Communication and Language
Communication and language skills are crucial for every child’s overall development
Speaking, listening and understanding are central to every aspect of our lives. From expressing our needs to learning how the world works, we depend on our ability to listen, communicate and make sense of our social and material environment. Please see the activities and websites below to support your child's development in these areas
Practical Communication and Language activities
Top Tips for reading at home:
- Read 10 minutes every night with your child.
- Discuss the illustrations. What do they think is going on? Why?
- Predict what may happen? What would be good/bad etc.
- Make up alternative endings.
- Discuss what your child’s likes/dislikes are about the text.
- What did we learn from the story? Was there a moral, did it give them any information? Was it factual or a fiction story?
- Can you change your voice for all the characters?
- Be guided by your child’s interests- Read your own stories as well as school books.
- Become an explorer- Read fact, fiction, rhymes, poems, picture books.
- Ask questions about the story.
- Discuss the sequence of events. Can you recall the events?
- Most important keep it short, enjoyable and fun.
Acting out Stories
After reading a story together, children enjoy re-enacting the story together. Place lots of emphasis on the verbs to encourage action. Stories about animals work well, as they involve children using their imagination to move in a particular way.
Story Scribing
Children enjoy making up stories, as they engage in small-world and imaginary play scenarios. A child is invited to tell their story and an adult scribes. The adult repeats the child’s words precisely, writing the words down. We talk slowly through the story, working one sentence at a time. Once we have recorded the story, the children are invited to act it out.