As we continue part 10 of Nature vs Nurture, lets learn more about speech and language development from our interview with Speech Therapist and Audiologist Mignon Botes.

 

Are the best years to learn a language between 2 to 4 years?

“No, I think, the best years to learn a language is from birth and all the way through life. I don’t think you could ever stop learning a language but you can’t start only at 2 years. Language and communication start at birth. I just want to emphasise that there is a difference between communication and language, and in order for you to learn language, you need to first have communication skills. Communications skills start at birth and then you start using words and sentences because you want to communicate with somebody. So, if you have in your mind that you don’t have to worry because my child only has to speak by the age of 2, then you won’t give that input to the child when you work on the communication skills, which is very important before you actually start with language. I don’t think you should emphasise between 2 and 4 years. As your child grows, your language model as a parent should also increase and you should expect them to learn or to use more difficult words. So, for me, it is an ever-growing, ever-changing thing and I don’t think you should ever stop learning words or learning new vocabulary, including learning to use words or language in a new way. I don’t think it should be limited. What I do think however, is that parents should be worried by the age of 2 if a child cannot use any words at all or can’t make any small two-word combinations like “mommy come”, “let’s go”, “look there”, things like that. Never stop expecting that your child can grow when it comes to language. “

 

When do I have to be concerned about the letter “R” being pronounced correctly? Would it be Grade R?

“Actually, textbooks would tell you by the age of 7, but we prefer to work on it the year that they are in grade R because we work at schools, it’s easier to take a child out of class when they are still in grade R. It is also easier for them to learn before they have to start with formal work, reading and writing. Usually when they can’t say it in grade R, the chances are that they won’t saying it the next year as well.”

 

If a child learns bad language in the formative years, will it be more difficult to learn proper language later, more challenging later?

“I want to understand bad language, is it mixed language, is it poor language that you don’t have in grade vocabulary, poor language in sentence use, because I want to answer the question like this:

What I have seen in my practise lately, is a lot of children who have “bad language” and if I say ‘bad’, I mean poor vocabulary, poor sentence use, poor word order, cannot tell a story which means poor narrative abilities, poor reasoning skills, poor association skills and that they cannot express themselves appropriately. The reason I see that is a lot of influences from screens. A lot of children struggling with language due to screen time, nobody talks to them, they just sit in front of the iPad or TV and then they struggle with language.”

 

Will it then be more difficult to learn language?

“Yes, it will be more difficult. Most of the time we pick these children up in grade R when they have to start talking in class or when they have to present something or say something in front of a class and then they do need intervention because their language base, the foundation is wobbly. It is then very difficult to learn a proper language because we then have to rebuild from scratch. We have to go back to basics and relearn it.

The question we should actually ask. Why does the child have poor language in the formative years? There is no reason for a child to have ‘bad language’, the question is where does it come from? 99% of the time it comes from screen time which actually means screen time is a lack of input from other language levels because if I am in front of a screen, nobody is talking to me.”

 

With the severe tongue tie. Can it be corrected with therapy without an operation?

“I want to emphasise the word “severe” tongue tie. The answer will be NO, but before we start therapy in any way, when a child has a severe tongue tie, the first indication will be first that they have feeding difficulties, so severe tongue tie will not be fixed because of speech or language but because of feeding. If a child can still feed with the tongue tie, then it is not so severe. A child’s speech can then be corrected without an operation. Sometimes it takes a little bit longer. The best thing to do, would actually be to see a professional when your child has a tongue tie and to speak to them as early as possible because when they are still small. Within the first few days of a child being born, they actually get the tongue tie snip without going into general anesthetic, they just have local or just do a quick snip without even local, and it is so quick and painless. The operation shouldn’t be something that you should fear but I also think it should be something that you shouldn’t look at immediately, you can consult a professional. We have seen lots of children with tongue tie maybe not that severe, where they could correct all their speech sounds.”

 

How can I improve speech and sound with my child again?

“I just want to emphasise; speech is the production of speech sounds like your “rrr” and your “sss” sounds. You can do some oral activities. Blowing bubbles, sucking through straws and you can even Google a few more motor activities. What makes it very difficult is that each sound is very specific and each sound is formed differently. Sounds aren’t as easy for parents to work on because they’re so specialised. When your child does struggle with speech sounds, it is easier to see a professional because there are too many tiny little things that you need to know when you work with speech and sounds”.

 

What would be my message for parents of toddlers?

“My message would be simple: Be intentional about teaching your children language, about teaching them to catch a ball, teaching them to ride a bike, be intentional with your discipline, be intentional with teaching them listening and attention skills, just be intentional.

When you are intentional, whatever you do, it will have an impact, it doesn’t matter how small it is because you are being intentional. Sit and listen to your children, be intentional when you listen, be intentional when you play, you don’t have to be available 24/7 but when you are, be intentional with your time.”

Should I be concerned when a 6-year-old child speaks very slowly?

“No, not if the language is fine, not if the sentences are age appropriate and long enough, not if the vocabulary is age appropriate. If they able to tell stories, so if their narratives are in place. If they are able to reason with there language, then you shouldn’t worry if a child speaks slowly. I would rather worry if they can’t understand language or if they can’t express themselves.”

 

What is your biggest challenge as a speech therapist?

“I think a few years ago, my answer would have been different, but after the last few years, I think it is very clear that there are two major things and maybe it’s all associated just with one thing. Screen time has really had a big impact on children’s language, communication and speech abilities. I am speaking from a speech therapist point a view. I think when you speak to an occupational therapist, they will say that screen time has a major impact on fine motor and gross motor skills, visual perceptual abilities. I think what screen time does. It stops families from communicating and then there is no reason for you to sit down around a dinner table and have a conversation, there is no reason for you to go to a restaurant and have a good conversation and because parents don’t have conversations with children anymore, the children lack language, vocabulary, and communication skills. So, for me, the biggest challenge has been the impact that screen time has had on children’s language ability, speech ability and on their reading and writing abilities later because they don’t have proper perception anymore or logical awareness and things like that. Parents miss out on great conversations with their children, and they miss out on hearing all their cute stories.

We are so privileged to be working with children, and we hear all the fun stories and all the interesting facts that parents miss out. I think families have become lazy to converse, lazy to sit down and have a conversation. It is so much easier to throw a screen in your child’s direction, and it has an impact on so many levels. I am also thinking about children’s abilities to have imaginative play, to give their full attention, just to think of new games to play. So that has really been one of my biggest challenges.

The second challenge I really experience, is parents who send their children to school when they are not able to speak the language, and they go for both English and Afrikaans. Meaning, parents who put their Afrikaans children (who are not able to express themselves appropriately in English) in an English school and visa versa. Parents think they will pick up the language in school, but it is not so easy to pick up a language in school. That has been a big challenge and so much of this we see in schools these days.”

 

Conclusion; From my understanding, I was on the right track from the get go, and that screen time has indeed had more negative impact than what we would like to believe.

What we need to do is start practicing more than anything, to have authentic connection and relating to our children and ditch the screens!

I know it might be challenging for many, and even daunting for those parents who rely on tech devises to do ‘the job’. But when I say that in more than 8 years of raising our child with no screen or tech devises, the rewards are fantastic and worth every last bit of time, love and energy we as parents has put into her development.

“You sow what you reap”, simple.

If you would like to follow the whole series of Nature vs. Nurture, you can find the first 9 parts here:

PART 1: https://sahomeschoolbeat.co.za/nature-vs-nurture-part-1/

PART 2: https://sahomeschoolbeat.co.za/nature-vs-nurture-part-2/

PART 3: https://sahomeschoolbeat.co.za/children-need-a-calm-environment-nature-vs-nurture-part-3/

PART 4: https://sahomeschoolbeat.co.za/nature-vs-nurture-part-4/

PART 5: https://sahomeschoolbeat.co.za/nature-vs-nurture-part-5/

PART 6: https://sahomeschoolbeat.co.za/nature-vs-nurture-part-6/

PART 7: https://sahomeschoolbeat.co.za/nature-vs-nurture-part-7/

PART 8: https://sahomeschoolbeat.co.za/discipline-nature-vs-nurture-part-8/

PART 9: https://sahomeschoolbeat.co.za/nature-vs-nurture-part-9-the-foundation-of-language/