What is Language Processing?
Language processing is how we organize and connect our language so that we can quickly and efficiently get to the words we are looking for as with talk. Typical language development helps support this process that happens largely behind the scenes and language development in preschoolers can be supported in many ways.
What’s Included in Language and Language Development?
Language is multi-faceted and includes a child’s ability to understand (receptive language) and use language (expressive language). Language can be further broken down into smaller components, like vocabulary, grammar, how we organize sounds, and how we use it socially. There is a lot to learn in the preschool years in particular! Children are taking the huge amount of vocabulary they have learned in the past few years (typically over 1000 words), and trying to apply it in longer, more organized ways, like trying to tell a story, or explain something that happened to them. It’s common for kids to take time to search for the right word and have some difficulty with explaining something longer and more complex. This could be related to their developing language processing, organizational skills, concepts and vocabulary, or the social dynamics of the situation.
3-4 Year Language Milestones
- Follows 2-step directions
- Expresses ideas, feelings, and experiences
- Practices conversation skills
- Understands amounts (a lot, empty), locations (next to, between), same & different
- Describing words expand
How Can Language Development in Preschoolers Be Supported?
Listen to the language & guide the skills
Kids need a lot of practice with applying all of the facets of their language to their day, and it’s often going to get messy. When they don’t have the internal skills yet, they will turn to their trusted adults. One of the easiest and most effective ways of supporting language development is to first show kids we’re listening and motivated to connect with them. Maintaining that engagement is not only validating and builds on the support of trusting relationships, but it also maintains a child’s intrinsic motivation to expand on what is being said.
If a child seems to struggle with organizing what they’re saying, such as talking in circles, we can try to reflect what we heard with language that fits the situation and a general sequence of events (“It sounds like first you and Mom went to the zoo, and you saw a big, orange tiger. Then you went….”). Kids will let you know if your words don’t fit with their message and it’s often a great opportunity to practice repairing a misunderstanding. If a child is talking about something that seems unrelated to the situation, it is helpful to ask leading questions to clarify the message, try to connect what you’re doing with what is being said, or provide choices for vocabulary words that seem to best fit the situation.
Typical language development is a natural support
The flow of language supports many underlying skills, such as language processing, conversation skills, storytelling skills, and our social skills. It may be helpful to keep in mind there is a natural progression for the vocabulary we learn, and that the progression also supports how we organize our language to get to words more easily. In general, we learn the names of objects, what they do, what other words might go with an object (i.e. it’s parts, features, color, etc.), and what category it belongs to.
In the background, all this naturally acquired vocabulary is slowly being organized and connected using that same hierarchy. As kids move through 3-4 year stage, they are learning about similarities and differences, which is the next step in the process. That might mean they make mistakes as they try to explain how something going on in the classroom is similar to something that happened to them at home.
When to Refer
General Red Flags:
Difficulty learning & retaining new words and concepts, limited vocabulary, significant frustration in interactions, difficulty responding to questions, consistent difficulty using words that match the situation, highly disorganized conversations or storytelling, difficult to understand