Listen LIVE on September 12 to “Teach Me To Talk with Laura and Kate”
I want to invite you to join Kate and me on Friday, September 12 at 1:00 pm Eastern time for our weekly show. You can click this icon to listen live. 
This week we will begin to talk about language comprehension skills, or how a child learns to understand language. We’ll introduce very specific cues to use at home to help your child begin to make links between words and the important things in his life. Understand language is an essential part of developing your child’s communication skills. Children who don’t understand much, don’t say much either, and they certainly don’t follow directions. Learn how to help your child understand more language so that he will begin to talk and ultimately, obey.
I also want to invite you to call in with any questions you might have related to language delays in toddlers and young preschoolers. Our toll free number is 1-718-766-4332.
If you can’t join us live, you can always listen later anytime using the blogtalkradio icon in the right hand column or on the home page.
Our show is also available for FREE download on itunes. Visit the itunes store and search “Teach Me to Talk with Laura and Kate.” For you itunes novices, choose subscribe, and the show will download so you can listen later with your ipod.
Hope you can join us! Laura
Comment by Laura on 12 September 2008:
Thanks to Kate today for another great show! Today we talked about the characteristics of children with receptive language problems and how to identify those issues at home. We briefly discussed important receptive language milestones and then spent lots of time talking about the importance of understanding language.
Thanks to our caller Pia! I hope you get a chance to look at the article I recommended on PECS with what I hope are better ways to use pictures to help your little Jonathan. Leave me a comment if you need more specific ideas or direction for beginning to use pictures at home.
Next Friday on the show we’re going to switch gears a little and talk about muscle tone in toddlers. My friend and colleague, pediatric physical therapist Michelle Wilder, is going to educate us all on all things related to muscle tone. Michelle’s information is so mom-friendly and practical. She’s such a fabulous teacher, so Kate and I are so excited about getting her full attention for an hour! Be sure to join us! Happy weekend! Laura
Comment by Yvonne on 14 September 2008:
I had a lightbulb moment while listening to this show. I have a 32 mos old kiddo I see with both receptive and expressive delays. Lot’s of “pop out words/phrases,” but minimal 1:1 imitation, however about 10 minutes after I’ve modeled a word 20 times, he’ll radomly pop-out with it once or twice.
He does use tons of jargon. During your show I had the “ah-ha” moment when I clicked that the jargon was most likely related to the receptive language dealy. Thank you! I’ll have that more in the front of my brain now.
Comment by Laura on 15 September 2008:
Yvonne - That’s why I mentioned it! This was HARD for me to remember as I sat on the floor with a kid or explained it to parents!
I always thought about jargon in an expressive language kind of way - not realizing what it could tell me about a kid’s receptive language - especially if he is well past the age when jargon is expected AND if most of his spontaneous utterances are still jargon well after I think he has enough words to replace it.
I’m so glad the shows are making you think, or at least fit the pieces together! Laura