Importance of Speaking
Communication is the way we connect with other people. It underpins learning and development in children of all ages and is a skill that can always be developed and improved. Learning to communicate is the most important thing a child will ever do. Early language acquisition is vital in order that children's learning in literacy - reading and writing - may follow successfully.
One of the prime areas of learning in the EYFS curriculum in England is ‘Communication and Language’. Within Communication and Language the early learning goals are based around:
- listening, attention and understanding
- speaking
The focus on these areas shows how important it is that children develop good foundation skills in communication and language early on in their life. In Reception, we screen all of the children using a tool that identifies those children who perhaps have not yet acquired the language they need to progress as well as they might at school. These children then have an intensive language intervention which helps the majority of them to close that gap, thereby securing better outcomes across the curriculum both in reception and in subsequent years.
The following resource - 'Universally Speaking' provides information that will help parents and teachers to support children to develop skills in line with their age, as well as helping us to identify and support children who may be struggling.
Children’s communication and language is ‘everybody’s business’. Parents and staff who see and work with children regularly are often the experts in knowing about a child’s communication. With the right
information and access to the right help at the right time early on, everyone can really make a difference