Talk To Your Baby, the early language campaign of the National Literacy Trust, is tackling the poor communication skills of children by encouraging all parents and carers to talk more to babies aged 0-3. Reports and surveys confirm concern from head teachers, Ofsted and early years professionals that too many children have poor language competence at entry to nursery.

As part of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's (QCA) English 21 conversations, asking the questions to shape the future of English, Talk To Your Baby can see an opportunity to radically improve future parents' awareness.

Talk To Your Baby believes the study of language acquisition should be introduced into the Key Stage 4 (KS4) curriculum so that all secondary pupils have an understanding of how babies learn to talk, and why it matters.

Supporting and educating parents is a major factor in the Sure Start local programme model. Communicating Matters, a joint training project from DfES Primary Strategy, Sure Start and Special Education Needs Division is currently being developed for everyone working with 3-5 year olds. But in order to break the cycle of poor communication skills, the key messages need to be addressed to teenagers before they become parents. At the top end of education we know there is a high take-up of the Spoken English Studies topic at A level English Language. There is a pilot about to begin introducing the topic to 15 year olds.

Amongst the benefits for students would be:

• An understanding that parents have a vital role to play in talking to their baby, as not all new parents know their role in this, and why it matters
• A deeper understanding of the structure and different functions of language, through knowledge of early language development
• An improvement in oral and written language skills for KS4 students
• Contributions to PSHE and to the overall aim of a broad and diverse curriculum, with immediate relevance to students who have younger siblings or who babysit
• The introduction of this topic would support QCA/DfES's Workforce Development Strategy to improve knowledge of child development
• In thinking about communication with young children, students will be more aware of the need to improve their own speaking and listening skills.

Talk To Your Baby invites you to join us in seeking for all students the inclusion into the future English curriculum the study of how babies learn their language skills, and why it matters. What do you think? Please send your feedback on this to liz.attenborough@literacytrust.org.uk