Literacy news
Not on Speaking Terms: Why do many children lack basic language skills?
3 Apr 2004
Ann Jones is used to getting blank stares. As a primary school teacher of 20 years' standing, she has seen the communication skills of her classes deteriorate steadily. "Too many children are starting school lacking basic language skills," she says. "A simple request such as Go to the cupboard and get the pencils, please' is met with a blank look. Some of them simply don't know what I am talking about.
Nursery teachers agree with anecdotal evidence that children are less verbally advanced than at any time in recent history.
"The hard research evidence isn't there as yet because it hasn't been done," says Gill Edelman, chief executive of I Can. " But there is a growing body of opinion among professionals that there are more children than there used to be with communication difficulties - and boys are three times more likely to have problems than girls. Early intervention is critical because by the time they get to primary school they may already have developed behavioural problems through frustration."
Edelman believes it is vital that parents talk to their babies right from the beginning. "Most parents do it automatically, but some need encouragement."
Liz Attenborough at the National Literacy Trust agrees and the charity is running a campaign called Talk To Your Baby. "One professional told me that, in the old days, you could look around a nursery and highlight the children with difficulties because they were unusual, but nowadays it's the other way round - you highlight the children without difficulties."
Blaming television is obvious, but Attenborough thinks it is only part of the story. Most households are much noisier, with a background din from a television or radio preventing people from talking to each other. The family unit is now smaller, with fewer adults around to talk to children, and busy lives mean that traditional mealtimes are becoming a rare occurrence. Attenborough also cites the move away from active play to what she calls solo toys, such as computer games. "Parents feel they have to give their children expensive presents and don't realist that children would rather have their time than something flashy."
(Daily Telegraph, 3 April 2004)
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