There are lots of reasons you might choose to homeschool your children. For one thing, it provides you with an invaluable opportunity to spend time with them and to help them learn and grow. Homeschooling also enables you to closely observe your child’s development, including their speech and language.
With anywhere between 20 and 30 kids to monitor, it’s no surprise that in a traditional classroom setting, a child’s speech difficulties can go unnoticed for longer. However, homeschooling allows you as a parent to recognize and address any potential difficulties as early as possible.
Speech and language skills are essential for communication, learning, and social development; therefore, identifying these challenges can help ensure appropriate interventions are implemented. In this article, we’re going to take a look at how to identify speech difficulties in children when homeschooling them. We’ll also offer some guidance on addressing these challenges.
Understanding Speech and Language Development Milestones
In order to identify speech difficulties, you first need to understand the typical speech and language development milestones a child will go through. Although every child develops at their own pace, there are some general guidelines that can help you to determine whether or not your child is on track. Some of the key milestones to be aware of include:
- 12–18 months: Babbling and cooing sounds turn into simple words like mama and dada. Children will also begin to understand and follow simple commands like no or sit.
- 18–24 months: Their vocabulary continues to grow to around 50 words, and simple two-word phrases start to emerge.
- 2–3 years: They display clearer speech, with sentences of three to four words. Others outside the family should start to understand some of what they’re saying.
- 3–4 years: Their pronunciation improves, and sentences become more complex. Children ask many questions and use pronouns correctly.
- 4–5 years: They should be able to engage in conversation, tell short stories, and be understood by most people.
If your child significantly deviates from these milestones, it may be a sign of a speech or language delay.
Signs of Speech Difficulties During Homeschooling
As we’ve said, every child learns at their own pace, so if they deviate slightly from language development milestones, this isn’t always a cause for concern. It could just be that they are experiencing small delays.
However, there are some other signs to be aware of that might suggest your child is experiencing bigger speech difficulties.
1. Limited Vocabulary or Difficulty Finding the Words
Children who struggle to find the right words or have a limited vocabulary for their age may have a language delay.
So, if you notice that your child is using gestures to communicate instead of words, or if they rely on simple phrases without progressing, this could be a sign they are struggling to find the right words.
2. Pronunciation Issues
While it’s fairly common for children to mispronounce some words, persistent difficulty with certain sounds beyond the expected age range can indicate a more complex speech disorder. Common challenges include:
- Substituting one sound for another (e.g., wabbit instead of rabbit)
- Omitting sounds (e.g., nana for banana)
- Distorting sounds (e.g., a lisp when saying s sounds)
Keep an eye out for any persistent pronunciation issues to determine if this is a phase or a bigger problem.
3. Difficulty Following Directions
Language processing issues can make it harder for children to understand and follow multi-step instructions, even when given in simple language. So, if you notice that they have difficulty following certain commands or instructions, it might be that they don’t understand what they’re being told.
4. Trouble Forming Sentences
They might have the basics down, but if your child frequently struggles to form coherent sentences, omits keywords, or uses incorrect grammar, it could be a sign that they have a language delay or disorder.
5. Stuttering or Repetition
Stuttering involves repeating sounds, syllables, or words (e.g., I-I-I want that), which can also include prolonged sounds or blocks of silence. Although occasional stuttering or repeating words is fairly normal, if this is persistent, it can indicate a speech disorder.
6. Difficulty Socializing
A child who avoids conversation, hesitates a lot when speaking, or becomes frustrated when trying to communicate may be experiencing speech difficulties.
7. Lack of Interest in Verbal Communication
Some children with speech or language difficulties may show little interest in talking because they are struggling. So again, be aware of whether they are using gestures instead of words or if they are avoiding verbal interactions altogether.
How to Assess Speech Difficulties While Homeschooling
Now you know how to spot the signs of speech difficulties, let’s take a look at the helpful ways you can keep track and assess whether your child is experiencing a natural delay or if they have a speech difficulty. Some key steps you can take include:
- Keeping a speech journal – This enables you to track their speech patterns over time and determine if they are progressing.
- Engaging in conversational activities – Reading books, playing games, and encouraging conversation can help gauge a child’s language skills and development.
- Using structured speech exercises – Similarly, you should incorporate rhyming games, tongue twisters, and pronunciation activities into your homeschooling efforts to assess articulation and fluency.
- Recording and playing back speech – Recording your child speaking and playing it back can help you notice speech irregularities that might not be obvious when actually speaking with them.
- Comparing them with the common speech milestones – Compare your child’s speech progress with the general developmental milestones we’ve outlined above to determine if they are on track.
When to Seek Professional Help
If you notice persistent speech difficulties or any of the signs we’ve listed in this article, you might consider consulting a speech and language therapist (SALT).
You should seek help if your child’s speech is significantly unclear for their age, they struggle to follow basic instructions, or they show frustration when trying to communicate.
A speech and language therapist will be able to assess your child to determine what, if anything, is going on. They will also be able to set out a therapy plan to help strengthen your child’s speech and communication skills.
Darren Lester is the Co-Founder of Saltroad, a platform that allows parents to find qualified speech therapists for their children for online or in-person sessions.
