Language in Restaurants
Welcome back to our “Language at…” series! In these blog posts, we will be focusing on ways to promote language at various locations, parts of your everyday routine, or holidays. Today, we are focusing on language in restaurants.
Print/Literacy Awareness
Restaurants are full of printed materials such as menus, signs, or labels. Parents can encourage their children to look at the print on menus by using their fingers to underline each word as you read along. Starting to plant the seeds for reading through menus can help build a child’s vocabulary. Parents can also bring awareness to signs or labels. Children can begin to associate meaning with the directed symbols, such as fire for “spicy” dishes or “ice” for served cold. While these symbols may vary depending on location, they are great opportunities to introduce language in meaningful ways.
2. Ordering
By watching parents order their meals, children have an example or model of how to approach ordering their own meals. Depending on the modalities of language, this may be verbally ordering a meal, using an AAC device, gesturing to desired items, signed language, or written language. Ordering can be practiced before the server arrives at the table. Phrases like, “I would like ____” or “May I have the ____” are great starting points for placing an order. Giving your child opportunities to try and order, with patience and encouragement, is a valued opportunity.
3. Describing food
Sharing opinions, likes, and dislikes during meal time is another great opportunity to share and expand the language surrounding food. Parents can describe what they enjoyed about their meal and encourage their child to share too. Reflecting on the five senses during mealtime is an opportunity to expand on the dining experience. Describing the differences in tastes, smells, textures, sounds, and colors of the foods around the table promotes robust language surrounding food and enjoying food.
These are just a few ways to facilitate language at restaurants. Trying one of these strategies at your next outing can expose your child to rich, meaningful language that will ultimately have a positive impact on their language skills. Feel free to let us know what worked for you and your family!
