Tips for Teaching Prepositions/Location Words
Between 12 and 24 months a child with typically developing language learns to understand some early prepositions or location words including in, out, on, off, up, down, here, and there. Late talkers and other toddlers with language delays may need some extra help with these kinds of words.
Remember — you must make sure a child understands the word before we can expect him to say (and use!) the word!
Here are my best tips…
1. Think about word placement. Many toddlers learn new words best when you use them as single words and at the ends of your phrases.
2. Repeat the new word often as you talk – not just once or twice. Research tells us that we should plan to model a new word 12 to 18 times before we expect a child to try to repeat it.
3. Toddlers learn best by doing. Teach these words during context while playing using objects to demonstrate the concept. For example, if a child is playing with a garage, say things like, “Look! In! Your car goes in! In! In the garage! In!” Then when he’s taking the car out, emphasize that word with “Out! Here comes your car! Out! Car’s out!”
Include these words in your everyday routines too. For example, when he’s taking his shoes off, be sure you’re saying something like, “Off! Take your shoes off!” Or if you’re walking downstairs, say something like, “Down, down, down! Let’s walk down these steps! Down!”
One fun way to target prepositions is to use the child himself to model each concept. Place him “in” a laundry basket and then take him “out.” Lift a child, “Up, up, up,” into the air, and then back “Down!” on your lap. Climb “on” the couch, and then jump “off” to the floor. A toddler’s favorite way to learn “on” and “off” maybe flipping the light switch or pushing buttons on the remote control!
While you might label and point out examples of prepositions/location words while reading books with a child or playing an app, please don’t rely on these as your primary method of teaching this important word category.
One last tip…
With typically developing children, these words are often learned in pairs as “opposites” such as in vs. out, off vs. on, and up vs. down. However, it may be necessary to teach one concept at a time for a child with significant delays to avoid confusion.
Need more tips like this? This information is from Teach Me To Talk: The Therapy Manual. Get your own copy to teach every receptive and expressive language milestone from under 12 months through 48 months. It’s a great resource for SLPs and parents of late talkers! (Be sure to use the coupon code SAVE15 for 15% off!) Quick order here.
Get My Free eBook
A Parent's Guide to Understanding Speech Language Development
Browse Products
Featured Product
Recent Posts
Teach Me To Talk Testimonials
Happy Therapists, Teachers, Parents & Children
"I just want to thank you for the invaluable information you’ve given me in helping my grandson to talk (which I have passed on to his parents). We’ve ve learned patience, appropriate expectations, and fun and effective strategies that we had found no where else. He is exploding with conversation! Sometimes I struggle to interpret his articulation, but all I have to do is say, “Show me”, and he’s excited to do so. He and I both want so badly to communicate with each other, and your strategies have made it so much easier and non-threatening. Once again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Stacey
"My little guy is taking off like a rocket!! We’ve been working through your Autism Workbook for a few months and he has had an explosion of skills develop. YOU are AMAZING! THANK YOU!" Laura Q, Mom
"Dear Laura Mize and Team,
Thank you so much for all your hard work and publishing books! Our 17-month-old toddler suddenly exploded into speaking and imitating everybody's gestures and sounds, just a week or two after we 'completed' all activities that are listed under 11 pre-linguistic skills! Your method really works!"
Grateful customer.
"Hi Laura!
I absolutely LOVE all of your workbooks, especially your Autism Workbook. Starting with Social Games has been a game changer for many of my littles with ASD and their families. It's been the best way for them to finally connect and sustain shared attention and engagement, leading to longer social interactions, through play!"
Jodie, Dev, Therapist
"Hi Ms. Laura,
Thank you so much for the videos you have posted on your youtube channel. They are so direct, informative, and helpful. Thank you for being a resource for me to become a better therapist."
Dianne
"Gosh, I love all of your emails/podcast/website, just everything!! I work in early intervention as a behavior analyst and am learning so much from you!"
Thank you!
Hailey
"Laura,
I love your work! I am a professor of early childhood special education and a speech language pathologist! I have worked to help children learn to communicate and I know how valuable the information you share is for both early interventionists and pediatric speech language pathologists!
Thank you for systematically organizing and explaining essential steps for young children to learn and develop. You are having a great impact on our profession, the ECE profession and families!"
Sincerely,
David
"Thank you.
If this is Laura herself reading this email let me take this opportunity to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have put forth for us professionals. I own every manual (except the autism manual) and have watched every course on DVD. I have listened to countless podcasts. All of what I’ve come to be as an Early Intervention speech therapist was absolutely to your credit. With your resources at my side I have never needed to scramble for answers and strategies and above all the clear language I use when communicating with parents. My fun, animated affect and key phrases I use have been learned through watching your example. So….thank you! May you be blessed."
Chaya
"I just wanted to thank you so much for your incredible help! You are so kind and lovely and every time I implement something you've taught in your manuals or videos it is always a success, I cannot thank you enough. I really appreciate how specific you are in giving us examples of wording to use and how to use a toy in therapy with your videos, it is exactly what I need to properly help my little students. I also really appreciate your list of books of list of toys. I have seen my little students make significant progress thanks to you. I'm looking forward to watching more of your videos, taking more of your CEU's, and reading more of your materials. From the bottom of my heart: thank you so much again!!"
Lauren
Laura thank you so much. Btw, you have transformed my therapy- I have become such a competent and strong therapist after watching probably like 350 of your videos and podcasts over the past few years. And I am a seasoned therapist with almost 25 years experience. (Yes prob 350 episodes ha!) But there was still a lot I learned from you. I have such a thorough understanding of birth to 3 development and how to properly incorporate appropriate therapeutic goals, techniques and strategies now, thanks to you. Kelly
