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by Kathryn Stinton in Articles Teaching and Learning on March 15, 2018

On a recent visit to my local park I walked past a Dad and toddler, they were laughing in delight as they fed the ducks.  Dad was saying “quack quack” and his son was copying him and pointing, saying “hungry ducks.”   This simple exchange is a perfect example of speech, language and communication skills in action and is so easy to take for granted.  However, over 50% of children in socially deprived areas start school with impoverished speech and on average, children from the poorest 20% of the population are over 17 months behind a child in the highest income group in language development at age three [1] .  Approximately 10% of children will have long term, persistent speech, language and communication needs [2]  and as Early Years Practitioners we are in a powerful position to make a positive difference to these children’s lives.  Let’s begin by looking at what is meant by Speech, Language and Communication (information based on this Communication Trust document). 

That any child acquires this vast number of skills by the time they start school is a source of amazement to me.  Having worked with children with speech, language and communication difficulties for twenty five years I am constantly surprised when I meet typically developing pre-school children with whom I can hold complex conversations.  Children who are able to question, negotiate, predict, re-tell events and make their thoughts and feelings known.  Not surprisingly, children who have difficulties in this area often show us in the only way they can, through their behaviour.  So, how can we ensure we support the speech, language and communication skills of the children we work with?  

We need to ensure our environment promotes the speech and language and communication skills of all children and in order for this to happen we need: •    Limited background noise and visual clutter, quiet areas within the setting  •    Clearly labelled materials and resources which are accessible and interesting  •    Routines, instructions and transitions which are supported by visual cues  •    Practitioners who enjoy being with children, are knowledgeable about their interests and stage of development and play alongside them •    Practitioners who understand the typical development of speech, language and communication skills and how to support these within their setting  (The Communication Trust has a free online course for Early Years Practitioners  to support them in this area) •    Regular book sharing and story sessions, both individually and in groups.  Children become confident to join in with familiar phrases with repetition so don’t worry about sharing the same books or stories on many occasions •    Regular song/rhyme sessions; it’s best for practitioners to sing as recorded songs are often very quick, making it difficult for children to join in.   Have a repertoire of ten songs/rhymes you sing regularly and introduce one new song each week.  Using pictures or objects to represent each song/rhyme will give all children the opportunity choose their favourite and also gives a visual prompt.

I’ve been fortunate to visit hundreds of early years settings in my previous role as an Area SENCO and now as an Independent Consultant, these have ranged from purpose built buildings to village halls.  Although high quality resources and equipment help us in our role, it’s the practitioner’s skill in interacting with children which will have the greatest impact on their speech, language and communication skills and I’ve seen examples of this time and time again. Consider the following points:

•    When are you interacting with children?  Is it to give them directions or is it to genuinely share in their experiences, valuing and extending what they are doing?   •    Do you model new vocabulary as you play alongside?  By 24 months, typically developing children will understand between 200 and 500 words and use over 50 single words.  However, many children have huge gaps in language with little knowledge of household items, food, parts of the body, animals, clothes, vehicles, let alone more complex vocabulary such as verbs, prepositions and early concepts.   •    Do you provide children with the words they need to engage with peers?  For example “You could say – can I play?” “You could say – can I have a turn?” “You could say – stop, I don’t like it”  “You could say – excuse me please.”   Do you explain to children how to ask for help?  This is a vital skill and will really help them when they start school.  “You need to say – help please.” •    Do you comment more than question?  It’s easy to fall into the trap of continually asking children questions as a means of communication but this puts pressure on them so understandably they’re not very motivated to engage with us!  We should be aiming for a ratio of 4 comments to every 1 question, this clip is helpful.

If children’s speech is difficult to understand do you keep their self - esteem high by not correcting them and instead taking the blame yourself.  For example, you could say “I’m sorry, my ears aren’t working properly today” or “I’m sorry, it’s very noisy in here, please tell me later.”  If it’s difficult to understand a child, ask them to show you what they mean but obviously this will only work if the conversation is about something in the immediate environment.  Setting up a home/setting book for parents/carers to write what the child has done can be helpful as this gives you an idea what they might be talking about.  I’d advise against pretending to understand what a child has said, I did this once and replied “oh that’s lovely” and realised later that I’d been told their pet rabbit had died.  I’ll never forget his face when I responded, a harsh lesson learnt for me.   If a child has pronounced a word incorrectly, you can model back the correct version but don’t ask them to repeat what you’ve said.  For example, if the child says “tat” you could say “yes, it’s a black cat” and slightly emphasise the correct sound.  

 This short film clip provides an overview of strategies to use in your setting, I’m sure you’re already using lots of them but it might be useful to share with colleagues to ensure consistency.  

Partnership Working Working in partnership with parents/carers is vital, gathering effective information as part of the induction process and highlighting the importance of speech, language and communication skills.  For example, a simple open ended question such as “How does your child let you know when they want something?” can open up the conversation.  I remember asking this question to a parent who had no concerns about any aspect of his child’s development yet answered this question by telling me that his  three year old son screamed when he wanted anything as he didn’t have any speech.  I’d recommend asking all parents/carers when the child last had a hearing test as although they have passed the newborn hearing screen they could have a history of glue ear which can have a significant impact on speech and language skills.  Remember, it’s far easier to ask all parents/carers the same questions as part of a thorough induction process than asking them additional questions when you have concerns as this is when they can understandably become anxious.  

Many parents understandably aren’t aware of the typical development of speech, language and communication skills which can make it difficult for them to realise there is a delay.  Universally Speaking is a downloadable booklet  which gives the ages and stages of child’s communication from birth to five, you can also order single hard copies. I found it beneficial to give a copy to all parents/carers during induction (taking literacy levels and EAL into account) and managed to collect enough copies by asking friends and family if I could use their addresses!  

Consider how you support parents/carers to encourage their child’s speech, language and communication development at home. The Communication Trust have a series of four short film clips  narrated by Kathy Burke to support parents in encouraging their child’s speech and language skills at home.  They’re split into 0 6 months, 6 – 12 months, 1 – 2 years and 2 -3 years.   The National Literacy Trust have produced a series of downloadable information sheets in a range of languages for parents/carers with young children.  Topics include Sharing Songs and Rhymes, Dummies, Making the Most of TV and Sharing Books.   Do you share with parents/carers the songs and rhymes you’re singing?   You could provide opportunities for small groups of parents/carers to observe your song/rhyme session, making it clear that they wouldn’t be under any pressure to join in unless they wanted to!    Leicestershire County Council have produced ideas for supporting learning in the home , including case studies from early years practitioners.

Identification of Speech, Language and Communication Difficulties Two thirds of young offenders have speech, language and communication difficulties but in only 5% of cases were these identified before the offending began [3] . This figure fills me with despair but also hope because I have seen the impact early identification and intervention can make to children and families.  Think carefully about the processes you have in place to closely monitor children’s speech, language and communication skills. I would recommend that your setting based SENCO asks each Key Person on a monthly basis if they have concerns about any child’s development as this provides a focus for discussion.  Remember that we need to be alert to delays in a child’s understanding of language which can be easily masked by the routines in our settings and children copying what their peers are doing. 

If a child in your setting is being seen by a Speech and Language Therapist, don’t wait for them to contact you as they have huge caseloads.  With written parental permission ask for copies of any reports or letters which should include strategies and advice.  If you’re unsure, contact them directly for clarification.  

So, what does “Supporting Children’s Speech, Language and Communication Skills” look like on a daily basis in our settings?  It’s seeing highly skilled practitioners who are knowledgeable about children’s interests and stage of development who take joy engaging in conversations and modelling language whilst remembering not to ask too many questions or take over the play.  It’s making sure all practitioners know where to access support if they have concerns about a child’s speech, language or communication skills and are confident to work in partnership with parents, valuing their opinions and expertise. We make a difference! 

• https://www.rcslt.org/governments/docs/early_years_debate  
• http://www.talkingpoint.org.uk/slts/impact-slcn 
• https://www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/media/540327/tct_talkingaboutageneration_report_online.pdf

Kathryn Stinton

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• Areas of learning
• Communication and language

Exploring language

Tips for best supporting language development in an early years environment.

Contents on this page

Why exploring language is important

What the eyfs framework says, what this means in practice, suggested activities, other activities, what other nurseries and childminders are doing.

Children’s speech develops from babble, to words, to simple sentences through hundreds of hours of interactions with adults. Studies show that once babies begin to understand words their vocabulary increases quickly:

• by age 1, children recognise about 50 words
• by age 3, children recognise about 1,000 words
• by age 5, children recognise about 10,000 words

Having a large vocabulary helps children learn more. Words allow them to make sense of the world around them.

Communication and language is a EYFS prime area which means that it’s one of the important building blocks for all the other areas. If it’s not developed early it’s difficult to achieve later.

Children’s language skills are connected to their overall development and can predict their educational success. As speaking and listening develops, children build foundations for literacy, for making sense of visual and verbal signs and ultimately for reading and writing.

Children from more disadvantaged backgrounds may have fewer chances to develop their vocabulary. However, research shows that lots can be done in the early years to avoid inequalities in children’s language development.

Removing this inequality should be a priority for you. You can work towards this by providing a language rich environment full of stories, rhymes, songs and play with words that are of interest to children. Children can make good progress with early language development with the right support.

There are also lots of benefits from learning more than one language (including sign language) for example, understanding of grammar, spelling, creativity and story-telling skills.

In this video, an early years expert explains the importance of exploring language in the early years foundation stage framework. There are also some tips on how to support children in this area.

Through conversation, story-telling and role play, where children share their ideas with support and modelling from their teacher, and sensitive questioning that invites them to elaborate, children become comfortable using a rich range of vocabulary and language structures.

Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage , page 7, childminder EYFS, page 8, group and school-based EYFS.

Children develop strong language skills when they are involved in playful, language-rich environments with opportunities to learn new words. Hands-on experiences encourage learning and provide a context for new words to be explored. For example, it’s easier for children to learn vegetable names when they are touching or tasting them.

Songs and rhymes offer fun ways to explore the sounds and patterns of words. Poems with actions and repetition help children listen to the structure of spoken language and explore new words.

Reading stories aloud and sharing books supports children to develop language and understand new concepts. Encouraging children to notice pictures and understand words, will strengthen their language skills and widen their vocabulary.

Non-fiction and high-quality texts such as story books, encourage children to make sense of the world around them using language. Encouraging talk when sharing books is an excellent way to support communication and language.

Children extend language with pretend play and acting out stories. By offering props and ideas you can deepen the learning. This may include imaginative play with small world resources such as dolls houses, farms or garages, open ended materials (those which can be used in more than one way) such as blocks or loose parts. You can encourage language development through creativity and problem solving during activities like:

• observing nature

Story scribing

Children are born communicators and often practice their developing language skills by engaging in story-telling, through role play, small world and made-up games.

You can encourage and support this exploration of early language by scaffolding children’s learning and writing down exactly what children say, in the form of story books, for them to enjoy over and over again. Young children love repetition and this type of activity will offer important opportunities for them to feel their voice has been heard.

For younger children story scribing may involve creating picture books of recent experiences, such as trips to the park or birthday parties, with key people and phrases included. These can be created using pre-made photo albums or simply by stringing together printed photographs. Often these can be contributed to by parents or carers and allow practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of a child’s home learning environment, including key vocabulary.

For older children, you can transcribe more elaborate and creative experiences such as children’s own interpretations of familiar stories, superhero play adventures or the ‘rules’ of a game the children have invented. Again, these can be made into a paper story book or displayed as storyboards for children to return to and follow.

Often children enjoy re-enacting these stories with practitioners and their peers, so a simple marked out ‘performance area’ or cardboard box ‘theatre’ may support children to share and enjoy these ‘stories’ further.

How the activity links to the other areas of learning

This activity links to children’s personal, social and emotional development and literacy , as they share stories and interact with others. It also provides opportunities for children to engage in expressive arts and design .

Sensitively narrating children’s play

Children learn language when it is introduced to them sensitively, at a time it is relevant to them, in manageable amounts, and with plenty of time to process. One way of encouraging children’s understanding, and later use, of verbal language is to offer examples to them as they play. Narrating children’s play in these ways:

Commenting, or describing what children are doing, as they are doing it. Using simple, repetitive phrases and pausing in between. This is particularly helpful for complex concepts, for example things you cannot hold, like ‘red’, ‘bigger’ or ‘tomorrow’ and should never feel like you are overwhelming the child with words without meaning.

For example, during block play: “your tower is getting taller and taller”.

Expanding on what children say as you reply, adding one or 2 words. This shows children you are interested and supports them to begin linking words and ideas in play. It can also be helpful to remember that, if you ask a child one question and they are unable to reply, you may demonstrate responding by offering 4 comments.

For example, ‘what have you got?’ (question) Pause ‘It’s a car’, ‘It’s a red car’, ‘It’s a red, fast car’, ‘It goes vrroomm!’ (comments).

Recasting, or modelling, back what the child says, in the right form, but without openly correcting them. For example, in the role play area, if a child said ‘the baby sleeped in the bed’ you might say ‘oh, shhh, the baby’s sleeping in the bed’ to support the understanding of the complex relationships between grammar and vocabulary.

Pausing, allowing children extra time to respond, before speaking again. This supports language use as children’s brains develop and fine-tune those important connections which enable them to receive and understand messages, before forming and expressing their response.

For example, when talking to a child about their play, say something but then wait several seconds (count to 7 in your head) and keep looking at them so that they know you are interested and listening for their response.

Be flexible and responsive to different learning situations and interact in an authentic way having been invited into a child’s play. This will help to make sure that thinking is not interrupted and there is a sense of equality between you and the child.

This clip shows a practitioner tuning in to a young child singing and joining in with the words, following his lead to acknowledge his interests and being a playful communication partner.

“Central to our practice is establishing a shared context to start the conversational journey. Planning learning experiences through the ‘lens of accessibility’ with lots of ways for English as an additional language children to attend, participate and communicate without needing words. Visual signs, simple language and familiar routines all help. Children develop the motivation of being valued members of the group and can share their knowledge and interests with us, even if we do not share their language. Familiar objects to model telling a story create a point of shared understanding and new vocabulary can be introduced. Natural, playful repetition found in all good story telling supports learners to thrive”.

Jet, St Pauls Nursery School and Children’s Centre, Bristol

• Language development in the first years of life is important to later educational success.
• Communication and language is a prime area in the EYFS and is difficult for children to develop later on.
• Language development is best supported in a playful language environment full of stories, songs, rhymes, signs, talk and imaginative play.
• You are important in narrowing the word gap and supporting all children to make good progress.
• You can be a skilled communication partner with children to support their language development.
• Consider how having an understanding of typical communication and language development stages could further improve your practice.
• Review how you meet all children’s communication needs, including non-verbal learners.
• Strengthen partnerships with parents and carers, and professionals to support children’s speech, language and communication.
• Review your curriculum to ensure you cover the requirements in the EYFS for this area of learning.

Define the terms: speech, language, communication

Qualification : NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator Unit : Unit 3.10: Develop the speech, language and communication of children Learning outcome : Understand theory and current frameworks which underpin children’s speech, language and communication development. Assessment criteria : Define the terms: speech, language, communication

English is a complex language that contains many different elements. Three core components of English are speech, language, and communication. These terms might be confusing to some, so let’s break down each one individually to get a better sense of their meaning.

What is Speech?

Speech refers to the physical act of producing sound. Speech production involves the coordination of several muscles in the mouth and throat that work together to produce sound. This sound can then be used to communicate with others. Speech production also involves the ability to hear oneself speak, called auditory feedback. People who have difficulty producing speech may seek help from a speech-language pathologist or speech therapist.

What is Language?

Language refers to the rules and conventions used when speaking or writing in any given language. It involves grammar, vocabulary, syntax, and other linguistic features that are specific to a certain language such as English or Spanish. Language proficiency requires an understanding of how words combine into sentences and how these sentences convey meaning in order for effective communication with others. Without this knowledge, two people may not be able to understand each other’s message.

What is Communication?

Communication is the exchange of information between two or more people or groups using spoken words, gestures, signs, symbols, or written messages. It involves both verbal and nonverbal cues (such as facial expressions) that give clues about what someone is trying to say or express through their body language. The goal of communication is typically for one person or group to share their ideas with another person or group in order for them bothto gain a better understanding of each other’s point of view on a particular subject matter. Effective communication requires understanding and respect for each other’s beliefs and values as well as an awareness of potential cultural differences that could impact the conversation’s outcome if not taken into account beforehand..

In summary, speech refers to the physical act of producing sound which can then be used for communication; language encompasses all aspects related to speaking a particular language; while communication involves exchanging information between two people using verbal and/or nonverbal cues in order for them bothto gain an understanding on a given subject matter. These three terms are essential components needed for successful interactions with others — whether it be face-to-face conversations or digital interactions online — making them invaluable tools for any student studying English as a second language!

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Define the terms: speech, language, communication

Qualification : Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator Unit : Unit 3.10: Develop the speech, language and communication of children Learning outcome : 1 Understand theory and current frameworks which underpin children’s speech, language and communication development. Assessment criteria : 1.1 Define the terms: speech, language, communication

• Speech: the expression of thoughts and feelings using verbal language
• Language: a structured system of communication using shared rules, grammar, words and symbols/signs (e.g. English, Hindi, British Sign Language etc.)
• Communication: the sending and recieving of information (e.g. language, email, writing, facial expressions etc.)

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10 EYFS Communication and Language Activities

With Famly since

In a rush? Here's a quick breakdown

• Young children are introduced to a variety of new skills all the time. One of those important skills is communication, speech and language development.
• Speech, communication and language skills include learning new words, literacy, developing language skills, body language, facial expressions and the ability to listen.
• Here are some EYFS-approved communication and language activities for your Early Years setting.

1. Practice turn-taking and talking with the pom-pom avalanche

Pom Pom Turn Taking Game by Onetimethrough

What you need for this communication and language activity:

• Around 50 coloured pom-poms
• Wooden barbecue sticks or pipe cleaners
• A large colander

Trap the pom-poms in the colander using the wooden sticks or pipe cleaners and then turn it upside down. Next, the children take turns to carefully remove one stick or pipe cleaner each, until all of the pom poms fall down like an avalanche!

Why it works:

Children are able to practice turn-taking (as you do in conversation) in a fun way, and support their fine motor skills to boot. Plus, there's plenty of opportunity for new vocabulary when talking about what's happening in the game.

2. Develop attention with a classic memory game

Paper Plate Big Alphabet Memory Game by Frugal Fun For Boys and Girls

• A Dozen Paper Plates
• Marker Pens

A kingsize variation of the good old pair-matching game. Take several paper plates and markers and write some letters if you want your little ones to practice literacy or draw shapes, animals and other items if it’s time to build their vocabulary.

‍Why it works:

Another opportunity to hone those turn-taking skills and practice paying attention. Children can also help one another out, using their broadening verbal and social skills to support a teammate. This is also a great way to throw in some positional vocabulary, to extend sentences like "that one there."

3. Get talking on the DIY telephone

Make a cup phone by Engineering Emily

• Plastic Cups
• String or Rope
• Paint for Decoration

This simple, crafty telephone will engage children for hours. All they need to do is paint some plastic cups, poke a hole in each of them, and thread string through the bottom. You can experiment with various speaking activities but we recommend the old-school game of telephone where kids whisper to each other and pass the message around.

While phones with cords may be a thing of the past, a good old natter on the phone is likely to be something the children in your setting are familiar with. Whether it's role-playing being a parent or carer on the telephone, or passing messages to one another, the more opportunities to talk and communicate with one another, the better.

4. Practice careful listening with a game of dance freeze

Game of the Week: Dance Freeze by Playworks

• A Music Player
• An Open Area Free of Obstacles

Dance when the music’s on and freeze when it stops - just like musical statues. You might know it as some ice-breaker entertainment for a birthday party, but it’s also great for an attention and listening exercise. If you’re not sure what to play, check out this video with some lovely, cartoon characters that sing and guide their audience.

Communication requires good listening and, like any other skill, those listening skills need careful development. Making a game of listening carefully, and responding appropriately when a sound starts or stops, is a great way to practice using those all-important listening ears.

Get 50 free EYFS activities

5. Tell a tale with some story stones

Homemade Story Stones by Happy Hooligans

• Small Stones
• Stickers or Mod Podge and Magazine Pictures Cut-Outs

First, you'll need some flat and smooth stones from a craft shop, beach, or your setting's garden. Next, you and the children decorate them with individual pictures, that can prompt part of a story. Choose one of the stones and start a tale based on the picture on it, then encourage your preschoolers to draw more stones and continue the story.

Story stones are essentially very simple prompts for narrative play. "Tell me a story about this sun, painted on the stone," is far easier instruction to hear than just "Talk to me about something!" If you want the children in your setting to talk, give them something interesting to talk about.

6. Get chatting about fashion with this dressing-up activity

Free Let’s Get Dressed Game by Teaching Talking

• Free Printables

Simply print the free templates and cut them out.

As above, children are inspired to communicate about something that interests them. These neat printables encourage your little fashionistas to use vocabulary about clothes and colours and can support talking about personal care routines, differences, and preferences.

7. See and say with "I Spy"

72 ways to play "I Spy with my little eye"

• Nothing, actually!

At the link, you'll find 72 (!) variations of ‘I Spy’ game to mix up the old classic.

‍‍Why it works:

I spy is fantastic for communication and language. Within the game are opportunities for children to practice thinking about questions they can ask (and listening to the answer), turn-taking, remembering what's been asked before, and of course, social interactions.

8. Talking practice for pre-schoolers with Tabboo

Taboo Pack for Kids by Way to Master English

• The free printables from the link above

Each card consists of a picture that players have to explain to each other without using the three words listed underneath. It’s an amazing, playful activity that takes vocabulary development to a whole new level and encourages creativity.

T‍his game is perfect for older children who are developing a broader vocabulary. The game forces the players to think beyond the 'taboo' words listed, to describe an object in a way that their friends will understand and recognise it.

9. Nursery Rhymes for nursery children

10 Nursery Rhymes to Sing With Babies by Rainy Day Mum

• Music Player or Some Instruments

These ten all-time classics are great for singing and adding a little music to your day.

Nursery rhymes tend to be simple and repetitive, so easy for little ones to pick up, remember, and repeat, while practising pronunciation and intonation. You can also learn more about adding music to your curriculum here.

10. Plain and simple story time

World Book Day: 11 Books from Around the World by Famly

• A Cosy Reading Nook

Toss The Very Hungry Caterpillar aside for a moment and check out this list of classics from all around the globe.

‍We have entire articles on how to make the most of story time, as it's such a key feature of good quality early years provision. For more inspiration, why not check some of them out :

• Once upon a helicopter story
• It's OK To Read Sad Stories to Children
• 9 Stories to Help Children Process Tough Emotions
• 8 activities to go with 'We’re Going on a Bear Hunt'
• To Make Sense of This Year, Read Picture Books

The big ideas

Official Danish Government Reopening Advice

Guidance from the Danish Health Ministry, translated in full to English.

UK Nursery Covid-19 Response Group Recommendations

The full recommendations from a working group of over 70 nursery chains in the UK.

Please note: here at Famly we love sharing creative activities for you to try with the children at your setting, but you know them best. Take the time to consider adaptions you might need to make so these activities are accessible and developmentally appropriate for the children you work with. Just as you ordinarily would, conduct risk assessments for your children and your setting before undertaking new activities, and ensure you and your staff are following your own health and safety guidelines.

Zuzanna Stańczewska

Zuzanna Stańczewska works at Famly, finding the best hidden gems from across the web and delivering them straight to you on social media and our blog.

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Supporting children’s early communication skills.

Tips for supporting communication skills in children aged 18 months to five years.  

How can I help my child develop their communication skills?  

In typical development, children learn to talk and understand words gradually. They learn best from listening and talking to other people. You – as the child’s family – play an important role in helping your child develop their early communication skills. The tips below can help develop your child’s skills.  

Get down to your child’s level: Children learn a lot from looking at your face and body language when you talk. Make it easy for your child to see you by getting down to their level and talking and playing face to face.  

Get your child’s attention before talking: It can be difficult for children to pay attention if there are a lot of distractions or background noise. Turn down music or the TV when talking or playing together. You can get your child’s attention by calling their name or gently touching their arm. Wait for your child to be ready before you begin talking.  

Use simple language and repeat words: Children need to hear words lots of times before they can understand the words or use them to talk. Keep your sentences short and say important words several times (e.g. ‘Spade. That’s a spade. A green spade. Spades are for digging’).  

Add one word: Help your child use longer sentences by adding one word to what they say. So if your child says ‘I got teddy’, you could say ‘Yes, you’ve got a fluffy teddy!’. You can find more ideas for learning words here.    

Pausing: Pausing gives your child extra time to think about what they want to say. If you ask your child a question, pause for at least ten seconds to let them answer- this can seem like a long time! Pausing can also allow your child to join in with a song, rhyme, or word without feeling under pressure. For example, ‘Jack and Jill went up the … (hill)’, ‘I’ve got one, two,… (three)’.  

Use comments not testing questions: Testing questions are questions that we already know the answer to. For example, we might ask ‘What colour is that?’ or ‘What’s this called?’ even though we already know the answer. Testing questions can make children feel under pressure and they might respond with just one word, or no words at all. Comments put less pressure on your child because they can choose how they want to answer. For example, if we comment ‘Wow I love this purple car’ your child might tell you about their favourite colour, their car, or something else completely!  

Choices: Choices are a great opportunity for your child to practice the words they are learning. Show your child two things to choose between- ‘shoes or wellies?’, or ‘milk or water?’. Your child can show you what they want by pointing or by trying to say the word.  

Follow your child’s lead: Children learn words most easily when the words they hear match what they are paying attention to – so it is easier for them to learn the word ‘ball’ if they are playing with a ball. Join in with your child when they play. For example, if your child is driving cars around the walls – you could do the same with your cars. Following your child’s lead can help you notice when they are ready to hear a new word, and when they are busy playing and don’t want to be interrupted! If your child looks towards you, points, or shows you something- say the words you think they need. For example, if your child shows you their car going backwards, you can say ‘Reverse!’ ‘Our cars are reversing’.  

Songs, nursery rhymes, and music: Children can learn words and actions through songs and nursery rhymes. Listening or moving to music can also help get them ready to notice sounds which can be important for learning speech sounds. Share songs, nursery rhymes, and music with your child in any of the languages that you use at home.  

Share stories: Looking at books together is a great way to help your child learn new words. Start by simply talking about the pictures that your child seems interested in. See our information on book sharing .  

When should I use these tips?  

Your child is learning to communicate all the time. It is most helpful to use these tips to support them during your daily routines, rather than on a one-off occasion. For example:  

You might also find it helpful to take a look at our top 10 toys here.  

Useful websites  

BBC – Tiny Happy People

NHS – Helping your child learn to talk

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Children’s speech development – How to support it in Early Years

• Written By: Mandy Grist
• Subject: Language
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We look at why it’s important to support young children’s speech development in the early years and provide tips to try in your setting…

Children are hardwired to communicate from birth. However, they all need help to learn to talk. Though it can seem like it, children’s speech development doesn’t just happen on its own.

Needless to say, making sure we properly support children’s communication skills is crucial. This article aims to explain some of the ways early years practitioners can do just that.

Why is it important?

Research has consistently shown that good speech and language skills have a huge impact on educational attainment. When considering the importance of supporting children’s communication in the early years, some of the most eye-catching findings are worth restating:

• Vocabulary at age five is a very strong predictor of the qualifications children achieve at school leaving age and beyond (Feinstein and Duckworth, 2006).
• Children whose language difficulties were resolved by five-and-a-half are more likely to go on to develop good reading and spelling skills (Conti-Ramsden, 2009).
• Early speech, language and communication difficulties are a very significant predictor of later literacy difficulties (Snowling et al 2006).

Studies have also shown that children from disadvantaged backgrounds have additional issues to overcome.

We know that, on average, a toddler from a family on welfare will hear around 600 words per hour. There’s a ratio of two prohibitions (“stop that”, “get down off there” ) to one encouraging comment.

A child from a professional family will hear over 2,000 words per hour. Here, there’s a ratio of six encouraging comments to one negative (Hart and Risley, 2008).

In some parts of the UK, particularly in areas of social disadvantage, upwards of 50 per cent of children start school with delayed language (Locke and Ginsburg, 2002).

Other consequences

What’s more, we don’t only see the impact of poor communication skills in a child’s educational achievement:

• 59 per cent of language-delayed three-year-olds have behaviour problems. This is compared to only 14 per cent of non-language-delayed children (Richman et al 1975, Silva et al 1987).
• Children with speech and language difficulties experience more frequent bullying . This is partly because of the way they speak. However, they also often lack the skills to negotiate social situations (Conti-Ramsden, 2003).
• Two-thirds of young offenders have speech, language and communication difficulties. These were only identified before the offending began in five per cent of cases (Bryan, 2009).

So, we know that those who struggle to communicate are likely to have other difficulties to overcome. But we also know that many children who have difficulties with communication at an early age are able to go on to develop the good communication skills they need in life. This is if they have the right support and encouragement.

Supporting speech

Learning to talk relies on several underlying skills and practitioners can support these from birth. Indeed, the support provided for young babies is just as important as activities with toddlers and preschool children when it comes to children’s speech development.

The following tips are a great way to ensure that you’re helping children to become the best communicators they can be:

• Look at the child you’re working with. Show them that you’re switched on and ready to listen. It also encourages them to look at you. This is easier to do if your eyes are at the same height. Get down to their level or bring them up to yours.
• Dummies get in the way of learning to talk, so keep them for sleep times. It might help if your setting had a policy on dummies so that parents know what the rules are.
• Talk in short sentences. This helps children understand what you’re saying. It also gives them a chance to copy the kind of sentence you’re using.

More tips for encouraging good communication

• Understanding words is a skill that’s acquired slowly. Build on what each child says: when they say one word, you say two. (“Bus”, “Red bus”.)
• Children need time to process language, so give them a chance to respond. Resist the temptation to jump in too quickly.
• Children learn to modify the sounds they use by listening to adults, but they can’t necessarily change the way they say things straight away. If a child attempts a word, say it back to them. For example, if they say “Dod”, you say, “Yes, dog” ). Don’t make them say it back to you afterwards; they’ll do this when they’re ready.
• Children’s speech takes several years to mature. They learn through playing, so encourage them to play with sounds, by making animal noises and so on. Nearer school age, playing can involve rhyming games or making up words.

Organising your environment

Of course, getting the most from children’s communication isn’t only about being actively involved with an individual child.

It’s also about making sure the environment supports children’s speech development too. This means making sure your setting is geared up to encourage good communication skills.

A communication supportive setting is one that, amongst other things:

• has staff with an understanding about children’s speech development and how to support it;
• enables children to learn through means other than language. For example, you might use visual timetables, gesture or communication systems such as Makaton;
• has set routines for the sessions so that children know what’s going on;
• has a quiet area with few distractions. Children can go there to learn to listen to what is being said to them.

In conclusion, we can make sure we’re supporting all children’s speech development through a combination of strategies:

• repeating and reinforcing new vocabulary
• supporting songs with actions and objects
• using appropriate language styles (for example, using simple, repetitive language during everyday activities)
• using suitable approaches (modelling activities, using questions that invite conversation)

Mandy Grist is communication adviser at charity I CAN .

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EIF maturity matrix: Speech, language and communication in the early years

14 Nov 2018

Contributors

This version of the EIF maturity matrix is designed to support a system-wide approach to improving outcomes for children in the early years, with a focus on speech, language and communication skills.

Maturity matrix

The early years are a critical time for all children to develop strong cognitive, social and emotional foundations. Early language acquisition impacts on all aspects of young children’s development. It contributes to their ability to manage emotions and communicate feelings, to establish and maintain relationships, to think symbolically, and to learn to read and write.

As speech and language is both an essential building block for a range of cognitive and social and emotional skills, and predictive of a range of later-life issues. This means it is an excellent way of assessing typical development in the early years – a primary indicator of child wellbeing and social mobility.

This EIF maturity matrix includes: 

• A brief overview of the evidence on early language development.
• An introduction to using a systemic approach to improve speech, language and communication outcomes for children.
• Descriptors for 10 key elements which make up an early intervention system which is focused on speech, language and communication outcomes for children in the early years.
• A recording sheet, user guide and single-page summary of the maturity matrix.

Summary of the maturity matrix (click to expand)

About the contributors

Ben is assistant director, policy & practice, at EIF.

Kirsten is head of what works, child development, at EIF.

Jean is an EIF associate.

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What do we mean by speech, language and communication?

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Speech refers to:

• Speaking with a clear voice, in a way that makes speech interesting and meaningful
• Speaking without hesitating too much or without repeating words or sounds
• Being able to make sounds like ‘k’ and ‘t’ clearly so people can understand what you say

Language refers to:

• Knowing and choosing the right words to explain what you mean
• Joining words together into sentences, stories and conversations
• Making sense of what people say

Communication refers to:

• Using language or gestures in different ways, for example to have a conversation or to give someone directions
• Being able to consider other people’s point of view
• Knowing when someone is bored
• Being able to listen to and look at people when having a conversation
• Knowing how to take turns and to listen as well as talk
• Knowing how close to stand next to someone

What are speech, language and communication needs?

• Difficulty in communicating with others
• Difficulties saying what they want to
• Difficulty in understanding what is being said to them
• Difficulties understanding and using social rules

Speech, language and communication needs can occur on their own without any other developmental needs, or be part of another condition such as general learning difficulties, autism spectrum disorders or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

For many children, difficulties will resolve naturally when they experience good communication-rich environments. Others will need a little extra support from you. However, some may need longer term speech and language therapy support.

It is important for practitioners to recognise what level of support children require as early as possible. Contact your local Children's Centre speech and language therapist or use our website to find the support and training you feel you need.

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