How can I help my young child talk more?

Almost daily I hear this:  “You get my child to say so much.  How can I get my child to talk more?”

Try one of these four EASY ways.

1.  Be responsive:  Respond each time your child makes a communicative attempts or says something.
How:  He says one thing, you say one thing…WAIT.  He says one thing, you say one thing.  Be sure to WAIT!

2.  Match your child’s turns:  What if your child doesn’t say anything?  Then take turns.  Turn taking in the basis of conversation.  In taking turns, there is less presure and more time to think about what to say too.
How:  She puts a block on the tower, you put a block on the tower.  She puts a block on the tower, you put a block on the tower.

3.  Expand:  Things are going well.  You and your child are taking turns and talking.  But, you want more.  Then expand for your child.  Add to what she says.
How:  She says something, “dog”.  Then you add to it:  “big dog”; “dog bark”, “hello dog”

4.  Talk about your child’s target:  Talk about the topic your child introduces.  Basically, keep the conversation going and don’t ask too many questions.
How:  You are reading a book together and your child says “blue dog”, talk about the blue dog.  Avoid the temptation to ask about something else in the picture.  Describe the dog, talk about his actions, comment on the dog.