Receptive language is the ability to follow instructions and understand verbal and visual information, while expressive language includes vocabulary, spoken grammar, sentence structure, and the ability to express yourself clearly. Speech pathologists can assess the development of language by looking at how many words a child has (vocabulary), how they put those words together, and how they change the words for different tenses and contexts (morphology). Additionally, a speech pathologist can look at how a child understands different concepts (e.g., sequence, location, time, quantity, and size), how they ask and answer questions, and how many words they use together in one sentence. At Speech and Feeding's Centre, we focus on supporting your child to work on functional language goals that will help them access the school curriculum more effectively.
