Ray Hull, professor in Communication Sciences and Disorders in audiology/neurosciences at Wichita State, has spent years educating audiences on how to talk to young children. He has performed research, published numerous papers and articles and spoken worldwide on the topic.

And he says the bottom line is adults need to slow down their rate of speech when talking to young children. This is so a young child’s developing central nervous system (the auditory portions of the brain) is given the time necessary to process what is heard.

Many young children may find it difficult to understand adults because they speak too quickly for children’s normally developing central nervous system to comprehend. Often children are blamed for not listening or are misdiagnosed with a hearing or language deficit, but in reality they cannot process what is being said.

Hull says the central nervous system of a child preschool age to third grade can process speech and language with a fair degree of accuracy at a rate of approximately 120 words per minute. Hull’s research with parents and teachers found that most average between 160 to 180 words per minute.

"A child's developing central nervous system is simply not agile enough to process speech that quickly," says Hull. "It's just not designed to do it."

Talking at a slower pace is a good tactic for parents, teachers, physicians and anybody who works with children, Hull says. By speaking at a rate children can comprehend, adults may prevent possible misdiagnoses of auditory processing problems, or language learning disorders.

“Fred Rogers spoke at a rate of around 124 words per minute on his television show, which is the perfect rate for the young developing central nervous system.”
– Ray Hull

Hull says each time he presents on this topic he receives a surprised response from his audience. 

“This is new information to most people,” says Hull. “After almost every presentation, I receive emails from people around the world wanting to know more.” 

“Fred Rogers spoke at a rate of around 124 words per minute on his television show, which is the perfect rate for the young developing central nervous system,” says Hull. “He may have been one of the only adults young children could understand without difficulty.” 

Hull suggests practicing mimicking his rate of speech until it becomes a habit.

Speaking at a slower pace is beneficial when talking to aging adults as well. When people reach around age 40, as time goes by, their central nervous system gradually slows in its ability to process the rapid speech of most adults.

“A human’s central nervous system reaches its peak in their early 20s,” says Hull. “Things like being mentally active can help slow down the decline.”

Hull says slowing down is a good approach in everyday conversation. It enhances articulation and voicing, and we begin to speak naturally with greater clarity.

“The next time you’re talking to someone, remind yourself to slow down. Your listener will thank you,” he says.