Express Yourself

Preschool is a wonderful introduction to the school setting. Fun, play, and academics are incorporated to prepare your young child for the increased academic demands of kindergarten and elementary school. However, there are expectations for the preschooler, and it may be helpful to think about whether your child will be able to cope with the language and communication demands of preschool.

Based on the standards and expectations expressed by the North Carolina State Board of Education, a preschooler should:

Receptively
- understand sentences of increasing length and complexity, including past, present, and future tenses;
- understand a growing vocabulary;
- attend to language for longer periods of time, e.g. when books are read, people are telling stories, and during conversations;
- consistently answer questions and follow two-step or more directions;
- understand and talk about feelings, ideas, information, and beliefs;
- and understand the multi-faceted use of communication (gestures, sign, facial expressions etc.).

Expressively
- use verbal and nonverbal language to communicate for a variety of purposes (e.g. to express wants, needs, feelings, and to relate personal information and experiences);
- use language in pretend play to create and act out roles, events, and stories;
- use language to make and keep friends and other relationships;
- follow a topic of conversation by asking a question or making a comment;
- communicate using appropriate inflection, tone of voice, and expression;
- and use more and more complex language forms, grammar, and vocabulary.

Additionally, phonological awareness should be emerging at this time. The preschool child enjoys rhyme in poems and songs by clapping, marching, or other movements to tap out syllables. He also learns to play with the sounds in language, by creating rhymes, by being aware of the first sounds in words, and by associating sounds in written words (e.g. Reese and Robin begin with the same sound).

If you have concerns about your young child's speech and language skills and ability to cope with preschool demands, our speech therapists at Child & Family Development are happy to help!