| 1. Expect Errors |
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All children, and adults too, make some errors in articulation - how they make speech sounds. In fact, children normally take seven to eight years to learn to say all of our English sounds correctly!
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| 2. Honesty Pays |
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Be honest when you do not understand what your child says. Admit that you do not understand. Ask the child to tell you again. Or say, "Show me what you are talking about."
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When you understand part of your child's remark let the child know. For example, "You are talking about the dog. What did she do?"
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Don't pretend that you understand by saying, "That's nice" or "Yes, that's right". You won't be fooling anyone! Your child will probably think that you are just not interested. Your child may stop talking to you, become angry or cry.
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| 3. Be a Good Listener |
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Listen to what your child is trying to tell you, not how it is said. Correcting errors, instead of responding to the message, can undermine your child's confidence as a speaker.
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To improve, your child must keep talking! If you constantly correct pronunciation errors, you child may begin to speak less and less. As a general rule, never force your child to repeat a remark you have understood. You want talking to be a good experience.
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