117: Getting your toddler to speak with Kimberly Scanlon

117: Getting your toddler to speak with Kimberly Scanlon

Author: Interviews with experts and parents sharing best practices for raising and April 19, 2016 Duration: 39:38

On this episode of Bilingual Avenue, I chat with Kimberly Scanlon about some of her favorite strategies to promote language development in toddlers! She shares wonderful ideas to help our children express themselves and have fun with language.

Kimberly chats with us about:

Her professional background and how much she enjoys work with parents of children birth to three year olds;
Her book My Toddler Talks all about how to build communication skills in toddlers;
How play and language development go hand in hand for children;
What parents can take away from observing their child play with their toys;
The benefit of creating a predictable routine for children and how they can boost language;
The value of doing silly routines with younger children;
The benefits of speaking to your child in a sing song manner;
How giving your child choices instead of open ended questions can help to get your child talking;
How anticipation can get your child to use more of their vocabulary;
Some of the mistakes she sees parents make when trying to help their children speak;
The importance of asking for help if you have any concerns about your child’s speech and language development;
What types of goals parents should make for their children’s language development;
Her latest book, “Learning to Read is a Ball”;
Her advice to stay hopeful on the language journey!


Navigating the path of raising children who speak more than one language comes with unique questions and moments of doubt. Bilingual Avenue with Marianna Du Bosq exists within that space, offering conversations that feel like a supportive chat with a well-informed friend. Each episode brings voices from both sides of the journey: seasoned experts who study language acquisition sit alongside parents who are in the thick of it, sharing what has worked in their own homes and classrooms. You’ll hear honest stories about strategies that succeeded, obstacles that surprised them, and the small, everyday inspirations that keep the bilingual journey moving forward. This podcast serves as a practical companion, demystifying the process and providing tangible takeaways you can apply, whether you’re just starting out or looking to overcome a specific challenge. It’s about building confidence and community, turning the abstract idea of multilingualism into a lived and manageable reality for your family. Tune in to find clarity and connection on a road that, while rewarding, is always better traveled with a bit of guidance and shared experience.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Bilingual Avenue with Marianna Du Bosq
Podcast Episodes
113: Strategies for teaching reading with Dr. Marnie Ginsberg [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:00
On this episode of Bilingual Avenue, I chat with Dr. Marnie Ginsberg, the leader of Reading Simplified. She shares tips on how we can teach our children to read and develop their reading comprehension all while maintaini…
112: Q&A - Does it matter which language the nanny speaks to my baby? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:26
On this episode of Bilingual Avenue, I answer a question regarding the impact of having a nanny who s peaks the community language on an infant and give strategies the nanny can use to foster language development for the…
111: Non-native bilingual parenting with Elisabeth Alvarado [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:55
On this episode of Bilingual Avenue, Elisabeth Alvarado shares her journey as a non-native bilingual mother. She shares her challenges and her successes and shares wonderful tips for parents raising kids in a language th…
109: How do kids really learn to write with Patricia Zaballos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:35
On this episode of Bilingual Avenue, I chat with Patricia Zaballos, author of Workshops Work!: A Parent’s Guide to Facilitating Writer’s workshops for Kids. She shares so much insightful information to help our children…
How can I increase the minority language exposure for a toddler? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:04
On this episode of Bilingual Avenue, I give 5 tips to a family that is looking for ways to provide additional exposure to Portuguese for their son. One option they are strongly considering is switching to speaking Portug…
106: Q&A - 4 Tips to teach bilingual children the past tense [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:15
On this episode of Bilingual Avenue, I share with you four fun and easy strategies to get your children to understand and use the past tense in your target language. We focus on leveraging the power of modeling and creat…