Babies and communication
All parents know that there's a certain order in which children learn
how to communicate. They learn to vocalise and make linguistic sounds first,
before graduating to words, short phrases and - finally - sentences.
What some parents may not know is just how early a child starts developing its
ability to learn, and how important it is to talk to and interact with a baby
well before they utter their first word.
Throughout the first three years of life, as a child receives loving care and
stimulation, neural connections or 'pathways' are forming between their
brain cells. Warm, responsive parents who cuddle, talk and read to their
children and provide challenging learning experiences are promoting the
formation of new, useful connections - more brain power, in other words.
However, if the child is raised in an inadequately stimulating environment, or
if the majority of the stimulation that occurs is disorganised or chaotic,
fewer beneficial neural pathways will develop. The child will be less prepared
to respond appropriately to other people or cope with changing life
circumstances.
Talking books
"You can't just stick a child in front of a telly and think they'll pick up sounds from there. They have to have a chance to respond and to interact."
Parents may worry what to talk about, but it really doesn't matter,
according to Liz Attenborough, coordinator of the National Literacy Trust's
Talk to Your Baby campaign. She says: "The important thing is to get
parents to talk - and for them to give the child a chance to talk
back."
The NLT's campaign was launched as a result of teachers saying that
children were arriving at reception class with a low level of communication
skills. Some had never even had a one-to-one conversation. Says Liz: "You
can't just stick a child in front of a telly and think they'll pick up
sounds from there. They have to have a chance to respond and to
interact."
Sitting down with a child and telling stories or reading to them gives them
that chance - in spades. After all, years before they actually learn to read,
children enjoy looking at the pictures in books, hearing the cadence of the
words and spending the time cuddled up with a parent, friend or relative
(it's great for helping parent and child to bond, too).
And if children are encouraged to develop oral language and communication
skills in this way, it's not just easier for them to gain access to the
curriculum later on, but to become active members of the community - and,
eventually, adult society - as well.
Next Steps
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