Ways to Help Language Processing at Home

Language processing disorder (LPD) presents learning difficulties, but it doesn’t have to hold your child back from success.

If your child has difficulty understanding how sounds are attached to meaning, whether it be in words, sentences or full stories, try out the following simple educational activities to improve language processing skills in struggling readers:

1. Make your own flash cards. While young learners can use traditional sight words and phonics flash cards to practice the basics of language, processing struggles can extend to more in-depth language skills. If your child has covered the basics of words but still needs help with phrases and sentences, you can design your own flash cards to help with left-to-right eye tracking, the sounds that word combinations make, and the meanings associated.
2. Introduce poetry. Your child isn’t ready to understand the complexity of poetry, but he can learn skills from simple rhymes. Have your child read rhyming poems aloud, and let him get creative. Provide sets of simple rhyming words to include in a short poem. This will help your child learn to process and create while reading and writing, building those critical thinking skills he needs.
3. Read aloud to your child. And don’t make it just another homework task by asking questions afterwards. Find a story line he enjoys, and spend time reading together every day. This can help your child enjoy rather than dread listening and reading.

Do you have any fun LPD activities that work for children who struggle?