Listening to and following verbal directions is an important communication skill. Following directions helps children to function across a variety of settings, at home and in the classroom. Additionally, strong listening comprehension skills help your child to understand instructions from teachers, boundaries from parents, and rules to stay safe.
Children typically develop the skill of following a one-step direction, such as “wave bye-bye,” around the age of 12-15 months. However, teaching our little ones to follow directions takes time, patience, and consistency.
To help your child develop this crucial skill, our team has compiled some great tips you can practice at home:
- Before giving your child directions, make sure you have her/his eye gaze and attention.
- Make sure your directions are clear and concise by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable steps (i.e. “Go to your room.” *pause* “Put your shoes in the closet.”).
- Minimize distractions before giving directions, such as turning off the TV.
- Speak quietly and calmly when giving directions. Children typically respond better to a softer, gentler voice.
- Tell, don’t ask when giving directions. For example, if you say to your child, “would you please wash your hands?” she/he may think it’s an option to not follow the direction. Instead, kindly state, “wash your hands please.”
- Integrate play to create a stimulating environment to foster a child’s interest, listening and comprehension skills. For example, with a baby doll, you can say, “feed the baby.”
- Give your child time (three to seven seconds) to process your directions. It is ok to repeat your request. As your child grows, you can ask her/him to repeat the direction back to you to be sure they are processing it (this skill should be mastered by age six).
- Use positive reinforcement to praise, motivate and encourage your child for their efforts.
Before long, your child will strengthen their listening comprehension skills and, by three years old, she/he should be able to follow two-step directions, such as “please get your shoes and bring them to me.” By four years old, your child should be able to carry out three-part directions, such as “bring me your shoe, cup and ball.”
Here are some signs that your child has strong listening comprehension:
- Completes a task with ease
- Follows all the steps of a given direction the first or second time asked
- Stays focused and shows clear listening skills and understanding as a direction is given
- Shows the ability to complete a task in the correct order after being taught how to do it once or twice (i.e. being able to wash and then dry their hands)
- Can repeat back a direction in the same order it was given
However, if your child often appears confused, misinterprets information, or is unable to complete simple tasks when you are giving directions, it may be time to consult a Speech-Language Pathologist.
Charlotte Speech and Hearing Center’s expert Speech Pathologists are always here to serve your family. Schedule an evaluation with our team by calling (704) 523-8027. We also encourage you to visit our Resources for Families page for more helpful tips, milestones, and other resources.
written by Jennie Leonzio, SLP-A