagination, and communication abilities.

Incorporating language into these games makes learning engaging and helps children explore their environment more enthusiastically. Parents can use these opportunities to guide children in using language accurately and effectively.

7. Increase Outdoor Activities

The natural environment serves as an ideal classroom for language exploration and development. Taking children to parks, zoos, or other green spaces allows them to interact directly with the world around them, expand their vocabulary, and stimulate their senses.

Observing animals, plants, and natural phenomena prompts children to ask questions, which enables parents and educators to impart new knowledge and help them gain a better understanding of their surroundings.

8. Encourage Exploration of Sounds and Musical Instruments

Introducing children to musical activities with instruments like drums, xylophones, or tambourines is an excellent way to familiarise them with different sounds and melodies while enhancing their language development. Engaging in fun activities such as dancing, clapping, or moving to the rhythm of the music helps children experience and interact with music in a lively manner, promoting both their auditory and linguistic skills.

9. Use More Verbs

Incorporating a rich variety of verbs into conversations significantly aids in children’s understanding of their environment and boosts their expressive abilities. When describing actions, objects, or phenomena, parents should use diverse verbs along with corresponding actions to help children form meaningful connections and expand their vocabulary naturally.

10. Teach Drawing and Writing

Drawing and writing are effective methods for advancing language skills in young children. As children draw, they use language to describe what they see, which helps them grasp concepts such as colour, shape, and size while improving their ability to express themselves.

Creating stories based on their drawings fosters imagination, creativity, and storytelling skills, boosting their confidence in using language to communicate and express themselves.

11. Communicate in Two or More Languages

Exposing children to multiple languages from a young age offers substantial benefits for their overall development. Learning a new language not only expands their vocabulary but also enhances cognitive abilities, memory, and brain flexibility. Parents can create a multilingual environment by speaking different languages with their children during everyday activities such as dressing, bathing, or playing. Using simple and repetitive vocabulary helps children become familiar with the new language.

Taking children to places frequented by people from various linguistic backgrounds, such as international restaurants, supermarkets, or multilingual schools, is also an effective way for them to experience different sounds, intonations, and cultures.

1. Apply Suitable Methods

When nurturing and developing language skills in young children, it’s crucial for parents to flexibly combine various methods and adjust them according to the child’s developmental stage. For instance, conversing with a child should not be limited to the 12 to 36-month period but should continue through the 2 to 3-year stage. 

Additionally, introducing letters and early literacy skills before the age of 5 can be advantageous; however, it’s important to avoid pushing a child to start writing too early. Doing so may reduce their enthusiasm for learning if they feel pressured to tackle tasks that exceed their developmental capabilities. Around ages 5 to 6, children are ready to embark on more structured reading instruction. This is a crucial time when they begin to learn how to read, building a strong foundation for their literacy development.

2. Create a Positive Environment

Parents can cultivate a nurturing atmosphere by encouraging their children to learn at their own pace. Rather than focusing on quick results, it’s helpful to actively listen, provide uplifting support, and offer opportunities for exploration and self-expression. By establishing a warm and supportive environment where children feel loved and valued, parents can inspire a positive attitude toward language development and overall growth.

La Petite Ecole Ho Chi Minh bilingual international school follows the internationally recognised French National Education curriculum, ensuring high educational standards.

For early years and elementary levels, La Petite Ecole Ho Chi Minh city combines English and French instruction, with native-speaking teachers leading classes for half the day. The programme also includes an introduction to Vietnamese and local culture.

The school employs innovative teaching methods that respect and centre around each child, catering to their individual needs. La Petite Ecole fosters students’ confidence, allowing them to make choices and learn at their own pace.

We hope this information helps parents better understand the approach to language development in the early years. For more details or advice, please contact La Petite Ecole Ho Chi Minh city today.