All Modules B6-Development Matters in the early years | Page 16

3 Communication and Language: Listening and attention
A Unique Child:
1.
2.
3.
Birth - 11
months

4.
5.
6.
7.

Positive Relationships:

Enabling Environments:

observing what a child is learning

what adults could do

what adults could provide

Turns toward a familiar sound then locates range of
sounds with accuracy.
Listens to, distinguishes and responds to intonations
and sounds of voices and familiar objects
Reacts in interaction with others by smiling, looking
and moving.
Quietens or alerts to the sound of speech.
Looks intently at a person talking, but stops responding
if speaker turns away.
Listens to familiar sounds, words, or finger plays.
Fleeting Attention – not under child’s control, new stimuli
takes whole attention

• Being physically close, making eye contact, using
touch or voice all provide ideal opportunities for
early conversations between adults and babies,
and between one baby and another.
• Encourage playfulness, turn-taking and responses,
including peek-a-boo and rhymes.
• Use a lively voice, with ups and downs to help
babies tune in.
• Sing songs and rhymes during every day routines.
• Use repeated sounds, and words and phrases so
babies can begin to recognize particular sounds.

• Share stories, songs and rhymes from all cultures and in
babies’ home languages.
• Display photographs showing how young babies
communicate.
• Share favorite stories as babies are settling to sleep, or at
other quiet times.
• Plan times when you can sing with young babies, encouraging
them to join in.
• Create an environment which invites responses from babies
and adults, for example, touching, smiling, smelling, feeling,
listening, exploring, describing and sharing.

• 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.

• Collect res