Language Understanding & Expression

What are language difficulties?

Some children have difficulty understanding language, expressing themselves, or both. This may be called Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) or a language delay.

DLD is one of the most common childhood conditions, affecting approximately 1 in 14 children. Despite how common it is, it often goes unrecognized because children with DLD may not have obvious signs. They may speak clearly but struggle to put ideas into words, follow complex instructions, or tell stories.

Language delay vs. language disorder

These terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they mean different things:

• Language delay: A child’s language is developing in a typical pattern but more slowly than expected. With support, many children with language delays catch up to their peers.
• Language disorder (DLD): A child has persistent difficulty with language that is not likely to resolve on its own. DLD requires targeted intervention and ongoing support.

A speech-language pathologist can help determine whether your child’s language difficulties represent a delay or a disorder, and recommend the appropriate level of support.

Signs of language difficulties

Receptive language (understanding)

Children may:

• struggle to follow directions, especially multi-step instructions
• misunderstand questions, particularly “when,” “how,” and “why” questions
• have difficulty understanding stories or conversations
• seem to “tune out” during group instructions at school

Expressive language (speaking)

Children may:

• have a limited vocabulary compared to their peers
• use short or simple sentences
• have trouble finding the right word
• have difficulty telling stories or explaining events in order
• make grammatical errors beyond what is expected for their age

For example, a child may say “him go store” instead of “he went to the store,” or struggle to explain what happened at school.

Language difficulties can also affect reading and writing. The language skills that support conversation are the same skills that support literacy.

How speech-language therapy helps

At West End Speech, we help children learn to:

• understand longer and more complex directions
• build longer, more complete sentences
• use grammar correctly
• expand and strengthen vocabulary
• tell clear stories with a beginning, middle, and end
• participate more fully in conversations

Therapy uses games, conversation, storytelling activities, and structured exercises matched to each child’s needs and goals.

Our approach

Our approach to language therapy is built around each child and grounded in what the research supports.

Play-based for younger children

For preschool and early school-age children, therapy is embedded in play. We create opportunities for language learning during activities your child enjoys: building, drawing, pretend play, games, and books.

Structured activities for older children

For school-age children and teens, therapy may include more structured tasks targeting specific language skills, such as narrative retelling, vocabulary instruction, comprehension strategies, and written language support.

Parent involvement

You play a huge role in language therapy. We give you coaching and strategies so you can support your child’s language during everyday routines: mealtimes, car rides, bedtime stories, and errands.

Older children may also benefit from cognitive communication support to develop organization, problem-solving, and self-advocacy skills.

What to expect

Assessment

We start with a full language assessment to understand your child’s receptive and expressive abilities. This may include standardized testing, language sampling, and observation during play or conversation.

Therapy sessions

Sessions are typically 30–45 minutes and are planned around your child’s age and goals. Younger children may have shorter, more frequent sessions, while older children may have longer sessions focused on specific skills.

Progress monitoring

We track progress throughout therapy and adjust goals as your child grows. You’ll get regular updates so you can see what’s changing.

How to get started

If you’re worried about your child’s language development, contact us to book an assessment. We offer sessions online across BC and in-home around Vancouver, in English and French.