Echoing
Language development in toddlers happens in five distinct steps. The first skill they learn is echoing. From a very young age, babies can echo back sounds their parents make. Simple "ma" and "da" sounds can help develop language when said back to a baby or toddler. Around 18 months, your baby will be able to repeat back regular words and even match your tone of voice.
Labeling
Once your child learns to say words back to you, he'll learn to label things on his own. The child development website Babycenter.com estimates that your child will know fewer than 10 words by the time he is 12 to 18 months old and most of those will be label words. Your child will hear the words you give labels to and learn the name of objects as you use them in everyday conversation.
Recasting
Recasting helps your child learn to express herself by changing the things that she says into intelligible sentences. Between 18 months and 2 years old, she will use 1-or-2 word sentences like "Want ball" or "Have cookie." As a parent, changing those words into a real sentence as you complete the action, such as "You'd like to play with the ball?" will help your child learn to string words together and gain valuable lessons about the function of words.
Expanding
Expanding is a skill your child will learn shortly after his second birthday. Expanding occurs when a child learns to use words to describe something. Rather than "my truck," he'll be able to communicate the color or size of the truck. According to Andrew N. Meltzoff, Ph.D., coauthor of "The Scientist in the Crib: Minds, Brains, and How Children Learn," your 2-year-old will have a vocabulary of about 100 words and will find new ways to use them each day.
Reading
Reading typically happens last in the language development of toddlers. Very advanced toddlers will be able to sound out letters, but most will be able to name some of the letters on sight. They will begin to recognize letters from reading simple board books or seeing large letters in the world around them--like traffic signs. If your child is nowhere near sounding out letters by age 2 1/2, don't be alarmed. Andrew N. Meltzoff, Ph.D notes that the spectrum of language development is very diverse and that each child develops differently because of his surroundings and intellect.
