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Practical ideas

Practical idea - Communication friendly area

22 Feb 2010

The environment plays a significant role in supporting language development and encouraging children to communicate. Think about how you set up furniture and resources using the tips below.

  • Take account of the child’s perspective, considering what it looks like, sounds like and feels like for them.
  • Offer a range of different sorts of environments to suit children’s preferences, for example, closed or open spaces, floor spaces and outside spaces.
  • Be flexible, responsive and relevant to the child’s interests;
  • Ensure your setting is thoughtfully laid out taking into account positioning, size and privacy.
  • Use natural light.
  • Use appropriate colours.
  • Try to minimise noise.
  • Make sure spaces are uncluttered and age-appropriate to aid concentration.

Tags: Early Reading Connects, Early Years, Early years sector, Setting environment

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