It is not uncommon for some young children to be confident talkers at home but to be very quiet or completely silent in nursery. The task for practitioners is to understand the possible causes for a child's reticence to speak and develop appropriate strategies for that particular child.
Young children are often very quiet when settling in to nursery. For some, this reluctance to speak may stem from a lack of confidence or experience in talking to unfamiliar adults and children, and these children benefit particularly from adult encouragement to join in group play.
Other children may have genuine communication difficulties and be reluctant to speak to people who may not understand them. However, this is often a temporary response, and with appropriate encouragement they emerge from their quietness and 'find their voice'.
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