www.minedu.govt.

nz Much More Than Words

Monitoring and encouraging communication
development in early childhood

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 Much More Than Words
Monitoring and encouraging communication
development in early childhood

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 Tohua ngä whakatipuranga
Ki te inu o te puna Mätauranga
Kia hora ai te whakaruruhau
Te ora ki runga i te iwi
Kia kaha, kia toa, kia manawanui

The generation should seek to drink

From the spring of knowledge
That may give shelter and wellbeing to their tribes
Be strong, be brave, be of strong heart

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 Contents Page
Introduction........................................................................................................................... 1
Statement of Belief................................................................................................................................................2
Links with Te Whäriki.............................................................................................................................................2
Objectives...............................................................................................................................................................2
Definitions..............................................................................................................................................................2

HEARING...................................................................................................................................... 3
Hearing and Signs of Hearing Difficulties.............................................................................................................4
General Strategies to Help Children with Hearing Loss ......................................................................................4

LISTENING.................................................................................................................................... 5
Helping Children to Listen.....................................................................................................................................6
Fun Activities to Develop Listening Skills..............................................................................................................6

SPEECH......................................................................................................................................... 9
Speech Sound Development...............................................................................................................................10
Taking a Speech Sample......................................................................................................................................12
Responding to Speech Sound Errors...................................................................................................................13
Fun Activities to Promote Speech Sound Development....................................................................................14
Speech Sound Errors – What to Do and When to Refer.....................................................................................15

LANGUAGE................................................................................................................................. 17
Language Development.......................................................................................................................................18
Social Use of Language........................................................................................................................................20
Making a Communication Observation..............................................................................................................21
Taking a Language Sample..................................................................................................................................23
General Strategies to Encourage Language Development.................................................................................24
Specific Language Development Techniques.....................................................................................................25
Encouraging a Reluctant Speaker to Talk...........................................................................................................26
Language Development – What to Do and When to Refer...............................................................................27

CHILDREN FROM NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING BACKGROUNDS...................................................... 29

Things to Remember When Considering Communication................................................................................30
Non-English Speaking Backgrounds – What to Do and When to Refer............................................................30

VOICE......................................................................................................................................... 31
Voice – What to Look For.....................................................................................................................................32
Voice – What to Do and When to Refer..............................................................................................................33

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 Contents Page (continued)
STUTTERING/DYSFLUENCY......................................................................................................... 35
What is Stuttering/Dysfluency?............................................................................................................................36
Some Strategies to Help Fluency.........................................................................................................................36
Stuttering/Dysfluency – What to Do and When to Refer...................................................................................37

MONITORING AND REFERRAL procedures.............................................................................. 39

Monitoring Communication Checklist................................................................................................................40
Accessing GSE – Making a Referral......................................................................................................................42

REFERENCES............................................................................................................................... 43

INDIVIDUAL RECORD SHEETS AND HANDOUTS FOR PARENTS [POCKET]

Some Ideas to Help with Listening
Ideas to Help with Speech Sounds
Fun Activities to Improve Sound Production
Ideas to Help with Language Development
Ideas to Help Your Child’s Voice
Are you Concerned that Your Child may be Stuttering?
Speech Sample Record Sheet
Communication Observation Sample Record Sheet
Language Sample Record Sheet
Monitoring Communication Checklist

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 Much More Than Words
Introduction
Statement of Belief
Links with Te Whäriki
Objectives
Definitions

INTRODUCTION 1

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 Introduction
Statement of Belief
“Communication is vital for children to be able to contribute their strengths and interests, to find out what
they want to know, and to take increasing responsibility for their own learning and care.” (Te Whäriki)

Links with Te Whäriki

The material in this publication is grounded in the four principles and five strands of Te Whäriki. Whilst
communication is a strand in its own right in Te Whäriki, educators will be aware that communication is an
integral part of the other four strands.

Much More Than Words is based on the belief that every child needs opportunities to develop essential
communication skills. Te Whäriki is the framework for early childhood education centres to provide these
opportunities for all children.

Much More Than Words provides strategies for early childhood educators to help children who need
additional support.

Much More Than Words will help early childhood educators identify the children requiring additional
specialist support.

Objectives
Much More Than Words will:

raise educators’ awareness of normal communication development

build educator confidence in the ability to reassure parents when there is not a problem
assist educators to identify potential communication difficulties
provide educators with strategies to meet the needs of individuals with communication difficulties
establish effective collaborative practices between educators, parents and Ministry of Education,
Special Education (GSE) Early Intervention teams.

Definitions
Learning to talk involves the development and interaction of many different skills. Although all the elements
of communication are inextricably linked, they fall into four broad areas:

Speech Sounds – the sounds and sequences of sounds that are used for talking. The coordination and
strength of mouth muscles is an important factor in speech production
Language – the words and patterns of words that are used to relate meaning and to communicate ideas
and thoughts. Language includes things such as: sentence length, vocabulary, grammar, understanding
of what is said and the social use of language for example, greeting, staying on topic, asking and
answering questions
Voice – the sound made by the vocal folds (cords) vibrating. Voice includes volume, pitch, resonance,
intonation and overall quality
Fluency – the smooth, rapid, effortless use of speech and language. ‘Dysfluency’ is stuttering.

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 Much More Than Words
Hearing
Hearing and Signs of Hearing Difficulties
General Strategies to Help Children with Hearing Loss

HEARING 3

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 Hearing and Signs of Hearing Difficulties
Hearing is a critical part of a child’s development. Even a mild or fluctuating hearing loss can affect a child’s
speech and language development. Early detection makes early treatment and prevention possible. Signs
of hearing difficulties include:

lack of response to everyday sounds

difficulty in locating the source of sounds
a delay in understanding and using language
inattentive and unfocused behaviour
constantly asking for what is said to be repeated
mispronouncing words slightly by confusing sounds
behavioural problems
staring at people’s mouths when they talk
speaking very loudly.

General Strategies to Help Children

with Hearing Loss
Testing for Hearing Loss
There are different types of hearing loss. Some are caused by problems in the outer and/or middle ear
eg, wax build-up, otitis media (glue ear). Other hearing losses are owing to damage to the inner ear.

There are two main types of tests used to investigate hearing. A tympanogram is a procedure that can show
how well the ear drum moves. It is helpful in identifying middle ear problems such as glue ear.

NOTE: A child may have a normal tympanogram but still have difficulties hearing.

Audiologists test for damage to the inner ear.

If you are concerned about a child’s hearing make a referral for a hearing assessment as soon as possible.

If you have a child in your centre with an identified hearing loss make sure the Advisor on Deaf Children at
your local GSE office has been notified. The advisor will be able to give specific advice related to the child’s
particular type and severity of hearing loss.

Strategies to Help
Gain the child’s attention by saying his/her name first before speaking.
When it is culturally appropriate, gain eye contact with the child before speaking.
Keep a listening distance of within two metres.
Be aware of background noise.
If the child has not heard you, rephrase what you said rather than repeating word for word.
Check the child’s understanding of instructions by asking a question like “What will you do now?”
not “Did you hear me?” and not “Do you understand?”
Use a clear voice with normal intonation. Never shout or speak too loudly as this distorts the sound.
Face the child while you are speaking.
Ensure light is on your face while you are speaking.
If you are unsure about the best way to help a child with hearing loss in your centre contact an Advisor
on Deaf Children at GSE.

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 Much More Than Words
Listening
Helping Children to Listen
Fun Activities to Develop Listening Skills

LISTENING 5

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 Helping Children to Listen
Some children have trouble tuning in, understanding and remembering what is said to them. Applying
the following strategies will help with listening:

make sure that you have the child’s attention. Be aware of distractions, particularly when the child
needs to concentrate on what you are saying
if it is culturally appropriate, establish eye contact and stand or sit close to the child when you speak
slow down your rate of speech. Pause to give the child time to think before responding
repeat or rephrase your message when the child does not understand
speak clearly. Use gestures, pauses and inflection to emphasise the message
model good listening behaviours. Take the time to listen. Stop what you are doing and give your
full attention as you listen. Set aside specific times for sharing conversation and interacting with
individual children
simplify the language of your message. Use clear and concise vocabulary and sentence structure. If the
message is too difficult to understand the child will stop listening.

Fun Activities to Develop Listening Skills

The following are a few starter ideas for listening activities adapted from Listening with Kids by Linda Serway.

Tuning In
Listening Walk
Go for a ten minute ‘listening walk’ with a child or group of children. See how many noises you can identify
together. It may help to stop, close your eyes and listen. What is making the noise? Where is it? Is it loud
or quiet?

Rhyming
Say a word and see how many rhyming words the children can think of. Some starter words are; boat, toe,
cat, lake, cook, wig, chin, clock.

Louder – Softer
Play a song on the cd player. Ask the children to listen as you turn the volume up and down. Tell them to
stand up when the sound increases and to squat down when the volume goes down.

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 Listening to Remember
Farmer, Farmer I Can Hear
Talk about animals you would see on a farm. Identify the sounds they make. Clap and chant in rhythm
“Farmer, farmer I can hear, all the animals you have near”. Make the sound of an animal. Repeat the chant
and the animal sound, then add a second animal sound. Have the children repeat the chant and sound
sequence correctly before adding a new animal sound.

Shopping List
The same kind of game can be played as a shopping list – “I went to town and I bought a…” with each child
trying to remember what came before and taking a turn to add something to the list.

Story Time
Select a story at the child’s language and interest level. Read the story aloud. At the end of each page or
paragraph stop to ask questions. Ask the child to tell you what just happened in the story. Follow the story
with questions relating to the sequence of events.

Listening to Understand
What’s in the Bag?
Fill a bag with everyday objects. Choose an item and without showing the children, describe three or four
details about it – colour, size, texture, shape, function. Ask the children to guess what it is you are holding.
This is also a good expressive language activity when you reverse roles and ask the children to describe what
they are holding.

Find It
Look around the room and think of something you can describe by location; for example, the fishbowl.
Give the child three clues about how to find it – “it’s at the back of the room, it’s on the table, there’s a net
beside it”.

Who Am I?
Talk about different kinds of jobs that people have. Choose an occupation. Give the child two or three clues
about that job. For example, ‘Postie’ – “I ride a bike, I carry lots of letters, I see a lot of houses every day…”

LISTENING 7

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 Much More Than Words
Speech
Speech Sound Development
Taking a Speech Sample
Responding to Speech Sound Errors
Fun Activities to Promote Speech Sound Development
Speech Sound Errors – What to Do and When to Refer

SPEECH 9

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 Speech Sound Development
There is a wide range of what is considered normal in a child’s acquisition of speech sounds. Children’s
ability to use different speech sounds normally develops in an order related to how hard the sounds are
to make.

Some consonant sounds such as ‘b’ and ‘m’, are easy to make and are typically among the first to be
achieved. More complex movements are required for sounds such as ‘ch’ and blends of two sounds like ‘sp’
and ‘fl’ – these sounds generally develop later on. The chart on page 11 is a guide to the approximate ages
by which most children have developed each sound.

Many vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u) are used by two and a half years. All should be achieved by four years.
Children from non-English speaking backgrounds may carry an accent on the vowel sounds.

Individual Sound Errors

The types of errors a child may make include:

changing a sound to another English sound for example, ‘car’ to ‘tar’; ‘fire’ to ‘pire’; ‘sun’ to ‘dun’
distorting a sound to a non-English sound for example, a ‘slushy’ ‘s’ or a nasal ‘snort’. The substitution
of a non-English sound is an error that does not usually resolve spontaneously.

Patterns of Sound Changes

As well as having difficulties with individual sounds, children often use patterns of ‘shortcuts’ to make words
easier for them to say. These patterns are called ‘phonological processes’ and there are many different
types. You may have heard the following common processes in a young child’s speech:

leaving out the final consonant in a word; for example, ‘ca’ for ‘cat’
dropping unstressed syllables for example, ‘nana’ for ‘banana’; ‘sketti’ for ‘spaghetti’
repeating the first syllable of a word for example, ‘bobo’ for ‘bottle’.

These three patterns usually stop by three and a half years. Some patterns may persist for longer such as
reducing sound clusters to one sound for example, ‘pug’ for ‘plug’.

Intelligibility Norms
Sometimes a child may be able to produce a range of sounds within normal age limits, but overall it is still
hard to understand them. The following is a guide to the approximate level of intelligibility expected:

By age two years 25% intelligible – understood by closest family members

By age three years understood by adults who live or work with children

By age four years 90% intelligible – understood by wider population.

For more information go to:

www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/library/23_factsheet.pdf or Bowen, C. (2006).
Speech Intelligibility from 12 to 48 months. www.speech-language-therapy.com/intelligibility.htm

Oral Motor Control – control of muscles of the mouth such as lips and tongue
The muscles used for speech are the same as those required for sucking, eating and saliva control. Children
with speech difficulties sometimes have problems with the strength, movement and/or coordination of
these muscles.

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 When do Sounds Develop?
This chart shows the range of ages at which children typically acquire consonant sounds. The end of each
bar represents the age by which most children have achieved each sound (Adapted from Sander, E.K. When
are speech sounds learned? Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 1972, 31, 62. Some examples of
consonant blend acquisition have been added from Templin Darley, 1947).

Speech Sound Development Chart

Age in years
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

ng

f
y

s st sp sm sn sk

gl bl pl

ch

sh

br tr dr

th

SPEECH 11

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 Taking a Speech Sample
Speech samples can help you to ‘tune in’ to a child’s speech. Write down words exactly as the child pronounces
them. A speech sample can be taken by listening to the child’s speech during everyday conversation or by
asking the child to name pictures or objects containing the target sound. Remember that you are listening
for sounds not letters. Be careful to write the child’s production of the word in a way which you will be able
to interpret accurately at a later date. If the child is substituting a non-English sound for the target sound,
note this and try to describe that sound.

Speech Sample Record Sheet

Child’s Name: Date of Birth:

Context: Date of Sample:

TARGET WORD HOW IT SOUNDED SOUND CHANGE COMMENTS

eg, ‘fire’ ‘pire’ ‘f’ to ‘p’

Check any errors against the Speech Sound Development Chart. Is it within normal age limits for the
child to be making errors on that sound at their age? Is the child using a ‘shortcut’ pattern?
How intelligible are they overall?

COMMENTS

Sample Taken By:

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 Responding to Speech Sound Errors
Remember that learning to use speech sounds takes time and there is a natural sequence of development.
A child who is making speech sound errors is not being naughty or lazy.

You can correct the child’s sounds quite naturally within a conversation. When you hear an error, repeat
the word correctly within the conversation so that the child can compare his/her pronunciation with
yours eg,
Child “I see a bish!”.
Adult “Yes I see a fish … wow…… It’s a big fish….The fish is swimming”.

You can emphasise the error sound if you like, but the child should not be required to repeat the word
or produce the sound correctly. You are simply giving a good speech model.

Remember, responding to what the child is saying is more important than responding to how it
is said.

Have fun playing with sounds.

SPEECH 13

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 Fun Activities to Promote Speech Sound
Development
All the sounds that are used in English can be practised in play. The more these sounds are practised and
refined, the clearer they will become in speech. You might like to try some of these activities at mat-time,
with small groups, or with individual children as part of other activities. Exaggerate both the sounds and
your facial expression to give a clear model for the children to imitate. Remember, you are making the
sound, not saying the letter ie, ‘mmm’ not ‘em’.

B SH

a boat that goes bbb as it chugs along tell people to be quiet

a ball that bounces bbb look the baby’s sleeping – sh
try peek-a-boo or something that says ‘boo’
S
P
a snake sound
making a paper person bend over by whispering the sound of air coming out of a tyre
a ‘p’ sound filling up a car with petrol
blowing out candles
Z
blowing bubbles

M bees or other flying insects can go zzz

G
a car or trolley that goes mmmm
things that taste yummy – mmm a noisy drinker goes ggg
T give dolls a drink or pretend to drink from
a cup going ggg
tapping a hammer on anything
K
a dripping tap goes ttt
a ticking clock the click of a camera as a photo is taken
D
Other sound sequences can be used to practise
pretend to be banging a drum ddd vowel sounds and assist younger children to gain
F control over their lips and tongues.

animal noises
imitate a rabbit’s teeth fff
phone ringing – brring brring
a sky rocket as it fizzes up fff
exaggerated laughing – ho ho hee he ha ha
V exaggerated crying – boo hoo
something’s wrong or broken – uh oh, oh no
a noisy plane, truck or car goes vvvvvv big smiles – eee
fish face, hooting like an owl ooo
CH
blowing kisses
the train goes ch ch ch toot toot

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 Speech Sound Errors – What to Do and
When to Refer
Discuss concern with Parent/Caregiver

Has hearing been checked?

If not, refer for hearing assessment

Speech Sounds
Take speech sample and consider overall intelligibility.
Compare to developmental norms:
Speech sound development chart (page 11).
Intelligibility norms (page 10).
Patterns of sound changes (page 10).
How does the child’s speech compare with these norms?

NO CONCERN SOME CONCERN VERY CONCERNED

Give parents handout Give parents handout

Some ideas to help Some ideas to help
with speech sounds. with speech sounds.
Implement strategies Implement strategies
in centre. in centre.
Complete monitoring Complete monitoring
communication communication
checklist. checklist.
Monitor for Monitor for
three months. three months.

Has there been a

significant improvement?

Continue to monitor YES NO REFER

SPEECH 15

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 Refer if:
the child is only using vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u ) and no consonants after age one
the child’s speech is well outside of the range of normal in terms of; speech sound development, use of
‘shortcuts’, or intelligibility (see norms)
the child is making ‘non-English’ speech sound distortions
after age two the child has difficulty coordinating the mouth movements required for speech and/or
produces words with sounds in the wrong order eg, ‘puc’ for ‘cup’
the child has difficulty chewing, sucking, or drools excessively (not only when teething).

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 Much More Than Words
Language
Language Development
Social Use of Language
Making a Communication Observation
Taking a Language Sample
General Strategies to Encourage Language Development
Specific Language Development Techniques
Encouraging a Reluctant Speaker to Talk
Language Development – What to Do and When to Refer

LANGUAGE 17

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 Language Development
There is a wide range of what is considered to be normal in a child’s language development. No two children
say or understand exactly the same things at the same ages. However, there is a series of language stages
that most children pass through. The following provides a guide to the ages and stages of development. It is
a representative sample of things to consider and is not intended as an exhaustive list of skills at each age.

Expressive and Receptive Language Checklist

Birth – 12 Months 12 months onwards

begins to understand how to affect others
(adapted from ‘Exchanges 2’ – Department of
learning words that are most meaningful
Education, Queensland, Australia)
communicates to be social, to ask and to show
3-6 months
attends to surroundings
One to Three Years
looks and listens
follows movement with eyes By 18 Months
looks at people single word stage… uses up to 50 words

smiles jargon common eg, unintelligible made-up

words or sentences
cries
word strings eg, mum… car… keys
makes throaty sounds
pseudo two-word utterances eg, allgone
6-8 months dances or bounces to music
attends to one thing at a time follows simple one-step commands; eg, pick
begins to learn how one thing affects another up the cup (situation, gesture and intonation
early turn-taking with actions eg, smiling in clues are important for understanding)
response to adult greetings looks at person talking
understands general meaning carried identifies object in a book
by intonation looks for objects that are out of sight
laughing, crying, cooing, babbling
By Two Years
8-12 months two words together eg, bye teddy, daddy gone,
imitates adults’ behaviour eg, waving more drink
has understanding of object permanence uses words to request desired objects rather
(looks for things which are out of sight) than just to name
understands because of clues from situation can ask questions – what’s that? Where?
enjoys repetitive games like peek-a-boo answers question – what’s this?
turn-taking with sounds names objects and pictures spontaneously
develops intention to communicate responds to simple two part instructions
initiates interaction eg, put teddy in the bed
‘talks’ to adults using sound combinations uses negatives… no
babbling, experimenting with sounds points to some body parts when asked
eg, eyes, ears, nose
use of jargon decreases

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 By Three Years By Five Years
uses sentences of three or more words – not uses complete sentences – minor grammatical
grammatically correct or complete eg, me immaturities are common; eg, runned, mouses
push car has basic understanding of concepts related to
has a vocabulary of several hundred words number, size, weight, colour, texture, distance,
talks about things not present eg, things that position and time – understands the concepts
happened in the past of tallest, biggest, same, more, on, in, under
uses some adjectives (eg, big) and adverbs understands the order of daily routines
(eg, fast) eg, breakfast before lunch, lunch before
talks about the actions of others dinner, dinner before bedtime
adds information to that of others adapts language to listener’s level of
asks an increasing number of questions understanding eg, to baby sister: daddy go
bye-bye; to mother: daddy went to the shop to
answers questions eg, what’s daddy doing?
get a paper
Where?
asks and answers who, what, when, why and
refers to self with full name
where questions
enjoys repeating words and sounds
follows two unrelated directions eg, put your
imitates simple actions
milk on the table and get your coat on
can listen attentively to short stories and books
refers increasingly to the activities of others
links past and present events
Four to Five Years asks meanings of words – tries to use new
By Four Years words, not always correctly
sentences become increasingly complex classification skills and reasoning ability
– expansion in the number of words are developing
per sentence
great increase in the number and type of
words used
answers whose, who and why questions
uses location words – in, on, under
refers increasingly to events and objects in the
past or future
understands some concepts of time such as
now, soon, and later
asks who, what, where, and why questions
recognises common everyday sounds
carries out series of two related commands
eg, put your fork down and pick up your spoon
can identify some objects by use eg, which one
do we write with?

LANGUAGE 19

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 Social Use of Language
A child’s ability to use language socially is an important skill which, just like other language components,
develops gradually over time. Communication involves much more than words and there is a lot for a child
to learn. The social nature of language is reflected within all strands of Te Whäriki.
Social Use of Language

Well Being Children develop confidence and ability in expressing

thoughts and feelings effectively and appropriately.

Belonging Children become confident in identifying themselves

and in understanding and conveying information about their family
and community.

Contribution Children are helped to convey and receive ideas,

feelings and information in different cultural and social contexts.

Exploration Children convey and receive information and ideas with

increasing purpose, accuracy and confidence.

Communication Children gain an increasing ability to convey and

receive information, instructions and ideas effectively and confidently by
listening, speaking, and using visual language in a range of contexts.

Social Use of Language Checklist

Before Age Two Years
Children’s use of language is usually erratic and disjointed. The child is not yet aware of the listener’s needs
and will often talk about things of which the listener has no experience or knowledge. Parents and other
conversation partners usually end up doing most of the ‘work’ in making sense of the interactions.

By Age Three Years

The child has learned many things about conversations. The child will initiate dialogue and has learned
how to obtain and hold a listener’s attention. Conversational turn-taking is developing. Knowledge of how
to respond to someone is also growing eg, answering simple questions with appropriate answers.

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 From Age Three to Five Years
This is a period of great development of social language skills. There is a big increase in awareness of social
factors which make for a successful conversation eg, correct forms of address and polite terms such as
‘please and sorry’. The child learns to anticipate when the conversation might break down eg, they may
repeat utterances which are unclear.

Making a Communication Observation

Making a record of a child’s communication skills can be useful. Observe the child in a range of situations
eg, during mat-time, indoor and outdoor play, with friends, with adults, during group activities. You may
want to comment on the child’s ability to: establish eye contact, initiate and maintain conversations, ask
and respond to questions.

Observation Sample Record Sheet

Child’s Name: Date of Birth:

Date:

RECORD OBSERVATIONS HERE

LANGUAGE 21

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 PARENT/CAREGIVER COMMENTS

How does this child’s communication compare with the norms and expectations for
his/her age and culture?

Observations made by:

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 Taking a Language Sample
A language sample focuses mainly on expressive language, what the child is actually saying, and should be
considered as part of the child’s communication.

Record your observation at a time when the child is talking to other children or to adults. Write down
everything the child says for about 10 minutes. Make sure you record only the words the child actually says (it
can be easy to mistakenly add in words). It may be easier to tape-record the child’s language and transcribe
it later. As this is a language sample you are focusing only on the words said, not the pronunciation of them.
While taking the sample try to be as unobtrusive as possible. You may be able to sit somewhere within
earshot without the child being aware of what you are doing.

Language Sample Record Sheet

Child’s Name: Date of Birth:

Context:

Date of Sample:
For example, playing with toys, talking to peer, helping with cooking etc

RECORD OBSERVATIONS HERE

Sample taken by:

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 General Strategies to Encourage
Language Development
Use meaningful language and activities:
always follow the child’s lead and comment about the activities or topic he/she is focusing on at the
time. Language is learned best when it is interesting and relevant.
Be aware of background noise and distractions:
children’s ability to ‘tune in’ to something is reduced when there are other things competing for
their attention.
Gain their attention before speaking:
this can be by speaking their name or, when culturally appropriate, a touch or establishing
eye contact.
Keep it short and simple:
use language at the appropriate level of complexity eg, if a child is only speaking in single words, your
utterances should be at the same level or slightly longer, two words. Eg, ‘car’ or ‘red car’.
Use specific vocabulary:
keep your utterances clear and succinct. A child is more likely to respond appropriately if you tell them,
“put your cup on the bench”, rather than “put it over there”.
Create the need to talk:
ensure that talking is necessary for the child. While we are often able to anticipate or identify the child’s
need, wait until an attempt to verbalise the problem is made before responding.
Allow time to respond:
pause for longer than is usual. Give the child an opportunity to reply to you.
Give positive reinforcement:
always reward communication attempts by responding to the child’s intended meaning even if the
form of communication is not correct.
Repeat, repeat, repeat:
children need to hear the same language many times before they will remember it or use
it themselves.
Reduce the number of questions:
try to keep the number of questions you ask the child to a minimum, especially those requiring just
one-word answers such as, “What’s this?” Instead, focus on feeding in language by making comments
about what you and/or the child are doing.

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 Specific Language Development Techniques
While the following are useful techniques to use with all children in a centre they can make a particular
difference when used in a focused way with an individual child.

Commenting
Talk about what you and the child are doing.
Focus on what the child is doing, not saying.
Speak to the child at his/her language level or just above it.
Simplify your language to short, simple but complete sentences so the child can understand everything
that is said.
Talk about things happening here and now.
Remember, you are commenting, not asking questions.

Expansion
You are now expanding the child’s talking to a more adult form. This technique does not require the child
to talk. You are modelling language to help them move forward in their language development. The child
is not required to repeat your expansion.

car a car

them pigs they’re pigs

want drink want a drink

truck red truck or the truck is going.

The following techniques require only a minimal response and may be useful to encourage language from
a reluctant speaker.

Choice Questions
This technique demands a response from the child.
The child is given two alternatives using questions.
This is a useful technique to elicit one-word responses or complex sentences eg,

“Is he walking or running?”

“Is it in or on?”

“Is he sitting in the tree or climbing up the tree?”

Be sure to use questions at the language level of the child.

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 Sentence Completion
This technique demands a response by requiring the child to complete your sentence.

You can use this technique from single words through to phrases eg,

The boy is in the …… “bath”

The boy is in ……. “the bath”

The boy is ……. “in the bath”

Help the child finish the sentence by using gestures and facial expression.
Remember, only use this technique to elicit words/phrases you know the child already knows.

Encouraging a Reluctant Speaker to Talk

Many children arriving in new situations are reluctant to talk. It is normal for a child to take time to feel
comfortable in a new setting. Speaking requires confidence, especially in front of a group.

It is important to give the child time for settling in without pressure to communicate verbally. However,
we hope that, sooner or later, the child will want to share and respond. The following are suggestions to
encourage a reluctant speaker to start talking:

focus on encouraging, not forcing, the child to speak. Pressures, including punishment, bribery or
consequences, don’t work. Keep oral language times fun
avoid direct questions. If you must ask a question try to make it a simple yes or no and accept a
nod or shake of the head initially. Children are more likely to offer speech when they feel all their
communication attempts are accepted
remember that some children are naturally less talkative than others
create a verbal climate around the child by talking with someone nearby, by commenting in a low-key
way on what s/he is doing and moving on before there is pressure on the child to respond
help the child to take small gradual steps towards speaking in front of others. Once a child is beginning
to use single words in a one-to-one setting encourage them to talk in a small group. Wait until the child
feels comfortable speaking in a small group before building up to a larger group
reinforce the child’s talking by responding positively to the meaning rather than giving direct praise or
drawing attention to the child.

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 Language Development – What to Do and
When to Refer

Discuss concern with Parent/Caregiver

Has hearing been checked?

If not, refer for hearing assessment

Language development
Make communication observation language and/or take language sample and compare
to development norms:
Expressive and Receptive Language Checklist (pages 18-19).
Social Use of Language Checklist (page 20).

NO CONCERN SOME CONCERN VERY CONCERNED

Give parents handouts Give parents handouts

Some ideas to help Some ideas to help
with Language with Language
Development. Development.
Some ideas to help Some ideas to help
with Speech Sounds with Speech Sounds.
Implement strategies
in centre.
Complete monitoring
communication
checklist.

Has there been a

significant improvement?

Continue to monitor YES NO REFER

Refer if:
the child shows deviation or a delay of more than 6-12 months from the Intelligibility Norms
the child’s language compares adequately with age norms but your overall impression causes you to
remain concerned about the child’s communication.

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 28 Much More Than Words

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 Much More Than Words
Children From
Non-English Speaking
Backgrounds
Things to Remember When Considering Communication
Non-English Speaking Backgrounds – What to Do and
When to Refer

CHILDREN FROM NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING BACKGROUNDS 29

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 Children from Non-English Speaking
Backgrounds
Children follow different paths to second language acquisition and the stages they pass through can vary
quite widely. The following are some very general guidelines.

Children can be expected to go through some periods of mixing their two (or more) languages. This
may happen within the same sentence. It occurs because vocabulary may exist in one language but not
in the other. Also, words from one language may convey a message that is not easily translated into the
other language.
Children may not be equally skilled in both languages. It is common for there to be greater
understanding than actual use of one language.
There may be periods when one language is used more than the other.

Things to Remember when

Considering Communication
For new children in a centre, from a non-English speaking background, everything may be unfamiliar.
Cultural differences may mean the child’s interaction style differs from that of other children in
your centre.
Bilingual acquisition is facilitated if children have sustained, rich and varied experiences in both languages.
Parents can facilitate bilingual proficiency by using the language they know best and by using it in
varied and extensive ways.

Non-English Speaking Backgrounds –

What to Do and When to Refer
Discuss any concerns with parents/caregivers. It is very important to find out how well the child is
communicating in their first language. You may need assistance to do this if the parents/caregivers have
English as a second or third language.
If the parents/caregivers report there is no problem with the first language it is likely that the English
difficulties are related to the ‘newness’ of the language. With continued exposure to English and plenty
of language stimulation, English proficiency should grow over time.
If there is concern about the child’s use of their first language, it is more likely there could be a general
language delay or disorder. In this case follow the same set of procedures as recommended for language
delay in monolingual children.

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 Much More Than Words
Voice
Voice – What to Look For
Voice – What to Do and When to Refer

VOICE 31

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 Voice – What to Look For
Some Strategies
Volume, pitch and quality are all aspects of speaking related to the voice. Some possible problems include:

a voice which is frequently or constantly hoarse (even when the child doesn’t have a cold)
a voice which is excessively loud or quiet
any other voice quality which sounds particularly unusual eg, very nasal.

If the Child has a Hoarse Voice

A hoarse voice is often a result of the child giving their voice box ‘a hard time’ for example, by yelling a
lot, making a lot of ‘growly’ or animal noises, using a pitch that is much higher or lower than their natural
pitch. Although these types of voices can cause some damage to the vocal cords this is usually temporary.
Encourage these strategies to reduce the behaviour and monitor for two to three months before referring:

encourage the child to take regular drinks of water. This helps to ‘oil’ the vocal cords and helps them to
work together smoothly
discourage the child from making a lot of animal or ‘growly’ noises, such as roaring like a lion, making
machine noises, high pitched squeaking etc. This type of voice use can strain the vocal cords
discourage the child from yelling or screaming during play. Suggest alternative activities which do not
involve the use of a loud voice
praise the child for using a quiet voice
instead of calling out across a room, encourage the child to come closer
reduce background noise (TV, radio, open window) when you are listening to the child so there is no
need for raised voices
model good voice use. Demonstrate the way to care for a voice by doing the things listed yourself.

If the Child Speaks too Loudly

Praise the child for using a quiet voice eg, “I really like it when you use that quiet voice”.
Give your full attention when the child is talking to you so that voices do not have to be raised.
Encourage the child to come closer to the person s/he wants to speak to instead of calling out across a
room. Praise the child for doing this.
Reduce background noise (TV, radio, open window) when you are listening to the child so that voices
do not have to be raised.
Model a quiet voice.

If the Child Speaks Very Quietly

Praise the child for using a louder voice eg, “I really like the way you used a bigger voice that time –
it was really easy to hear what you were saying”.
Respond to the meaning of what the child is saying more than to how it is said.
Encourage and praise the child for non-speaking activities – build his/her confidence as much
as possible.

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 If the Child has a Very Unusual Voice Quality
Encourage the parents/caregivers to discuss the child’s voice quality with their doctor.
If you are unsure about the child’s voice and whether you should refer, phone GSE and discuss whether
referral is appropriate.

Voice – What to Do and When to Refer

Concern regarding child’s voice

Discuss with Parent/Caregiver

Has hearing been checked?

If not, refer for hearing assessment.

Voice Quality Voice Loudness Abnormal Voice Quality

eg, child’s voice is hoarse/ the child is speaking eg, child sounds like they are
husky or child ‘loses’ voice. excessively loudly or quietly. talking through their nose, or
The child may be straining always sounds like they have
to speak. a bad cold.

Give parents/caregivers Suggest discussing with

handout Ideas to Help Family GP – check out
Your Child’s Voice. tonsils, adenoids.
Implement voice care
strategies in Centre.
Monitor for three
months.

Has there been a

significant improvement?

Continue to monitor, refer

if there is no improvement YES NO REFER
over two months.

VOICE 33

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 34 Much More Than Words

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 Much More Than Words
Stuttering/Dysfluency
What is Stuttering/Dysfluency
Some Strategies to Help Fluency
Stuttering/Dysfluency – What to Do and When to Refer

STUTTERING/DYSFLUENCY 35

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 What is Stuttering/Dysfluency
Fluency refers to the way words flow easily and naturally. Dysfluency (stuttering) refers to speech disruptions
such as:

repetitions of sounds or syllables eg, pa..pa..pa..paper, super..super..super..supermarket

prolongations of sounds eg, mmmmmy…
periods during which speech production is blocked with no sound coming out – the words seem to
get stuck.

During a dysfluent moment some children may make face or body movements such as: grimacing,
eye-rolling, blinking or foot stamping. Some dysfluent children will use a lot of extra filler words like ‘you’
and ‘ah’.

Note – that the terms ‘stuttering’, ‘stammering’ and ‘dysfluency’ refer to the same thing.

When to be Concerned?
Many children go through a period of what is known as ‘normal nonfluency’. This often occurs when
their language is rapidly developing and they have a lot to say. They are beginning to talk more like an
adult but are not quite ready to do so. This results in repetitions, hesitations and reformulations. ‘Normal
non-fluency’ is a stage that most children will move through without any cause for concern. However,
referral is appropriate if:

there is a family history of stuttering

the child shows signs of struggle when trying to get the words out eg, stamping feet, grimacing
the period of non-fluency persists for longer than three months
the child shows signs of anxiety or frustration about speech
the length of each block, hesitation or repetition is more than just a fleeting moment.

Some Strategies to Help Fluency

Follow the child’s lead in play and conversation.
Speak more slowly yourself.
Increase pauses – give the child time to respond.
Try not to ask the child too many questions.
Use short, simple sentences.
Maintain eye contact.
Do not interrupt the child or finish sentences for him/her.
Discourage others from teasing or laughing at the child.
Praise the child for fluent speech eg, “Wow, that was really smooth talking – well done!”

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 Stuttering/Dysfluency – What to Do and
When to Refer
Concern raised that child may be stuttering

Discuss with Parent/Caregiver

Are any of the following present? Give handout

The child has been stuttering for three or more months. to parents.

Family history of stuttering. Implement

strategies which
The child shows signs of struggle as s/he tries to get YES help the child’s
words out; eg, stamping feet, grimacing. fluency in
The child shows signs of anxiety or frustration Centre.
about speech.
The length of each ‘block’ is longer than just a
fleeting moment.

Give handout to parent/caregiver. REFER

Implement strategies to help the child’s fluency in Centre.
Fill out monitoring form. Monitor for three months.

Has the stuttering significantly improved or resolved? NO REFER

YES

Continue to monitor

STUTTERING/DYSFLUENCY 37

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 38 Much More Than Words

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 Much More Than Words
Monitoring and
Referral Procedures
Monitoring Communication Checklist
Accessing GSE – Making a Referral

MONITORING AND REFERRAL PROCEDURES 39

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 Monitoring Communication Checklist
Child’s Name: Date of Birth:

Date of Enrolment: Date:

Name of Centre:
Staff member completing form:

Concern raised with regard to: Concern raised by:

Voice Centre staff

Stuttering Parent/caregiver

Language Other

Speech sounds

Briefly describe concern:

Action taken:

Speech sample taken (attach) Referred for hearing assessment

Handout given to parent Language sample taken (attach)

Communication observation completed (attach) Other

Plan:

Monitor for …… weeks/months No further action

Review date / / Refer to GSE

Diaried

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 Planned strategies to help during monitoring period:

Outcome of review:

Signed by (Staff member): Date:

Signed by (Parent/caregiver): Date:

MONITORING AND REFERRAL PROCEDURES 41

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 Accessing GSE – Making a Referral
Please ensure that you have parent/caregiver permission before referring to GSE.

National Office Waikato District Office Taranaki District Office Otago District Office
4th Floor St Pauls Square Blg Ken Browne Drive Level 4, Tasman Towers Public Trust Building
45-47 Pipitea Street PO Box 774 52-58 Gill Street 414 Moray Place
Thorndon Hamilton, 3240 PO Box 8158 PO Box 5147
Wellington, 6011 Ph: 07 850 8880 New Plymouth, 4342 Dunedin, 9058
Ph: 04 463 8910 Fax: 07 850 8998 Ph: 06 758 7858 Ph: 03 471 5200
Fax: 04 463 8254 Fax: 06 758 4135 Fax: 03 479 0541
Bay of Plenty East District
Tai Tokerau District Office Office Central District Office Southland District Office
10 Awaroa River Road Level 3, Regency House Cnr Fitzherbert Ave & 190 Forth Street
PO Box 911 1 Elizabeth Street Ferguson Street PO Box 887
Whangarei, 0140 Tauranga, 3110 PO Box 758 Invercargill, 9840
Ph: 09 436 8900 Ph: 07 571 7800 Palmerston North, 4440 Ph: 03 218 2442
Fax: 09 436 8902 Fax: 07 571 7864 Ph: 06 358 3026 Fax: 03 218 2171
Fax: 06 358 9590
Northwest District Office Bay of Plenty West District
129-155 Hurstmere Road Office Greater Wellington
PO Box 33 137 Level 3, 1144 Pukaki Street District Office
Takapuna PO Box 701 Level 2, 19 Market Grove
Auckland, 0740 Rotorua, 3040 PO Box 30 177
Ph: 09 487 1100 Ph: 07 348 5145 Lower Hutt, 5040
Fax: 09 487 1187 Fax: 07 349 2560 Ph: 04 439 4600
Fax: 04 570 3667
Manukau District Office Gisborne District Office
492 Great South Road 2nd Floor Tower Building Marlborough/Nelson/West
PO Box 22 420 Cnr Gladstone Road & Coast District Office
Otahuhu Grey Street Level 3, Aon House
Auckland, 1640 PO Box 658 241 Hardy Street
Ph: 09 270 4489 Gisborne, 4040 PO Box 282
Fax: 09 270 2531 Ph: 06 868 0120 Nelson, 7040
Fax: 06 868 0121 Ph: 03 546 3470
Auckland City District Office Fax: 03 539 1501
Eden 5 Building Hawke’s Bay District Office
12-18 Normanby Road Heretaunga House Canterbury District Office
Mt Eden Cnr Warren Street & 39 Princess Street
Private Bag 92 644 Lyndon Road Addington
Symonds Street PO Box 1248 PO Box 2522
Auckland, 1150 Hastings, 4156 Christchurch, 8140
Ph: 09 632 9400 Ph: 06 870 9750 Ph: 03 378 7300
Fax: 09 632 9401 Fax: 06 870 9789 Fax: 03 378 7302

Free information line: 0800 622 222

Email: [email protected]
Website: www.minedu.govt.nz

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 Much More Than Words
References

REFERENCES 43

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 References
Children’s Development Birth to Seven Years ASHA. Let’s Talk Series, 47. Children and Bilingualism.
www.kidsource.com/ASHA/bilingual.html
Bernthal, J. E., & Bankson, N.W. (1998). Articulation and Phonological Disorders.
USA.: Allyn and Bacon.
Bowen, C. (1998). Typical speech development: The gradual aquisition of the speech sound system.
www.speech-language-therapy.com/acquisition.html
Clark, L., & Ireland, C. (1994). Learning to Talk, Talking to Learn. Auckland: Bay Books.
Crystal, D. (1997). The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Language (2nd ed). Cambridge University Press.
Genesee, F. Bilingual Acquisition in Preschool Children
www.earlychildhood.com/articles/artbiacq.html
McLaughlin, B., Blanchard, A. G., & Osanai, Y. (1995). Assessing Language Development
in Bilingual Preschool Children. NCBE Program Information Guide Series, 22,
www.ncbe.gwu.edu/ncbepubs
Ministry of Education, (1996). Te Whäriki. Wellington: Learning Media.
National Network for Child Care, Ages and Stages Series.
www.nncc.org/Child.Dev/ages.stagesQueensland Department of Education. (1990).
Exchanges 2.
Serway, L. (1995). Listening With Kids. Arizona: Communication Skill Builders.
Speech Pathology Australia, Fact Sheets (2008). The Sound of Speech – The Ages and Stages of
Children’s Speech

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 Some Ideas to Help with Listening
Make sure that you have your child’s attention. Remove distractions; eg, radio, TV, dishwasher, electronic games,
particularly when your child needs to concentrate on what you are saying.

Establish eye contact and stand or sit close to your child when you speak.

Slow down your rate of speech. Pause to give your child time to think before responding.

Repeat or rephrase your message when your child does not understand.

Speak clearly. Use gestures, pauses and inflection to emphasise the message.

Have your child repeat or rephrase what you have said to check that they have understood.

Model good listening behaviours. Take the time to listen. If possible stop what you are doing. Give your full attention
as you listen. Set aside specific times for sharing conversation and interacting with your child.

Simplify the language of your message. Use clear and concise vocabulary and sentences.

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 Ideas to Help with Speech Sounds...
Remember that learning to use speech sounds takes time and there is a natural sequence of development. A child
who is making speech sound errors is not being naughty or lazy.

You can correct the child’s sounds quite naturally within a conversation. When you hear an error, repeat the word
correctly within the conversation, so that the child can compare his/her pronunciation with yours.

eg, Child: “I see a bish!”

Adult: “Wow – what a big fish!”

You can emphasise the error sound if you like; eg, ‘fish’ but the child is not required to repeat the word or produce
the sound correctly. You are simply giving him/her a good speech model.

Remember, responding to what the child is saying is more important than responding to how it is said.

Have fun playing with sounds.

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 Fun Activities to Improve Sound Production
All sounds that we use in English can be practised in play. The more these sounds are practised, the clearer they will
become in speech. Exaggerate the sounds and your facial expression to give a clear model for your child to imitate.
When these sounds are produced in play situations your child is more likely to imitate them.

B CH
a boat that goes bbb as it chugs along the train goes ch ch ch toot toot
a ball that bounces bbb
try peek-a-boo or something that says ‘boo’ SH
tell people to be quiet

P look the baby’s sleeping – sh

making a paper person bend over by
whispering a ‘p’ sound S
blowing out candles a snake sound

blowing bubbles the sound of air coming out of a tyre

filling up a car with petrol
M
a car or trolley that goes mmmm Z
things that taste yummy – mmm bees or other flying insects can go zzz

T G
tapping a hammer on anything a noisy drinker goes ggg

a dripping tap goes ttt give dolls a drink or pretend to drink from a cup
going ggg
a ticking clock

K
D
the click of a camera as a photo is taken
pretend to be banging a drum ddd
Other sound sequences can be used to practise
vowel sounds and assist younger children to gain
F
control over their lips and tongue.
imitate a rabbit’s teeth fff
animal noises
a sky rocket as it fizzes up fff
phone ringing – brring brring

V exaggerated laughing – ho ho hee he ha ha

a noisy plane, truck or car goes exaggerated crying – boo hoo

vvvvvv something’s wrong or broken – uh oh, oh no

big smiles – eee
fish face, hooting like an owl ooo
blowing kisses

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 Ideas to Help with Language Development
Use meaningful language and activities
Always follow your child’s lead and comment about the activities or topic he/she is focusing on at the time.
Language is learned best when it is interesting and relevant.

Be aware of background noise and distractions

Children’s ability to ‘tune in’, to something is reduced when there are other things competing for their attention.

Gain their attention before speaking

This can be by speaking their name or when culturally appropriate a touch or establishing eye contact.

Keep it short and simple

Use language at the appropriate level of complexity; eg, if your child is only speaking in single words, your utterances
should be at the same level or slightly longer, two words. Eg, ‘car’ or ‘red car’.

Use specific vocabulary

Keep your utterances clear and succinct. A child is more likely to respond appropriately if you tell them, “put your
cup on the bench”, rather than “put it over there”.

Create the need to talk

Ensure that talking is necessary for the child. While we are often able to anticipate or identify the child’s need, wait
until an attempt to verbalise the problem is made, before responding.

Allow time to respond

Pause for longer than usual. Give the child an opportunity to reply to you.

Give positive reinforcement

Always reward communication attempts by responding to your child’s intended meaning even if the form of
communication is not correct.

Repeat, repeat, repeat

Children need to hear the same language many times before they will remember it or use it themselves.

Reduce the number of questions

Try to keep the number of questions you ask your child to a minimum, especially those requiring just one word
answers such as “What’s this?”. Instead, focus on feeding in language by making comments about what you and/or
the child are doing.

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 Ideas to Help Your Child’s Voice
IF YOUR CHILD HAS A HOARSE VOICE
Sometimes our voices can become hoarse even if we’re not sick. Often this is a result of doing things which hurt our
vocal cords. Vocal cords are two bands of muscles in the throat which bang together to produce the voice. There are
some things we do which can put strain on the vocal cords. These include yelling, screaming, singing too much or at
a pitch which is difficult to reach, making ‘growly’ noises, excessive coughing or throat clearing. Here are some ways
children can be helped to take care of their voices.

Encourage your child to take regular drinks of water. This helps to ‘oil’ the vocal cords and assists them to work
together smoothly.

Discourage your child from making a lot of animal or ‘growly’ noises, such as roaring like a lion, making machine
noises, high pitched squeaking etc. This type of voice use can strain the vocal cords.

Discourage your child from yelling or screaming during play. Suggest alternative activities which do not involve the
use of a loud voice.

Instead of calling out across a room, encourage your child to come closer to someone s/he wants to speak to. Praise
your child for doing this.

Second hand smoke is not good for vocal cords.

Try to reduce background noise; for example the TV and radio, when you are listening to your child so that s/he
doesn’t need a raised voice.

Praise your child for using a quiet voice.

Model good voice use to your child. Demonstrate the way to care for a voice by doing the things listed here.

IF YOUR CHILD SPEAKS TOO LOUDLY

Praise your child when s/he uses a quiet voice. For example, “I really like it when you use that quiet voice”.

When your child is talking to you, try to give your full attention so that s/he doesn’t feel like s/he needs to shout to
be heard.

Instead of calling out across a room, encourage your child to come closer. Praise your child for doing this.

Try to reduce background noise; for example, the TV and radio, when you are listening to your child so that s/he
doesn’t need to raise his/her voice to be heard.

Model good voice use to your child. Demonstrate the way to care for a voice by doing the things listed here.

IF YOUR CHILD SPEAKS VERY QUIETLY

Praise your child when s/he uses a louder voice eg, “I really like the way you used a bigger voice that time – it was
really easy to hear what you were saying”.

Respond to the meaning of what your child is saying more than to how they are speaking.

Encourage and praise your child for non-speaking activities – build his/her confidence as much as possible.

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 Are you Concerned that Your Child
may be Stuttering?
‘Fluency’ refers to the way our words flow easily and naturally. Dysfluency (stuttering) refers to speech disruptions, such
as repetitions of sounds or syllables, extension of sounds or periods during which speech production is ‘blocked’. Many
children go through a period of what is known as ‘normal nonfluency’. This often occurs when their language is going
through a period of rapid development and they have a lot to say. They are beginning to talk like an adult but are not
quite ready to do so resulting in the repetition of some words and some hesitation and reformulation of what they are
trying to say.

For most children, this type of ‘stuttering’ does not usually last longer than about three months. If your child stutters for
longer than this time or at any time shows anxiety about his/her speech, contact a Speech-language Therapist.

You can assist your child’s fluency by doing the following

Listen to what your child has to say. What your child has to say is more important than how they say it.

Ask the adults in the family to slow down their speech.

Reduce the number of questions you ask and give your child time to answer.

Take turns with talking. Be sure your child has time to talk without interruption and that your child allows others
to have their turn too.

Keep easy eye contact when you are talking to your child especially when they are dysfluent.

Allow your child to finish, don’t finish a word or sentence for him/her.

Pause for a second before responding to allow your child to take his/her time with talking.

Praise your child for fluent speech; eg, “That was great smooth talking!”

Praise your child for the things s/he does well to encourage self-confidence.

Try to arrange a special time together with your child; for example, at bed-time when s/he is relaxed.

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 Speech Sample Record Sheet
Child’s Name: Date of Birth:

Context: Date of Sample:

TARGET WORD HOW IT SOUNDED SOUND CHANGE COMMENTS

eg, ‘fire’ ‘pire’ ‘f’ to ‘p’

Check any errors against the Speech Sound Development Chart (page 11 in the booklet). Is it within normal age
limits for the child to be making errors on that sound at their age? Is the child using a ‘shortcut’ pattern? How
intelligible are they overall?

COMMENTS

Sample Taken By:

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 Communication Observation Sample Record Sheet
Child’s Name: Date of Birth:

Date:

RECORD OBSERVATIONS HERE

PARENT/CAREGIVER COMMENTS

How does this child’s communication compare with the norms and expectations for his/her
age and culture?

Observations made by:

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 Language Sample Record Sheet
Child’s Name: Date of Birth:

Context:

Date of Sample:

For example, playing with toys, talking to peer, helping with cooking etc

RECORD OBSERVATIONS HERE

Sample taken by:

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 Monitoring Communication Checklist
Child’s Name: Date of Birth:

Date of Enrolment: Date:

Name of Centre:

Staff member completing form:

Concern raised with regard to: Concern raised by:

Voice Language Centre staff

Stuttering Speech sounds Parent/caregiver

Other

Briefly describe concern:

Action taken:

Speech sample taken (attach) Referred for hearing assessment

Handout given to parent Language sample taken (attach)

Communication observation completed (attach) Other

Plan:

Monitor for weeks/months No further action Review date / /

Refer to GSE Diaried

planned strategies to help during monitoring period

outcome of review

Signed by (Staff member): Date:

Signed by (Parent/caregiver): Date:

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 This booklet was originally published by
Specialist Education Services – He Tohu
Ümanga Mätauranga in 2000.

Specialist Education Services merged

with the Ministry of Education in 2002
becoming the Ministry of Education,
Special Education (GSE).

Reprinted 2008

ISBN 978-0-478-13585-5
ISBN web 978-0-478-13586-2
Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE)

© All rights reserved

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