Before early childhood communication can be effective, several prelinguistic skills must be in place. Prelinguistic skills develop alongside expressive and receptive language. Let’s chat about what they are and why they are important.
Environmental Awareness
Take a moment and pause. Where are you right now? What’s going on around you? What do you see? Are others with you or are you alone? What do you hear?
Being aware of our environment starts from day one. Babies cry as soon as they emerge into the world. And their awareness continues to develop over time. Before any communication can be effective, children must be aware of their environment. Babies become aware of their surroundings very early and even show early communication skills before they turn a year old.
For example, when they feel they are alone, babies might cry out until someone responds. As they develop, toddlers also demonstrate an awareness of their environment when they become upset after realizing their caregiver has left the room. Children become excited when they achieve a task and may look around for others’ approval.
Turn-Taking
Turn-taking involves 2 people engaging in a shared activity, such as sharing items or conversation. Early turn-taking may look like babies responding to a caregiver speaking with them, children playing with toys together, or reading a book together.
Attention Span & Joint Attention
Attention span and joint attention are two very important prelinguistic skills.
Attention span will develop as children grow. When encouraging attention span development, I like to use puzzles as an example because they have a definite ending (you complete the puzzle).
Consider a baby’s attention to puzzles when they are first introduced versus a toddler or preschooler completing a puzzle by themselves. Attention to task differs greatly, but it develops over time as we move from a baby only taking the pieces off to a toddler taking them off and replacing them correctly.
Joint attention occurs when two people pay attention to the same thing and share in the moment. Joint attention is demonstrated by one person pointing to [gesturing] the item or saying something about what is being pointed to or looked at, and the other attends to the same object.
Joint attention promotes social interactions and shared interests. If you don’t see this skill in a child, it’s often an indicator of other developmental differences or delays.
Plays with a Variety of Toys
Playing with a variety of “toys” means we want to see that children have natural curiosity and explore their environment through interactions with a variety of items/objects/people.
We also want to determine if they are progressively moving through the stages of play. How a child transitions through the stages of play can also impact language development.
Understands Words & Following Directions
Children must be able to understand and apply meaning to what is being said. Before we can expect toddlers to use a word correctly, they must be able to apply meaning to it. This is why choosing functional words (eat, more, drink, up, play, all-done, etc.) is essential for encouraging expressive communication.
Children demonstrate their knowledge of understanding words by reaching for labeled items, pointing to or reaching for familiar objects, identifying pictures in books, or identifying familiar people.
Along those same lines, they should be able to follow at least basic 1-step directions. These basic skills are still developing in babies, so we aren’t looking for perfection. They may not follow directions every time, but they understand the concept.
Imitation Skills
Imitation includes the ability to imitate body movements, vocalizations, environmental sounds, or words. Infants imitate their caregiver’s facial expressions and vocalizations during the first year of life.
Toddlers learn so much by imitating what they see others do Vgtosky has great insight to the importance of a child’s cognitive abilities.
Children learn from the adults in their world by taking what the adult does and imitating the skill.
Vocalizations & Gestures
Purposeful vocalizations mean that babies engage in vocal play, social exchanges, and early labeling (first word/word approximations) in a meaningful manner.
Beginning in infancy, babies progress through the 5 stages of phonation. Early cries and vocalizations transition into babble and, eventually, words/word approximations.
In addition to vocalizations and word approximations, young children also use gestures such as pointing, reaching, or early sign language.
Initiating Communication
What does communication initiation look like in early childhood?
Vocalizations, yells, gestures, behaviors, throwing toys… how are they seeking others’ attention?
Hint: it doesn’t have to be appropriate [at least, not at first].
VIP of Language Development: The Prelinguistic Skills
Prelinguistic skills are important to a child’s development. Beyond language, these skills also play an important role in cognitive development, and some also influence motor development. The skills are continuous; development should progress over time.
So, if you have a young communicator who doesn’t seem to be making progress or is struggling to meet your expectations on something, check out their prelinguistic skills!
Looking for some activities to promote early communication skills? Be sure to check out my Busy Book of Preschool Concepts!
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