Speech and Language right now: reflections…

11 November, 2022 —

Speech and Language right now: reflections from the Early Years

Reflections on the need to help young children build and strengthen speech and language core skills in the early years.

Share on:

by Unity Research School
on the 11th November 2022

A recent report highlights the number of five- and six-year-olds who need speech and language support at school has risen by 10% in England over the past year. With the recent covid pandemic limiting socialisation and access to early years settings, and playgroups, adding to this trend. Ruth Coleman at Highfield Nursery School Ipswich reflects on the need to help young children build and strengthen these core skills in the early years.

The noticeable increase in children starting nursery with speech and language concerns continues to grow. When parents come to look around Highfield Nursery School, looking for their child’s first introduction to education, speech and language concerns are never far from the conversation. Parents often are the first to notice concerns, but often don’t know what to do or how to help their child.

The ‘Preparing for Literacy’ guidance is clear and has helped to focus staff training within the nursery school. The three strands of the guidance cover communication and language, early reading and early writing.

During staff training, the team at Highfield discussed whether it is the number of words children hear (quantity) or the kinds of words we use and interactions we have with children (quality) that make the biggest difference to their language development?

We know children who hear lots of vocabulary from their parents have faster vocabulary development, but now evidence increasingly suggests that quality may be more important than quantity.

Language acquisition is complex and needs to be interactive, but the more we talk to children about the things that interest them and that we alter the complexity to their developmental level, the more successful the language development. When advising parents, this can often mean talking to children about the day-to-day activities and making connections by connecting new words to meaningful contexts. I remember having a conversation with my then, 2‑year-old daughter about the difference between honeybees and bumblebees in the garden one sunny afternoon. This conversation was led by her focus of interest, was in a meaningful context and broadened her understanding of the subject – evidenced by the depth and repeated return to her interest in bees over the coming months and years.

Studies suggest that between 5 – 8% of children in England and Wales are likely to have language difficulties (Education Intervention Foundation (EIF) Language as a Child Wellbeing Indicator Report 2017 – Language as a child wellbeing indicator | Early Intervention Foundation (eif.org.uk)- . In areas of disadvantage – such as the area around the nursery school, this can double. The clear evidence of the 30-million-word gap in children from disadvantaged backgrounds (compared to children from professional families) by the age of 5 years old needs to be addressed. As many as 60% of children have a language delay or language difficulties when starting nursery school, so this clearly needs to be the focus for all staff within the nursery.

The EYFS statutory Educational Programme
says that ‘…The number and quality of the conversations they have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial… 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.’

The ShREc model is a clear way to support practitioners to build meaningful, back and forth conversations with children, developing both the quantity of language the children are exposed to AND the quality of the conversation. The practitioner is actively listening to the child, responding but also expanding the conversation and exposing the child to interesting range of vocabulary. By showing an interest in the child and what is being said during both child-initiated and adult-led activities, the practitioner can develop a broader, richer vocabulary of developing complexity.

By ensuring the team have access to high quality, evidence based research during our staff meetings and ensuring everyone understands the part they play in the importance of their daily conversations with children, of showing an interest in their ideas, small world play, we are all making a dent in the 30-million word gap and preparing children for their next stage in education.

Further reading: