Starting Kindergarten with a Speech or Language Concerns: What Parents Can Do Before the First Day

Starting kindergarten means communicating with more people, in more situations, throughout the day. Children may need to listen to a teacher in a busy classroom, talk with new classmates, answer questions, follow directions, and explain their ideas or needs.

For a child with a speech or language delay, some parts of this may require more effort. A child might have difficulty being understood, need extra time to respond, find longer instructions challenging, or struggle to put their thoughts into words.

Parents do not need to spend the weeks before school trying to “fix” every difficulty. A few practical habits at home can help children become more familiar with the kinds of communication they will use in kindergarten.

Practice Communication They Will Actually Use at School

School involves much more than answering academic questions. Children communicate during play, routines, transitions, meals, and group activities.

Before the first day, look for natural opportunities to practice skills such as:

• Following short directions with one or two steps

• Answering and asking simple questions

• Telling someone about an activity or something that happened

• Asking for help or clarification

• Taking turns while talking and listening

• Practicing communication with a variety of familiar communication partners and, when comfortable, less familiar adults and children

  
  

These do not need to become formal exercises. Packing a bag, getting ready to leave the house, playing at the park, or talking about your day can all provide useful practice.

Support Communication Without Making Every Conversation a Lesson

How parents respond can be just as useful as what they practice.

• Give your child time to answer: Some children need extra time to process what they heard or decide what they want to say. Pause before repeating the question, rewording it, or answering for them.

  
  

• Model rather than constantly correct: If your child mispronounces a word or uses a shorter or less complete sentence, respond naturally with a clear model rather than asking them to repeat it correctly each time.

  
  

• Build on what they tell you: If your child gives a short answer, add a little more language rather than immediately asking another question. This can expose them to new vocabulary and sentence structures while keeping the exchange conversational.

  
  

Use Books for More Than Reading Practice

Reading together gives children a chance to work with language at their own pace. Talk about the pictures, explain unfamiliar words, make predictions, or discuss what happened after you finish the story.

You can also ask your child to tell you part of the story in their own words. If that is difficult, make the task smaller by asking about one character or event rather than expecting them to retell the entire book.

The same idea works outside of reading. Looking at family photos and talking about a recent outing can help children practice remembering events and putting ideas into words.

Help the School Get to Know Your Child’s Communication

Parents and caregivers often understand a child’s communication better than someone meeting them for the first time. Sharing a little context with the teacher can make the beginning of the year easier.

If your child already receives speech therapy, let the school know about strategies that have been useful. This might include allowing extra response time, keeping directions shorter, checking that your child understood what was said, or using strategies recommended by their speech-language pathologist.

You do not need to provide the teacher with every detail. Focus on information that will help them understand and communicate with your child during the school day.

If You Have Concerns Before School Starts

If you have noticed ongoing concerns with your child’s speech, understanding, language, or overall communication, you do not have to wait until kindergarten begins to see how they manage.

An assessment with a Speech-Language Pathologist can provide a clearer picture of your child’s communication skills and identify areas that may benefit from support. For children already attending speech therapy, the period before school can also be a useful time to discuss which strategies should continue at home or be shared with the school.

At Hello Speech, we support children with a range of speech and language needs across Toronto, Thornhill, and the GTA. If you have questions about your child’s communication as kindergarten approaches, reach out to our team.