Communication Development

Communication and language development involves giving children opportunities to speak
and listen in a range of situations and to develop their confidence and skills in expressing
themselves.
Listening and attention: Children listen attentively in a range of situations. They
listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events, and respond to what they
hear with relevant comments, questions or actions. They give their attention to
what others say and respond appropriately, while engaged in another activity.
Explanatory note: The child listens actively while engaged in a variety of activities from which
he or she is able to recall significant details. This includes stories and rhymes. When listening to
suggestions or explanations, the child responds appropriately through actions or comments,
predicting what might happen or by asking relevant questions. The child remains focused on an
activity, can sustain a conversation with someone as they play and perseveres despite distractions
showing consistently high levels of involvement.
Understanding: Children follow instructions involving several ideas or actions.
They answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about their experiences and in response to
stories or events.
Explanatory note: The child is able to understand and respond to a series of simple steps in
order to complete familiar or unfamiliar activity. The child is able to answer questions about their
own activities or experiences and is able to demonstrate understanding by answering questions
including ‘how’ and ‘why’ about stories and events.
Speaking: Children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of
listeners’ needs. They use past, present and future forms accurately when talking
about events that have happened or are to happen in the future. They develop
their own narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events.
Explanatory note: The child uses speech to recreate, rehearse and reflect on his or her
experiences and to...