Beyond Baby Talk

Book excerpt: Guide your child to effective communication with this fully updated handbook. Language is about so much more than just words, and healthy communication is the foundation of your child’s ability to succeed emotionally, socially, and academically. The first eight years of life are a critical period of language and literacy development, and as a parent, you are your child’s primary role model as he or she begins to acquire speaking, reading, and writing skills. And yet, you may be uncertain of what constitutes typical language progress and of what activities and practices will enhance your child’s learning experiences the most. Fully revised and updated for our modern times, Beyond Baby Talk is here to guide you through the easiest and most engaging ways to instill strong communication skills in your child, and to provide fun for you both along the way. Inside, you’ll find all of the essential steps and checkpoints to help you gauge your child’s progress, as well as easy methods to: • Evaluate and monitor your child’s spoken language development • Enhance your child’s literacy skills for improved spelling, reading, and writing abilities • Understand and navigate environmental influences on language development such as television, texting, and cultural slang • Recognize the signs of language and literacy progress problems—and know when to seek professional help In collaboration with and copyrighted by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) www.asha.org/BeyondBabyTalk