Language strategies: Commenting

How does commenting work?

Language difficulties are nobody’s fault but changing the way you talk can really help your child.

In play and every day activities, simply talk about what your child is doing.

When playing together, try and change from giving your child instructions and asking them questions, to commenting on what your child is doing.

Let your child lead the play and follow their lead by describing what they’re doing and joining in the fun!

In every day activities, whether your child is eating a meal, in the bath, or exploring outdoors, comment on what they are doing.

• “You’re looking for bugs…wow! You found a worm!”
• “In the bath! You’re washing your tummy, washing your legs, bubbles gone everywhere!”

You can include specific target vocabulary (new words you are trying to teach). For example, if teaching food words, play in the kitchen and add comments:

• “You’re cooking the carrots, you’re cooking the apples, cooking me some chips, cooking an egg. Thank you!”

Why use this strategy?

• It helps us avoid asking lots of questions!
• It is a helpful way of providing new language, and useful language structures, such as sentence building.
• It increases engagement with your child – they know you are paying attention to what they are doing.
• It helps to establish joint attention – it’s harder to get them to come and look at whatever you’re focused on, and easier to go and join them in their interesting game. You can then add the language to comment on what they are doing.
• It is non-directive, so there are fewer ‘battles’ about conforming. It helps take difficult behaviour out of the situation and can be a more positive and relaxing play time for both you and your child!
• Some children don’t like an adult to join in their play, but are happy for the adult to comment on what they are doing. This gives them good language models.
• You can do this whatever you are doing, wherever you are, all of the time!