How to talk to Children
by Stephanie Tiernan, M.S., CCC-SLP
March 05, 2008
Major learning difficulties from young children in the classroom could be partially eliminated by learning HOW to talk to these children. “In order to process language, our central nervous system has to be involved in a really complex set of gymnastics,” according to Ray Hull, PHd, CCC-SLP/A. Not only does the central nervous system have to receive the auditory code of speech accurately, it must do so at a very rapid rate of speed. In the meantime, it must compare the information it is receiving with what it already has stored to determine familiar and unfamiliar content. What does that mean?? This means that we are probably talking too fast for children’s central nervous systems to fully comprehend what we are saying. A rate of about 120 words per minute is the rate at which a child’s CNS can function with a fair degree of accuracy. A nation-wide timing of elementary school classroom teachers, by Dr. Hull found that many of them speak at a rate of about 150 to 160 words per minute. As stated previously, children from preschool age up to about third grade can process only 120 words per minute. The average fourth grade student can process up to 124-128 words per minute. Middle school age children can process up to 135 words per minute. By the time they have reached high school, a child can process up to 145 words per minute. To give you an idea of what 120 words per minute sounds like, think of Mr. Rogers from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. He was an ideal communicator for 3 and 4 year old children, who were mesmerized by him. He spoke at a rate of about 120 words per minute. From what I remember, he seemed to talk pretty slowly!! But, this strategy really is beneficial for children in school, as well as in the home. Some teachers in the survey commented that there is so much information to cover during the school day that slowing down their speaking rate would not allow them to cover all needed material. In all actuality, it was noted by Dr. Hull’s study that if teachers slowed down when speaking that it would be less likely that they would have to repeat it. It was also noted that students had less questions regarding this information they gained auditorally.
Children are not going to do as well in understanding and retaining information if it is presented too quickly, because they have not processed it. Their central nervous system has not interpreted it accurately enough that it can be comprehended. Maybe this simple strategy of speaking slowly can help some of our students have more success in the classroom.
