Tips for communicating with children aged 6

When children begin to enter school, they will begin to be independent, spending their time outside the home, at school, and with their friends. But talking to your child is still very important to strengthen relationships, share ideas, opinions and information.

Communicate with your child

Here are some ideas to help with communication:

• Take the time to listen to the child's daily activities; make sure your child knows that you are interested and listens carefully.
• Remember to talk to children, not talk to children.
• Ask questions whose answers are more than "yes" or "no" to deepen communication.
• Use the time when traveling in the car or standing in line to talk with your child.
• Take the time to attend children's school activities, play games, and talk about current activities.
• Encourage children to read books and stories that are slightly higher than the level they should be reading.

Vocabulary and communication patterns

When the child is in school, the way the child understands and uses language will be more accurate. Usually, children will understand more vocabulary and concepts than they can express. Your child should be able to understand the narrative paragraph and share ideas and opinions clearly pronounced.

If you feel there is a problem

You should continue to communicate with your child's teacher about the child's language development. Children who have problems understanding and using language are at high risk of experiencing difficulties in understanding other academics.

Children who have specific communication problems, such as stuttering, should visit a language pathology school (experts who evaluate and treat children's speech difficulties). Keep in touch with your therapist about the goals of the therapy, what language activities should be done at home, and the child's development.

If your child's teacher suspects that there is an inability to learn language, you should do a language comprehension test. This can include listening tests, psychoeducational assessments (standardized tests to evaluate children's learning in cognitive processes), and speaking evaluations.

General communication problems

Communication problems common to children this age include:

• Hearing problems
• Problems paying attention or following directions in class
• Difficulty mastering information
• Lack of understanding of vocabulary
• The difficulty of understanding grammar and syntax
• Difficulty in managing language disclosure or narrative discourse
• Difficult in academics, reading and writing
• Speech is not clear
• Stuttering or plates
• Voice quality abnormalities, such as hoarseness (may require a medical examination using an otolaryngologist - an ear, nose and throat specialist)

Medical professionals, such as speech pathologists, therapists, and your doctor can help your child despite these communication problems.

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