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Acknowledgement Liz Hodgman

We provide information on how children communicate
and ideas on how you can support babies and children to explore the world through relationships with others and different ways in which to communicate with them.

 

Babies are especially interested in other people and in communicating with them using eye contact, crying, cooing and gurgling to have ‘conversations’.

 

Childminders, because they care for a low number of babies and small children at any one time, are ideally placed to support babies early interactions. As their ‘key person’ you will be able to follow the pattern, tone, rhythm and meaning of their communications. You will be able to note the special words that babies create when they begin to develop language.

 

Babies and children are sociable and curious, and they explore the world through relationships with others and through all their senses.

 

Plan how you can provide materials and resources to stimulate the baby or child’s interest. Treasure Baskets containing everyday objects from around your home are excellent for babies to explore and for you to talk about. They could contain nail brush, metal tea strainer, pastry brush etc.

 

Babies and children develop their competence in communicating through having frequent, enjoyable interactions with other people, in contexts that they understand.

 

Do you use ‘parentese’ when talking to babies and toddlers?  Research has shown that babies learn language faster if parents and carers use that high-pitched, singsongy, exaggerated speech.

Do you use everyday routines such as changing nappies, mealtimes and school runs to sing and talk to the children, encouraging them to vocalise?

Provide resources for pretend and symbolic play. A dolls tea set is great for interaction... ’tea? would you like sugar? Yes please’

Childminders can provide babies and toddlers with the opportunity to interact with older children in their care, helping them to make friends and learn social ‘rules’ about turn taking and sharing.

 

Children learn to communicate in many ways, not just by talking, but also in non-verbal ways such as gestures, facial expressions and gaze direction, in drawing, writing  and singing, and through dance, music and drama.

 

Providing a role-play area with dressing up clothes and props encourages children to take on different roles express themselves. A tape recorder with tapes of rhymes, sounds and songs will engage the children in listening and encourage them to join in. Using story sacks, props and puppets will help to bring story telling to life.

 

Have you considered using some baby signing when working with babies and young children?  

 

Further information can be found at:

 

www.literacytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby/signing.html

 

The Literacy trust are also organising the National Year of Reading in 2008. Further details of the monthly themes are available from their website.

A SKILFUL COMMUNICATOR

A communication language chart is available to download from the following website:

 

www.speechtlc.com/pdf/dev_chart.pdf

 

However it is important to remember that this is only a guideline, each child is unique and will develop at their own rate. For example, a child coming from a bilingual home may develop later as they are having to learn two or more languages.

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