Use single-word and two-word utterances to convey simple and more complex messages.
Understand simple sentences.
Looks at adult to gain attention before pointing.
Understands and follows simple instructions in context such as "Give me the ball" or "Kiss Daddy night-night".
Plays 'ready, steady, go' or 'one, two, three, go' games, listening and waiting or sometimes imitating alongside speaker.
Shows anticipation in relation to key phrases in games, for example, "I'm coming" in hide and seek or chasing games.
Attends to speech directed to them and listens with interest to general talk.
Learns to wait for others to finish what they are saying, resulting in better turn-taking with fewer vocal clashes.
Builds vocabulary for familiar objects and events.
Begins to combine words into simple sentences, usually two words at first.
Understands word-object association.
Understands approximately 50 words and then goes on to understand one or two new words each week.
Recognises and will identify many objects and pictures when named.
Picks out two or more objects from a group of four, for example "Give me the cup and the doll" and "Where's the... ?".
Understands familiar words in new contexts each week, for example, learns that 'bath' means the bath in other people's houses as well their own bath at home.
Selects familiar objects by name and will go and find objects when asked or identify objects from a group.
Follows simple instructions, particularly if accompanied by gestures such as pointing to places, things or people.
Follows directions if they are part of a game or relate to what they are doing, for example, responds to "Sit down", "Feed teddy" or "Come and sit down" when a snack or drink is put on the table.
Names pictures of common objects when they are pointed to.
Identifies simple body parts on self (for example, hair, eyes, ears and nose) and later points to body parts on others (for example, Mum's nose or Grandad's eyes).
Uses at least ten words consistently although may still be best understood by familiar adults.
Uses verbs and adjectives, for example, 'go', 'sleep', 'hot', 'big'.
Uses words to comment on what is happening, for example, says "Bird" if they see one in the garden.
Has favourite 'phrases' that are often used such as "That one".
Sings along with favourite action rhyme (although words may not be clear).
Comments on something that has just happened, for example, "Doggy" if they see a dog on the way home or "Fall down" if the blocks have just crashed over.
Begins to use words to refer to people and things that are not present.
Later, uses up to 20 words to: – name things and people; – comment on what is happening;
– tell someone something; – respond to an adult's questions or comments; – protest; – express likes and dislikes; – describe actions.
Copies familiar expressions such as "Oh dear" or "All fall down".
Waits for 'go' signal in 'ready, steady, go' games.
Joins in simple narrative by answering questions about things that are very familiar, for example, to the question "What goes on your feet?" the child answers "Shoes", or by filling in the gaps so that when asked "Let's put your ... on" the child fills in "shoes".
Uses a mixture of words or vocalisation combined with or instead of gesture when playing.
Talks to self continuously when playing, although this may not be readily understood by adults.
The meanings young children generate in their language through the creative ways in which they use words.
Young children's use of their first language, with peers and adults, and how children with several languages may use their home language in some circumstances, perhaps when they are very enthusiastic or excited about something, and English in others.
How children show that they understand instructions.
The different purposes for which children use language, for example, to name things and people, to comment on what is happening or to protest.
How children show they understand the 'to and fro' nature of conversation, for example, by looking at you to get your attention before pointing at something.
How children participate in repetitive games and rhymes, for example, do they show understanding and anticipation by waiting for "Go!" in Ready, steady, go! games?
The different ways that children respond to general talk around them and to talk that is directed at them.
The rate at which children's vocabulary grows.
How children begin to sing along with favourite action rhymes.
Which phrases children copy when you say them.
Recognise young children's competence and appreciate their efforts when they show their understanding of new words and phrases.
Sensitively demonstrate pronunciation and ordering of words in response to what children say, rather than correcting them.
Accept and praise words and phrases in home languages, saying English alternatives and encouraging their use.
Plan to talk through and comment on some activities to highlight specific vocabulary or language structures, for example, "You've caught the ball. I've caught the ball. Nasima's caught the ball". This approach is helpful in encouraging all children's developing language skills.
Watch and respond to children's attempts to communicate with you, using voice, facial expressions and gestures.
Talk about what children are doing, have done and will do.
Respond to children's gestures as well as to their vocal communication.
Share photograph albums and remind children about the people and events in them.
Talk about what other people are doing and about people who are not there, for example, "Raj is at school".
Put into words what you think children are trying to tell you.
Repeat children's words and attempts at sentences, adding new information so that they have a chance to see how a longer sentence can be made. For example "Baba upstairs" could become "Yes, Barbara's gone upstairs to get some cream for your sore knee".
Recast (repeat) children's words within longer phrases, adding new information.
Join in games that a child initiates.
Spend time together talking about books and reading short stories, using pictures to help understanding. Ask the children to point to parts of pictures or to tell you what's happening.
Tea time- In the nursery, a group of children share snack time, and the practitioner talks to the baby about her drink [transcript]
You can watch the video via modem or slow / fast / superfast broadband connections. If you are behind a network firewall, why not click here to view a flash file of the video. You do need to have the flash plugin.
Allow time to follow young children's lead and have fun together while talking about actions such as going up, down or jumping.
Encourage parents whose children are learning English as an additional language to continue to encourage use of the first language at home.
Provide books with repetitive stories and phrases to read aloud to children to support specific vocabulary or language structures.
Language for Thinking
Are able to respond to simple requests and grasp meaning from context.
The ways in which young children respond to adults and other children and the circumstances in which this takes place.
Be aware that young children's understanding is much greater than their ability to express their thoughts and ideas.
Plan play activities and provide resources which encourage young children to engage in symbolic play, for example, putting a 'baby' to bed and talking to it appropriately.
Linking Sounds and Letters
Listen to and enjoy rhythmic patterns in rhymes and stories.
Enjoys nursery rhymes and demonstrates listening by trying to join in with actions or vocalisations.
Later, sings along with favourite action rhymes (although words may not be clear).
Imitates intonation of what they hear.
Uses approximate forms of words to communicate, for example, "mu" for more and later "goggy" for dog.
Imitates mouth movements to produce a variety of consonant and vowel combinations, for example, "Mama", "Boo-boo", "Bow-wow". Child may move mouth but not use voice.
Uses a wide range of ups and downs (intonation) and rhythms to reflect mood, such as excitement, level of interest and involvement.
Imitates words by copying some speech sounds and the correct number of syllables.
Uses a wider range of vowel sounds in words such as 'ea' as in beat, 'ai' as in bait, 'oo' as in boot.
Uses a range of consonant sounds in 'words' including 'p', 'd', 'b', 't', 'g', 'n', 'm', 'w', 'h'.
Young children's responses to music, rhymes and stories.
How children listen and participate in nursery rhymes by trying to join in with actions and words.
Early attempts at words by children compared with how an older child or adult would say that word.
The range of vowel and consonant sounds used by children as they produce their first words.
Encourage young children to explore and imitate sound. Talk about the different sounds they hear, such as a tractor's "chug chug" while sharing a book.
Draw attention to the noises that toys and animals make. Add sounds when playing, sharing a book or to everyday routines. Make animal sounds and other sounds for cars, aeroplanes and trains, and say "Splash!" when you fill a sink.
Draw the children's attention to what is making a particular noise.
Put on tapes of singing, rhymes and favourite stories. Sing along with them. Show children how much you love to hear music and sounds and how much they interest you.
Toddler with doll - In a nursery, a practitioner respects a toddler's interest in a doll as they begin to share a story. [transcript]
You can watch the video via modem or slow / fast / superfast broadband connections. If you are behind a network firewall, why not click here to view a flash file of the video. You do need to have the flash plugin.
Collect resources that children can listen to and learn to distinguish between. These may include noises in the street, and games that involve guessing which object makes a particular sound.
Reading
Show interest in stories, songs and rhymes.
Children's responses to picture books and stories you read with them.
Use different voices to tell stories and encourage young children to join in wherever possible.
Provide CDs and tapes of rhymes, stories, sounds and spoken words.
Writing
Examine the marks they and others make.
Marks young children make when given a crayon, a brush or other tools.
Discuss with young children what marks represent.
Give young children, who are keen to represent the same experience repeatedly, a range of mark-making materials.
Handwriting
Make random marks with their fingers and some tools.
The different ways young children make marks, for example, in dough or clay.
Help young children to develop their manipulative skills by engaging them in activities such as tearing (paper), scribbling, rolling and printing.
Provide resources for finger-painting and play with soapy water, to interest young children who are not yet able to hold a brush or felt pen to make marks.
Acknowledgements
Disclaimer
00012-2007CDO-EN