Preschool children, ages three to five years, make rapid and dramatic growth in their language skills. They move from speaking single words and two-word phrases to complex sentences and emergent reading skills. Preschoolers' language growth involves all aspects the spoken word. However, all children grow and develop at their own pace. Although it is important to monitor children for delays, allowing them to develop without pressure is just as critical.
Three to Four
The spoken language of three- to four-year-old children begins to increase and become more complex. They speak in three- to four-word sentences, and their articulation becomes clearer and easier to understand. Preschoolers respond to their name, comprehend and answer simple questions, and follow multi-step directions. They become more aware of others and broaden their topics of conversation to include activities in which they have participated and interactions with other people. Logos for familiar places in their community become recognizable to them, and they begin to understand and play with rhyming words.
Four to Five
As four-year-olds continue their development, they recognize that language is a way to communicate information and a tool for social interactions. Advances in the structure of their sentences, vocabulary, grammar and descriptions continue at a rapid rate. The complexities of language are more easily grasped at this age, as are spatial relations, opposites and the difference between past and present. Articulation improves significantly, and children are able to retell stories and clarify misunderstandings. They begin to include plot and sequencing in their stories and develop more grammatically correct sentence structure. Recognizing the letters in their names, writing their names and the early stages of letter-sound recognition develop.
Learning from Peers
Preschoolers learn a great deal from each other in their play. Children with different backgrounds and varying experiences help each other to increase their vocabulary through conversation. Preschool-age children of all language abilities exhibit increased vocabulary skills when given the opportunity for frequent peer interactions.
Parents as Teachers
Parents are the first teachers of children. They do not need to teach formal lessons; rather, they should continually interact with their children. Reading daily, playing with words and encouraging imaginative play and storytelling are all language-building activities. Exposing children to reading and writing through everyday activities such as writing grocery lists and thank you notes and reading newspapers, magazines and books provides them with the opportunity to understand the value of language and how we use it in our everyday lives. Using new and more complex words when speaking with children supports their vocabulary growth.
Teachers and Classrooms
Nurturing and supportive teachers foster classroom communities where children feel safe speaking and trying out new language skills. When preschool classrooms are managed well, children have more opportunities to interact effectively, and their language development in enhanced. Children in classrooms with teachers who are engaged instructionally and emotionally demonstrate greater gains in their overall development.
Early Intervention
Early intervention with hearing, speech or language delays is critical for future school success because delays in these areas have a significantly detrimental effect. Parents and caregivers who suspect concerns in these areas should follow through with screenings by an audiologist or speech language therapist.
