Knowing when to step back, good quality conversations, space for both talking and listening, interacting with the environment around you…Gillian Craig shares her expertise as a language teacher and consultant, as well as a parent herself. We problematise when is the right time to stop babbling back to a child, how much choice we give to children, should we use ‘big’ words with children, whether watching TV is useful for learning language, creating a need to communicate, and much more…

Read Gillian’s article here:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/why-is-my-child-not-speaking-yet

Listen to more:

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like:

My child can’t write yet – Helen Battelley

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/my-child-cant-write-yet-the-foundations-of-early-writing/

My child can’t read yet – Stacy Benge

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/my-child-cant-read-yet/

Episodes mentioned in this recording:

Proactively promoting positive mental health – Matt Bawler

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/proactively-promoting-positive-mental-health/

The power of play in the absence of language – Marlis Juerging-Coles

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/bridging-language-barriers-for-eal-children/

Episode break down:

00:00 – My own concerns as a parent 04:30 – The intersections of parent and educator 06:00 – More input is not always better! 09:00 – Language learning through everyday routines 13:45 – Treating your child like they DO understand language 14:15 – Serve and return interactions 16:00 – You ARE doing the right things! 19:00 – If a child is not ready, don’t force them! 21:50 – Don’t always fill gaps of silence! 24:00 – Reading stories is SO valuable 26:40 – Giving children a NEED to communicate 28:50 – Is babbling back to babies ok? 36:55 – Don’t be scared of using ‘big’ words 41:30 – Labelling feelings to support self-regulation 42:30 – How watching TV can support language 52:00 – Top tips for parents and educators in Gillian’s article

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

Why is my child not speaking yet? 55:13 Share

The Voice of Early Childhood

My own concerns as a parent

The intersections of parent and educator

More input is not always better!

Language learning through everyday routines

Treating your child like they DO understand language

Serve and return interactions

You ARE doing the right things!

If a child is not ready, don’t force them!

Don’t always fill gaps of silence!

Reading stories is SO valuable

Giving children a NEED to communicate

Is babbling back to babies ok?

Don’t be scared of using ‘big’ words

Labelling feelings to support self-regulation

How watching TV can support language

Top tips for parents and educators in Gillian’s article

Shownotes Transcript

Why is my child not speaking yet?