Language Stimulation is a Piece of Cake!

Fun, easy and practical ways to stimulate your child’s language development by a speech therapist and mother.

We find ourselves in a situation, where our children are with us for a longer duration than the school holidays. In discussion with other mums, many are making the best of the current situation. We need to focus on the positives with an attitude of gratitude.

Children learn a great amount from observing others and is especially true when it comes to language learning. Your child’s vocabulary increases at a rapid rate. An average 2-year-old has a vocabulary of 50 words while a 4-year-old has a vocabulary of over 1000 words.

Your child may use phrases which you or other family members commonly say – even if it is not in the correct context. For example, my husband and I switch from speaking English to Afrikaans when we don’t want our 4-year-old to understand what we are say. When she recognizes that we are speaking a different language, she says “Asseblief!” with great excitement. This is most likely due to “Asseblief” being the most common Afrikaans word that we use.

If the thought has crossed your mind, “I wonder how I can stimulate my child’s language development without going bananas”, we present to you a recipe for success. Read until the end where we share with you a detailed explanation how to incorporate language stimulation while making a quick, simple and easy chocolate cake. This recipe is tried and tested – a definite winner in many homes. In the end, you may also say that language stimulation is indeed a piece of cake! 

Each child may not have the same morning routine but we all do the same activities daily. These include waking up, brushing teeth, having breakfast, taking a shower and getting dressed.

Let’s examine each routine activity in greater depth. The main idea is to incorporate language stimulation in your routine so that you do not need to set aside specific time in the day. Let’s be honest, many of us don’t have free time or extra mental energy to add on to our daily routine.  This does not mean that you need to be talking to your child the whole day. Use meaningful and language – rich sentences with a goal in mind. If you aim to teach your child their colours, let learning occur without making the process seem like a chore. Read further for fun, easy and practical ways to stimulate your child’s language while going about your normal daily routine. 

Waking up

Upon awakening, your child may come out of his or her room in a range of moods. A typical child aged 4 years old may not remember exactly what day it is hence it would be beneficial to speak about the day, date etc. If your child is anticipating a certain date – explain how many sleeps / days more to go before a particular date or day of the week is reached e.g. Today is Wednesday, 4th September, tomorrow is Thursday 5th September and then it will be Friday 6th September and the day after will be Saturday 7th September. Use your fingers to count how many days away the anticipated date is – you can count forwards (Saturday is 3 days away) and backwards (tomorrow will be 2 days away and Friday will be 1 day away). 

For your child/ren to visualize the days of the week, a better option is to make your own monthly calendar and change the date each morning with your child/ren. Basics to include are days of the week, dates of the month, name of the month, year, season and weather. A ready-made DIY magnetic calendar is available online from www.thespeechbubbleco.co.za

There are innumerable benefits of using a calendar or visual schedule which include:

  • Understanding concepts before, after and sequence of events.
  • Enhance mathematics skills (counting forwards, backwards, addition, subtraction).
  • Learning days of the week and months of the year in a practical manner has great meaning and will be remembered easily.

Note – some experts believe that the ability to understand how many days there are from now until an event in future will only be fully understood when a child is between the ages of 7 and 10 years.

 Brushing teeth

From personal experience with my 4-year-old daughter, getting her to brush her teeth is a hard nut to crack. I often need to butter her up by making teeth brushing seem exciting or explaining to her the consequences of not brushing teeth.

While in the bathroom with toddlers, the concept of colours can be taught in a meaningful way. A basic colour chart can be stuck on the mirror. The adult chooses a particular colour and the child says what other items in the bathroom match the chosen colour. Since the child’s mouth, the toothbrush and the toothpaste are essential components of teeth brushing – colours related to these can be emphasized first e.g. your teeth are white, what else can you see on your body that is white, what else in the bathroom is white.

Having breakfast

Mealtimes are exciting for many reasons – many people are together which means food & fun. The excitement can begin before everyone is seated. Ask your child/ren to assist in preparing meals, setting the table etc. Duties can be assigned according to their ages. For fussy eaters, studies have shown that if children participate in the preparing of food, they are more likely to eat it. While chocolate cake isn’t a common daily breakfast menu, our 6 Minute Microwave Cake at the end of this article will provide much fun for the whole family – many husbands have made it independently too!

The concept of time can be paired with meals and visibility of the sun. By this we mean, breakfast is associated with the beginning of the cake, lunch in the middle of the day and dinner after the sun has set (i.e. when it is dark). 

Taking a shower / having a bath

During summer months, we may shower twice a day, while in winter – once a day is sufficient. With children, they may often require a good wash depending on how often they play outside with sand and mud. Discovering their 5 senses during bath times is an ideal activity which can be done during this routine i.e. eyes – sight, ears – hearing, nose – smell, hands – touch, tongue – taste.

Here’s how you could use practical examples to make learning meaningful.

Eyes – closed eyes vs open eyes.

Ears – be quiet and listen to the sounds we can hear (loud bang of the door, soft splash in the water).

Nose – smell the scent of the shampoo or bubble bath.

Mouth – sweets vs lemons.

 Hand – sponge is soft while bar of soap is hard; toothbrush bristles are rough while bathtub is smooth; hot water vs cold water.

Examples of these senses do not need to be confined to the bathroom – these can be elaborated in any activity of your daily routine.

Getting dressed

Clothes vary according to season, gender and occasion. Getting dressed also requires a particular sequence e.g. socks need to be worn before shoes. By allowing your child to choose their clothing, you can correct them if they choose unsuitable with an explanation e.g. it is cold outside so you cannot wear shorts and a t shirt. 

If you choose to match colours or patterns on clothing, explain why certain items of clothing go together e.g. tracksuit pants with a tracksuit top. 

While dressing, give your child detailed instructions e.g. first put your right foot in, then your left foot – once they are dressed ask them which is right and which is left. 

If a shirt or dress has buttons, count aloud how many buttons there are. 

As you may have realized, you could already be doing a fair amount of language stimulation without being conscious of it. With this new knowledge, your interactions with your child can be more meaningful.  

6 Minute Microwave Cake

Recipe credit: unknown

As featured in the free pdf, Quick, Simple n Easy Lockdown Cuisine 

Instagram @quicksimpleneasycuisine

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 3 Tblsp cocoa powder
  • 1 Tblsp baking powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • ¼ cup oil

Method

  • Sift flour, baking powder and cocoa.
  • Add in sugar and salt.
  • Whisk eggs and oil.
  • Add boiling water to egg mixture.
  • Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well with a whisk until no lumps remain.
  • Grease a microwavable dish or glass casserole.
  •  Pour mixture in and microwave on high for 6 minutes.
  • Allow to stand in microwave for 1 minute then turn out onto a plate. Decorate with chocolate ganache.

This cake can also be baked in an oven at 180 C for 35 – 40 minutes (depending on your oven)

Chocolate ganache

  • 2 x 80g slabs dairy milk chocolate, melted
  • ½ tin dessert cream

Add in dessert cream to melted chocolate. Pour over cooled cake and decorate as desired.

Tips to promote language stimulation while making the cake

Homophones and homonyms

Explain to your child that 1 word can have 2 different meanings. These type of words, if spelt differently, are known as homophones and, if spelt the same, are known as homonyms.

The word “flour” can refer to the white powder like substance that is used generally used in baking. The word “flower” can also refer to a pretty plant with petals e.g. sunflower, rose etc. Another common homophone is see and sea – we see with our eyes and we swim in the sea.

Origin of ingredients used

  • Cocoa powder comes from cocoa beans that grow in pods on the cacao tree.
  • Sugar comes from sugarcane which is processed in a sugar mill.
  • Hens lay eggs.
  • The water cycle of rain and precipitation. 

Opposites

  • If you are using eggs from the fridge, contrast the coldness to the heat of boiling water. 
  • While sugar is sweet, salt is different in taste.
  • Flour is light and cocoa is dark.

Mathematics

  • Count aloud while adding ingredients to the mixing bowl 
  • Quarter cup oil is needed. Explain that 4 quarters make 1 whole.
  • If the cake is cut into 12 pieces and needs to be shared amongst 4 family members equally, each family member will get 3 pieces.

Sequencing

While getting ingredients together, explain to your child/ren what you are currently doing and what the next step will be. 

Language learning occurs throughout our lives. When speaking to normally developing children, their vocabulary and number of words per sentence (mean length utterance) could reflect the amount of stimulation they receive from their environment. Children are never too young to learn. The onus is upon us as parents to enhance their vocabulary by implementing the above guidelines in a variety of contexts. Can you hear the chocolate cake calling you? 

We would greatly appreciate your feedback from this article as well as suggestion for future articles.

Share your thoughts with us [email protected]  

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Here’s How Tax Relief for Neurodivergent Kids Actually Works

If you’re raising a neurodivergent child in South Africa, you’re already doing a lot.

Appointments. School meetings. Forms. “Can you just send that report again?” moments. The daily juggling act of home + school + therapy + life.

So when someone says, “You might be able to claim tax relief,” it can feel like one more admin mountain… right when you’re already running on fumes.

Here’s the good news: tax relief is available, and there’s a real framework designed to give families some breathing room.

The bad news is: it’s not always obvious how it works, and the internet is full of conflicting advice.

This guide will help you understand the basics without spiralling.

Tax relief is available in South Africa

South Africa’s tax system includes support for families who carry additional medical and care costs. The main mechanism is the Additional Medical Expenses Tax Credit (AMTC).

It’s not a cash payout. It’s a tax credit that reduces the amount of normal tax you pay.

For many families, it becomes a crucial “safety valve”, especially when you’re paying for the kind of support your child needs to function well in the real world.

Where neurodiversity fits into the SARS framework

SARS doesn’t have a neat category called “neurodivergence.”

Instead, conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, and PDA are considered based on their functional impact, in other words, how much they limit day-to-day life.

For tax purposes, a “disability” is defined as a moderate to severe limitation in a person’s ability to function or perform daily activities (including learning, thinking, communicating).

If your child’s challenges create a moderate to severe limitation that is expected to last more than a year, your family may qualify for tax relief.

If the limitations are considered milder, the condition may fall under what SARS calls a “physical impairment.” (Despite the name, this category isn’t limited to physical conditions and can still apply in some neurodevelopmental contexts.) 

Relief may still be available, but often with different thresholds and limits.

The common misunderstanding that trips parents up

One of the biggest myths is:

“If I have the diagnosis, we automatically qualify.”

Not necessarily.

SARS looks at whether the condition remains a significant limitation even after what it calls “maximum correction” (including appropriate therapy, treatment, or medication).

Because every child is different, eligibility is assessed case by case. Two families can have the same diagnosis and still have different outcomes depending on how the condition impacts daily functioning.

Which is frustrating, yes.
But also: it’s why getting clarity early matters.

Why paperwork and medical confirmation matter (even if you hate admin)

The admin requirements can feel like adding weight to an already heavy load.

But they’re also the keys to unlocking tax relief.

A diagnosis label isn’t enough. You need formal medical confirmation from a registered practitioner who is trained to give an opinion on your child’s condition.

The key document is the ITR-DD form (Confirmation of Diagnosis of Disability).

Whether this form is required in your situation can depend on how your child’s needs are classified (which is exactly where many parents get stuck).

Important: you typically don’t submit the form with your annual return, but you must keep it, along with invoices and proof of payments, for at least five years. 

SARS often verifies these claims, so having your paperwork organised from the start protects you later.

Think of it like this: a few clicks to save documents today can save you hours of stress later.

You don’t have to figure it all out today

If this feels complex, you’re not meant to decode it alone in between lunchboxes and meltdowns.

So we created a simple starting point for parents:

✅ Download the tax relief cheat sheet at www.dalza.com/tax-relief-cheat-sheet/
 A clear summary of what you need to know (and what to gather), without the jargon.

Supporting a neurodivergent child requires enough time, energy, and emotional bandwidth as it is. Tax admin shouldn’t be another thing you have to white-knuckle your way through.

Start with the cheat sheet.
Get the lay of the land.
And take it one step at a time.

👉 Download the free tax relief cheat sheet at www.dalza.com/tax-relief-cheat-sheet/

Disclaimer:

This content is provided for general information purposes only. It is not intended as legal, tax, or financial advice. Tax outcomes depend on individual circumstances, and eligibility for tax relief is assessed by SARS on a case-by-case basis. We recommend consulting a registered tax practitioner or qualified professional before submitting any tax claims

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Get a second chance at success

If you’ve recently completed Grade 12, you’ll know that your matric results can lead to many exciting opportunities. Your matric certificate can help you get into the university or course of your choice, it looks great on your CV and it can help you ace that job interview by showing that you have the necessary skills to do the job.

But, what if your results were not what you hoped they would be and all these opportunities seem out of reach? You don’t have to be stuck with your less-than-great grades for the rest of your life. You can get a second chance at success.

Impaq, an innovative education solution provider, can help. You can register to redo some of your Grade 12 subjects in order to improve your results. Plus, you don’t have to be an Impaq learner to qualify. If you went to a public or private high school or received your matric certificate through a distance learning provider, you can still apply to redo your matric subjects with Impaq. The only requirement is that you must have had a sitting for the final examination in order to qualify.

Once you’ve applied and been accepted, Impaq will register you with the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI) to ensure that you receive your new (and improved) National Senior Certificate after passing the NSC Examination for the rewritten subjects.

To see if you qualify, send an email to [email protected]. The final cut-off date for registrations is 15 February 2018.

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Bullying: What parents and schools can do

ARTICLE BY PROF RITA NIEMANN, NALIZE MARAIS, ZENDRÉ SWANEPOEL AND MONIERA MOOSA

Bullying is a great concern for both parents and schools. Here we outline a number of measures that can help them both parties deal with bullying.

Parents

When parents notice that their child is behaving differently – not wanting to go to school, using illness as an excuse, suddenly performing poorly at school or enuresis – and suspect bullying, they need to act immediately.

Firstly, they must determine where this is happing (at school, at a sports club, on social media, etc.) and who the perpetrator(s) are.

Secondly, if the bullying is taking place in an organised environment such as at school or sports club, the authorities need to be informed and requested to step in. They are legally bound to protect the rights of the child.

Thirdly, parents have the responsibility to equip their children to cope by:

  • Instilling the knowledge that children must take a stand and that they have a choice in allowing someone else to victimise them.
  • Assisting children to terminate relationships that are potentially harmful, such as blocking a person on social media.
  • Helping them to identify bullies and the different forms of bullying.
  • Creating a safe space for children to speak about what is happening to them.
  • Emphasising assertive verbal communication if threatened.
  • Building children’s self-concept.
  • Getting the help of a psychologist, if necessary, to counsel the victim.
  • Emphasising that respectful behaviour is always the best option and thus preventing retaliation.
  • Fostering problem-solving and conflict resolution skills with the focus on restoring damaged relationships.
  • Working collaboratively to solve the problem with their children so that they can feel reassured.

Schools

As bullying is a deliberate act to hurt someone, there must be consequences for the bully. Once teachers are aware that a bullying incident has taken place at school, the matter must be dealt with by:

  • Asking the victim to provide the names of the perpetrator(s), as well as the names of friends of the victim, as soon as he/she has calmed down.
  • Counselling the victim and finding out whether he/she has been injured and what effect the bullying or harassment has had on him or her.
  • Cultivating a “no blame” approach towards bullying or harassment.
  • Establishing punitive sanctions for both the bully and for any bystanders.
  • Developing a bullying code of conduct/bullying policy and informing learners of this.
  • Having designated teachers to deal with incidents of bullying.
  • Facilitating mediation and discussions with the victim and the bully, depending on the severity of the bullying.
  • Passing the responsibility to the bully or group of bullies to make sure that the problem is solved.
  • Ensuring that potential bystanders understand that they have a vital role to play during bullying incidents.
  • Letting the victims feel protected after they have reported the incident.
  • Encouraging learners to make suggestions on how they can contribute to alleviating the negative experiences of the victim.
  • Scheduling follow-up meetings to monitor the situation where each party has to share how things are going.
  • Informing the parents of both the bully and the victim about the incident/s.

The principal and teachers have a crucial role to play in directing learners towards becoming responsible citizens. They should create a safe and secure environment, establish a non-violent culture, and be good role models for all learners.

Reference

Niemann, R., Marais, N., Swanepoel, Z. & Moosa, M. 2016. Problem areas in schools In: Jacobs, M. Teaching-learning Dynamics, Johannesburg: Pearsons

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