Language for Our Littlest Learners: Building Communication From the Start - post

Learning to talk, listen, and understand #language is a big part of a child’s #early #growth. These skills help children succeed in school, build friendships, and #express their thoughts and feelings. As a child care provider, you #play an important role in helping children #develop strong language and communication skills. Explore practical classroom strategies in our courses Language Development in Early Childhood Buy Now $16.00 and Building Vocabulary Buy Now $16.00.

Why do early language skills matter?

From a baby’s first sounds to a #toddler’s short sentences, early #language-skills are the building blocks for future learning. When children hear and use language often, they become better at thinking, understanding, and connecting with others. Strong language skills help children do well in school and feel more confident in social situations. See evidence-based strategies for building early communication in Scholastic's guide, and read how early language supports later school success in our article How Do Early Language Skills Affect a Child's Success in School?

How can sign language support communication with infants?

Babies can use their hands to communicate before they learn to speak. Teaching simple sign language—like signs for “more,” “milk,” or “all done”—gives infants a reliable means to share needs and choices. That shared intentionality reduces frustration and supports caregiver-child synchrony; for practical early-communication strategies see our article How can we support early communication before children begin talking?.

Using sign language often accelerates expressive vocabulary and supports the development of intentional communication. When paired with rich verbal models, signs scaffold spoken word learning and give teachers an assessment window into a child’s receptive and expressive abilities (see course Recognize, Respond, Respect Buy Now $55.00 for observation-based strategies).

How do you create a language-rich environment?

Children learn language most efficiently when caregivers intentionally embed talk into routines and interactions. You can support their learning by:

• Talking to them throughout the day (for example, narrating care routines and mealtime); see How can everyday conversation in child care encourage early language development?
• Asking open prompts and questions that extend thinking and invite back-and-forth turns
• Reading books together daily and using dialogic reading techniques to build vocabulary
• Singing songs, using rhymes, and playing with phonological patterns to support phonemic awareness
• Using gestures, props, and facial expression to make meaning explicit

These intentional, language-rich interactions help children hear new words in meaningful contexts, practice their use, and develop positive associations with communication.

How can you help children get ready to read?

Reading readiness begins long before formal instruction. It grows from sustained conversation, play with sounds and rhyme, and vocabulary-rich interactions. You can help by:

(Read more about the Science of Reading and early oral-language foundations in The Science of Reading for Our Littlest Learners.)

• Reading different kinds of books
• Showing them letters and words in their daily world (like signs or labels). Using hands-on materials, such as the Montessori Moveable Alphabet, supports phonemic awareness and letter–sound mapping and can be introduced alongside environmental print.
• Letting them tell stories or talk about pictures
• Giving them crayons and paper to draw and scribble

These fun activities help children get ready to read and write later on.

How can you scaffold language during daily routines?

Routines provide repeated, predictable opportunities to model language, build vocabulary, and practice conversational turns. Scaffolded language during routines uses five practical moves: (1) narrate the sequence and name objects and actions; (2) pause to give the child time to respond; (3) expand brief child utterances by adding one or two words; (4) ask a targeted open-ended question that invites description or prediction; (5) embed a short shared book or song that highlights the target vocabulary. For example, during snack: narrate the action (“You are opening the banana”), offer a choice (“Do you want the yellow banana or the red apple?”), expand (“Yes — you want the yellow banana. Bananas are soft.”), and follow with a rhymed line or short song to reinforce form and meaning. These scaffolded turns convert routine moments into systematic learning episodes and give providers frequent, natural assessment data to individualize support.

Practical classroom supports include visual schedules with labeled pictures, choice boards that prompt verbal requests, and choral-rhyme transitions that create predictable phonological practice. See also How can everyday conversation in child care encourage early language development? for additional routines-based strategies.

How can child care providers support Dual Language Learners (DLLs)?

DLLs bring linguistic resources that support cognitive and socio-cultural development; providers should intentionally build on home-language strengths while supporting English acquisition. Effective practices include: creating dual-language labels and displays; inviting families to share songs and stories in the home language; using gestures and translation supports during sensitive teaching moments; and embedding new English vocabulary in play-based contexts so words are tied to meaningful action. Use predictable routines and visuals to scaffold comprehension and avoid isolating children during instruction.

Work with families to map a child’s dominant contexts (home, community) and coordinate vocabulary targets across settings. For professional development, see our course Building Bridges for Dual Language Learners Buy Now $25.00 and our article How can Minnesota child care settings support Dual Language Learners? for concrete classroom strategies and family-partnership tools. For Minnesota-specific licensing and regulatory guidance, consult the Minnesota Department of Human Services; our article linked above summarizes the state's child care licensing considerations and practical compliance steps for classrooms.

What will you learn in the training?

In the “Language Development in Early Childhood Buy Now $16.00” training, you will learn how to:

• Use sign language with babies to help them communicate
• Use different ways to help children talk and understand language
• Understand why early language and literacy skills are important
• Try out simple strategies to support children’s learning every day

How does daily interaction make a difference?

When you support children’s #language- #development, you are helping them grow in many ways. Your daily interactions can help children feel more confident, ready to learn, and able to connect with others. With the right tools and ideas, you can make a big difference in their lives. For additional classroom examples, see How can preschool classrooms best support language development? and How can child care providers best support language development in young children?

Summary: What are the key takeaways?

Early language development emerges from everyday interactions: responsive talk, patterned songs and rhymes, shared reading, and scaffolded routines. Use sign language as a complementary tool for preverbal children, intentionally model and expand vocabulary, and partner with families to support Dual Language Learners. Practical, repeated opportunities—embedded in routines and supported by visuals and songs—build the oral-language foundation that underpins later reading and social success. Consider continuing your professional learning with ChildCareEd courses referenced above to translate these strategies into consistent classroom practice.