The Critical Need for Early Language Development

  •  February 1, 2024

As a parent, you likely want to see your child thrive academically, socially, and professionally. Mounting research reveals that one of the most pivotal steps toward giving your child this strong start in life is to prioritize robust language development in the first 5 years. Early mastery of language provides benefits that extend across your child’s lifespan.

Studies demonstrate that a child’s language skills from ages 1-5 forecast their future success in virtually every domain. The language gap emerges early, with children in higher socioeconomic families hearing 30 million more words than poorer families by age 3.1 This gap is tragic, as early language mastery is proven to enhance skills critical for achievement.

Language Builds Cognitive Capacities

A deep vocabulary, grasp of grammar, and communication confidence provides cognitive advantages. Preschoolers with strong language test higher in executive function skills like attention, working memory, and impulse control, which facilitate learning.2 In a 2015 study, children who had strong vocabulary and oral language skills at age 5 performed better on 3rd grade reading comprehension and math word problems.3

In fact, language ability is so connected to cognitive competence that it is the single best predictor of a child’s IQ potential.4 Kids who conquer language early on have sharper memories, better focus, and enhanced critical analysis abilities through adolescence and beyond. Early language also predicts ongoing vocabulary growth, with vocabulary at ages 4-5 strongly related to vocabulary through age 8.5

Language Boosts Literacy

Reading success hinges on language. Children who enter school with extensive vocabularies and verbal fluency are primed to excel in reading and writing. Preschool language skills strongly predict reading, comprehension, and decoding abilities in the elementary years.6

In fact, early language mastery predicts literacy, mental health and employment outcomes well into adulthood, with language difficulties at school entry linked to poorer reading, increased risk of emotional problems, and lower job prospects later on.12

In later grades, early verbal children remain ahead in their ability to understand nuances in literature and articulate their inferences. Strong early language is the launching pad for advanced literacy over time, with language delays at ages 4-5 linked to lasting struggles in reading, writing and spelling.7 Reading to your young child is one of the most effective ways to build this early language system. 

Language Enables Academic Achievement

Kindergartners with verbal proficiency are twice as likely to score in the top quartile of reading tests by third grade.8 Furthermore, robust vocabulary and narration skills in the early years predict higher grades in math, science and social studies later on.9

This is because language provides the foundation for acquiring and demonstrating knowledge. Children who can adeptly describe observations, articulate questions, understand instructions, and verbally explain reasoning have an immense academic edge.

Language Cultivates Social Success

Beyond academics, early language abilities facilitate better social skills and relationships. Preschoolers who communicated well transitioned more easily into kindergarten and built rapport with peers and teachers.10 As they matured, these children maintained more friendships and less isolated behavior into adulthood, along with higher social self-esteem.11

This social success has long-term impacts, as adolescents with better early language maintain more robust social connections and coping abilities into their 20s and beyond.12

Verbal children are also less prone to bullying, as they can navigate conflict through language rather than aggressive behavior. In building rapport and empathy early on, language is a friend maker.

Language Opens Professional Doors

Language is a ticket to opportunity. Children with early verbal talent are more likely to graduate high school, attend college, and gain prosperous careers than those with delayed language.13 Over 70% of children with poor language will face difficulty finding work.14

Successful adults are effective communicators. Give your child a linguistic head start and increase their chances of both connecting with others and contributing professionally.

How Parents Can Promote Early Language

– Read books aloud daily and discuss vocabulary and narratives. Ask open-ended questions.

– Engage in rich conversation with your child through running commentary, songs, rhymes and explanations.

– Surround your child with language-rich environments.

– Encourage your child to tell stories and describe what they see, think and feel. Listen attentively.

– Foster interaction with peers and adults, guiding your child to converse and cooperate.

– If you are bilingual, speak to your child in both languages. Early bilingualism provides cognitive benefits.15

– Be responsive to your child’s early vocalizations and communications to build confidence.

– If you have concerns about your child’s language, seek speech therapy. Early intervention is key.16

Language screening and early identification are globally endorsed priorities, though assessment approaches vary across countries.17 Intervening early is key to getting language delays back on track.

In today’s increasingly verbal world, command of language is essential. Your attentiveness and commitment to surrounding your young child with words, narration, stories, and conversation lays the foundation for their future success. Lead them to language mastery early in life and unlock their potential.

References

1 Hart, B., & Risley, T. R. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young American children. Paul H Brookes Publishing. (Link)

2 Guo, Y., Justice, L. M., Kaderavek, J. N., & McGinty, A. (2011). The literacy environment of preschool classrooms: Contributions to children’s emergent literacy growth. Journal of Research in Reading, 35(3), 308–327. (Link)

3 Morgan, P.L., Farkas, G., Hillemeier, M.M et al. Executive function deficits in kindergarten predict repeated academic difficulties across elementary school. Early Childhood Research Quarterly 46, 20–32 (2020). (Link)

4 Bornstein, M. H., Hahn, C. S., Suwalsky, J. T., & Haynes, O. M. (2003). Socioeconomic status, parenting, and child development: The Hollingshead four-factor index of social status and the socioeconomic index of occupations. Methods for testing and evaluating survey questionnaires, 29-83. (Link)

5 Taylor, C., Christensen, D., Lawrence, D., Mitrou, F., & Zubrick, S. (2013). Risk factors for children’s receptive vocabulary development from four to eight years in the longitudinal study of Australian children. PloS one, 8(9), e73046. (Link)

6 Rowe, M. L. (2012). A longitudinal investigation of the role of quantity and quality of child‐directed speech in vocabulary development. Child development, 83(5), 1762-1774. (Link)

7 McKean, C., Reilly, S., Bavin, E. L., Bretherton, L., Cini, E., Conway, L., … & Mensah, F. (2017). Language outcomes at 7 years: early predictors and co-occurring difficulties. Pediatrics, 139(3). (Link)

8 Pennebaker, J. (2022). The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us. Bloomsbury Publishing. (Link)

9 Justice, L. M., Jiang, H., Khan, K. S., & Dynia, J. M. (2017). Kindergarten readiness profiles of rural, Appalachian children from low-income households. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 50, 1-14. (Link)

10 Justice, L. M., Bowles, R. P., Pence Turnbull, K. L., & Skibbe, L. E. (2009). School readiness among children with varying histories of language difficulties. Developmental Psychology, 45(2), 460–476. (Link)

11 Petersen, I. T., Bates, J. E., Dodge, K. A., Lansford, J. E., & Pettit, G. S. (2015). Describing and predicting developmental profiles of externalizing problems from childhood to adulthood. Development and psychopathology, 27(3), 791-818. (Link)

12 Law, J., Rush, R., Parsons, S., & Schoon, I. (2009). Modelling developmental language difficulties from school entry into adulthood: literacy, mental health and employment outcomes. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 52(6), 1401-1416. (Link)

13 Hart, B., & Risley, T. R. (2003). The early catastrophe: The 30 million word gap by age 3. American educator, 27(1), 4-9.  (Link)

14 Conti-Ramsden, G., & Durkin, K. (2012). Language development and assessment in the preschool period. Neuropsychology review, 22(4), 384-401. (Link)

15 Armstrong, R., Scott, J. G., Whitehouse, A. J., Copland, D. A., McMahon, K. L., & Arnott, W. (2017). Late talkers and later language outcomes: Predicting the different language trajectories. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 19(3), 237-250. (Link)

16 Sim, F., Haig, C., O’Dowd, J., Thompson, L., Law, J., McConnachie, A., … & Wilson, P. (2015). Development of a triage tool for neurodevelopmental risk in children aged 30 months. Research in developmental disabilities, 45, 69-82. (Link)

17 Wilson, P., Wood, R., Lykke, K., Graungaard, A. H., Ertmann, R. K., Andersen, M. K., … & Skovgaard, A. M. (2018). International variation in programmes for assessment of children’s neurodevelopment in the community: Understanding disparate approaches to evaluation of motor, social, emotional, behavioural and cognitive function. Scandinavian journal of public health, 46(Suppl 20), 805-816. (Link)