Dr. Maria Montessori once said, “With the acquisition of language, the child reaches a new level of independence. The child can now communicate his feelings and desires and needs.” As Montessori educators, our goal is to expand students’ pathways to communication by encouraging their independence. Each child’s ways of communication are unique and separate from one another, which is why we give children the freedom to communicate in our environments. Figuring out the best ways to communicate with children is vital to their growth and development.
Respond
Always respond to your child when they are communicating with you. This makes them feel secure knowing they’re seen and heard! Try using clear, direct language, even when they’re too young to form complete words or sentences. “Baby talk” can confuse children since they are incoherent sounds. Remember, children absorb everything around them, which is why it’s better for them to hear proper words. At MMS, we speak to students in a way that strengthens linguistic skills and encourages word and sentence development.
Entertain
Children can easily expand their vocabularies and learn to communicate through various entertainment channels such as listening to stories and music and singing. When students are entertained by language, it makes them more adept at using it on their own. At MMS, we like to play music from different cultures and geographic locations in the background while students work on activities or projects. This creates an immersive experience as they expand their worldviews and learn about different walks of life. When it comes to reading, we welcome students to select books from our library that pique their interests to help them better their reading comprehension skills.
Listen
Regardless of age, to effectively communicate, you must be able to listen! When your child speaks, even if you have trouble understanding their message, it’s important to show interest in what they’re saying. Attention and encouragement go a long way with a child by boosting their self confidence and motivating them to speak.
At MMS, we let each child freely express themselves and concentrate on really hearing what the child is saying. We believe communication is essential for learning. Our environments are designed to encourage students to reach their full potential. If you’re interested in learning more, contact us today!