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How early years practitioners can encourage parents to talk to their children

1 Apr 2005

Nonetheless, a joint survey by the National Literacy Trust and the National Association of Head Teachers revealed 74 per cent of the 121 heads polled felt young children's speaking and listening skills had deteriorated in the past five years. And a Basic Skills Agency survey highlighted teacher's perceptions that children's communication skills have declined, especially the ability to speak audibly and be understood. In a poll by I CAN, eighty-nine per cent of nursery workers said they were worried about the growth of speech, language and communication difficulties among pre-school children. Ninety-two per cent of them attributed this decline to the lack of time adults and children spend talking together.

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly why children's communication skills appear to have deteriorated. The busy lives we lead, the smaller family unit, the noise in the home from TV and radio, the lack of family mealtimes at which to talk and share are probably all contributory factors. Perhaps parents and carers are just not aware of the vital role they play in helping children become able talkers?

In 2003 the National Literacy Trust launched the Talk To Your Baby campaign to encourage parents and carers to talk more to children from birth. All parents wish to do their best for their children, but sometimes lack the confidence or knowledge to implement powerful parenting practices, such as attentive listening, singing songs, playing rhyming games and sharing books. They may not know how important (and easy) this is.

So how can early years practitioners help parents recognise the value and pleasure to be gained from talking to their young children? Modelling good communication is the obvious answer, and practitioners should take every opportunity to talk with children in front of their parents, during drop-off or pick-up times, for example. This is the perfect opportunity for practitioners to demonstrate effective communication techniques such as using eye-contact, listening carefully and allowing time for the child to respond.

Mike Carden, Manager of Netherley Valley Sure Start says, "Just getting parents to stay to see Sure Start people talking, playing and singing with their child, and being amazed that their child responds, is often enough to get them involved or trying things for themselves."

Holding a parents' evening or running a parenting course is another way to inform parents and carers of the importance of early communication. Mike says, "Even if the parents have lots of problems themselves, they will take note if someone in authority takes the time to tell them that playing with their children, and talking positively to them, will help their learning."

So how can you attract parents to these sessions? One way is to start by offering parents something they want to know, and building from there. A UK study involving parents of children underfive found that the most prominent information need was child health information (91%), followed by information about child care (86%) and child development (80%) (Nicholas and Marden, 1998). A US study of parents' preferences regarding parenting education found that when asked to rate 15 parenting topics, 95% of respondents indicated most interest in "building your child's self esteem" (Jacobson and Engelbrecht, 2000). Any session on building children's confidence will lead naturally to early communication, as the ability to communicate is the basis of social and emotional well-being.

Mike Carden runs taster sessions in the parents' rooms Netherley Valley Sure Start has set up in all the local primary schools. He gets a good tutor along who startles the parents with facts on matters they are concerned about, like crying and then asks if anyone would like to come next week for a longer session based on the parents' interests. A ten-week parenting course might be followed by a short course on housing issues, or form-filling for jobs, for example. Similarly, Sure Start speech and language therapists often use baby massage to attract parents and then introduce a few songs once everyone is relaxed.

Pat Henchie, head teacher at Lowther School in Richmond, London, was so distressed about the low level of language skills among her pupils that she used funding from her Local Education Authority to get a local theatre group to run drama and music classes for parents and children at the school one night a week. Research has shown that parents with low levels of confidence, or with the greatest learning needs, are more likely to take part in practical activities that do not involve any reading or writing, such as drama, crafts, music or gardening projects. And any activity that involves parents and children doing things together is a great way to help develop talking skills, and an excellent opportunity for practitioners to model good communication.

Fathers are more likely to get involved in parenting courses or activities if there is a clear strategy to involve them and the presence of dedicated staff members, including male staff, to encourage their involvement. Holding events outside, such as sport or outdoor games, can help to get dads along too.

Sending out a newsletter with suggested "talking points" based on a current theme, or sending home information leaflets with tips to help children's talking and listening skills, will also help parents think about the issue. Talk To Your Baby has produced a series of quick tips for parents and practitioners, which have been translated into eight languages. Topics include dummies, songs and rhymes, play, sharing books, television, talking together, bilingualism and the social newborn. The tips can be downloaded from our website and photocopied free of charge.

Article written by Talk To Your Baby for Early Years Update, April 2005.

Tags: Talk To Your Baby