Talking and listening play major roles in children’s school success. It’s through hearing
parents and family members talk and through responding to that talk that young children
begin to pick up the language skills they will need if they are to do well. For example,
children who don’t hear a lot of talk and who aren’t encouraged to talk themselves often
have problems learning to read, which can lead to other school problems. In addition,
children who haven’t learned to listen carefully often have trouble following directions
and paying attention in class.
Think of talking with your child as being like a tennis game with words—instead of a
ball—bouncing back and forth. Find time to talk any place, for example:
*| As you walk with your child or ride with her in a car or on a bus, talk with her about
what she’s doing at school Ask her to tell you about a school assembly or a field trip.
Point out and talk about things that you see as you walk—funny signs, new cars,
interesting people.
*| As you shop in a store, talk with your child about prices, differences in brands and
how to pick out good vegetables and fruit. Give your child directions about where to
find certain items, then have him go get them.

*| As you fix dinner, ask your child to help you follow the steps in a recipe. Talk with
him about what can happen if you miss a step or leave out an ingredient.
*| As you fix a sink or repair a broken table, ask your child to hand you the tools that
you name. Talk with her about each step you take to complete the repair. Tell her
what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Ask her for suggestions about how you
should do something.
*| As you watch TV together, talk with your child about the programs. If you’re
watching one of her favorite programs, encourage her to tell you about the
background of the characters, which ones she likes and dislikes and who the actors
are. Compare the program to a program that you liked when you were her age.

*| As you read a book with your child, pause occasionally to talk to him about what’s
happening in the book. Help him to relate the events in the book to events in his life:
“Look at that tall building! Didn’t we see that when we were in Chicago?” Ask him to
tell in his own words what the book was about. Ask him about new words in a book
and help him to figure out what they mean.
It’s also important for you to show your child that you’re interested in what he has to say.
Demonstrate for him how to be a good listener:

*| When your child talks to you, stop what you’re doing and pay attention. Look at him
and ask questions to let him know that you’ve heard what he said: “So when are you
going to help your granddad work on his car?”
*| When your child tells you about something, occasionally repeat what he says to let
him know that you’re listening closely: “The school bus broke down twice!”