What is Verbal Comprehension in Childhood?

Verbal comprehension in childhood is the ability to understand and communicate using written and spoken words. This crucial skill underpins much of a child’s learning and social interaction.

Verbal comprehension includes several key areas.

• Categorical reasoning: Understanding how words relate to each other by assigning them to common categories (e.g., recognizing that an apple and a banana are both fruits).
• Vocabulary: Defining common words. A strong vocabulary means a child not only knows a word but can also accurately describe its meaning.
• Verbal intelligence (Verbal Comprehension Index – VCI): The verbal skills measured on an IQ test, including verbal reasoning, recalling stories, defining words, and answering factual questions.

10 Signs Your Child Might Be Struggling with Verbal Comprehension

Understanding potential signs of difficulty can help parents and educators offer timely support.

1. Low reading skills: Your child struggles with foundational reading.
2. Reads well but doesn’t grasp meaning: They can decode words but don’t understand the content.
3. Struggles with writing: Difficulty translating thoughts into written words.
4. Word-finding challenges: They have ideas but “can’t find the words” to express them, leading to frustration. A speech-language pathologist can be helpful here.
5. Misunderstanding others: Your child frequently misunderstands spoken words or phrases, impacting conversations. Listening comprehension is key here, and a speech therapist can assist.
6. Forgetting new vocabulary/spelling: Difficulty retaining new words for school subjects.
7. Feeling lost with new material: They struggle to grasp new concepts introduced in class and take a long time to catch up.
8. Not following directions: Even when trying, they may complete only part of multi-step instructions.
9. Needing visual explanations: Your child understands better when information is presented visually (graphs, pictures) rather than just verbally.
10. Struggles across many subjects: Difficulties are present in multiple verbally-intensive subjects like language arts, history, and foreign languages.

Common Causes of Verbal Comprehension Challenges

Several factors can contribute to difficulties in verbal comprehension.

• Lack of exposure: Children may have limited vocabulary due to less exposure to words, often impacting verbal intelligence. This can occur from missed school due to illness, neglect, or environmental factors. With intensive support, children can often catch up.
• English language learners (ELL): Children learning English as a second language may face temporary verbal comprehension challenges in English, which are usually not a cause for concern. Continued support in both native and new languages helps ELLs acquirethe necessary vocabulary and knowledge.
• Crystallized intelligence issues: Difficulties recalling and using factual information. Children may struggle with common knowledge (e.g., who the president is, days of the week). These challenges often indicate a need for school-based testing and intervention.
• Communication differences: Some children struggle with expressing themselves or understanding language due to a communication neurotype. Professionals like speech-language pathologists or testing psychologists can diagnose and support these differences. Children with communication neurotypes often excel in other areas, such as puzzles or nonverbal communication. Early speech therapy can be highly beneficial.
• Intellectual differences: Children have diverse intellectual profiles. Some may excel non-verbally but have verbal weaknesses, while others are verbally strong but struggle elsewhere. An overall IQ score considers all these aspects. Children with significant intellectual differences may qualify for school services like IEPs and special education.
• Autism spectrum (a unique style of wiring): Individuals with an autistic neurotype show a wide range of verbal abilities. Some may have advanced verbal comprehension, while others have significant challenges. A common profile can include lower verbal scores and higher nonverbal scores. Many autistic individuals make significant gains in verbal comprehension with targeted interventions and support. Social communication differences are a core aspect of an autistic neurotype.

Supporting Verbal Comprehension in Children

The good news is that verbal comprehension skills are highly influenced by exposure and can be significantly improved with targeted strategies:

• Activating background knowledge: Teachers can connect new topics to what a child already knows using pictures, maps, or discussions. This context helps new information stick.
• Supporting visual learners: For children who learn best by seeing, use non-verbal prompts, physical modeling, checklists, graphic organizers, and visual schedules.
• Engaging kinesthetic learners: These children learn best through physical experience. Provide manipulatives, objects, and hands-on activities. Strategies include:
• Physical prompts: Gentle taps or handing materials can be more effective than verbal directions.
• Walk and talk: Integrate movement with learning (e.g., jumping jacks while spelling).
• Get outside: Learning outdoors can “wake up” brains for some kinesthetic learners.

Knowing your child’s learning style (visual, kinesthetic, or verbal) can significantly enhance learning and reduce frustration.

When to Seek Professional Help

While many early childhood struggles are not cause for concern (e.g., mild attention issues, boredom, being an English Language Learner), certain signs warrant professional assessment.

• Significant language delay: If your child is noticeably delayed in talking or speaking compared to peers.
• Strong preference for non-verbal subjects: Excelling in math and science but struggling with reading and writing.
• Difficulty progressing in upper grades: Challenges emerging in language-heavy subjects like social studies, world languages, or literature as they advance.
• Learning differences: Continued struggles in language-based subjects requiring ongoing intervention, particularly if learning differences like dyslexia or dysgraphia are suspected. Unaddressed academic challenges can impact self-esteem, leading to anxiety or depression.

Professional Resources for Verbal Comprehension Support

If your child’s struggles significantly impact their learning, relationships, or happiness, consider reaching out to the following professionals:

• Psychologist or neuropsychologist: Can provide a comprehensive profile of your child’s strengths and weaknesses, diagnose underlying reasons for comprehension challenges, and address related emotional difficulties like anxiety or depression.
• School psychologist: Can assess verbal IQ and academic issues related to verbal comprehension (reading, writing, speaking). They often work directly with children in special education programs.
• Physical therapist or occupational therapist (OT): May assess fine motor skills or visual tracking if these hinder reading or writing.
• Speech-language pathologist (SLP): Specializes in assessing and treating receptive or expressive language issues that interfere with verbal comprehension.

Resources for Further Reading

• Eide, B., & Eide, F. (2006). The Mislabeled Child: Looking Beyond Behavior to Find the True Sources—and Solutions—for Children’s Learning Challenges. Hyperion.
• Flanagan, D. P. (2014, November 5). Cross-Battery Assessment: A Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses Approach to SLD Identification. St. John’s University, New York Yale Child Study Center, School of Medicine.
• Kroncke, A. P., Willard, M., & Huckabee, H. (2016). Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Critical Issues in Clinical Forensic and School Settings. Springer.
• Sattler, J. M. (2014). Foundations of Behavioral, Social, and Clinical Assessment of Children. Jerome M. Sattler, Publisher, Inc.