Babies are born ready to make contact through all their means of very early communication. So what do they need from us and from their learning environment to support their developing language skills?
SOUND AND VISION
Babies, toddlers and young children need to have involved adults close to them. Affectionate early communication uses sound, vision and touch. It has to be personal.
* Ensure that you are easily accessible to young children at their eye level - comfortable communication does not co-exist with a cricked neck from having to look up for much of the time.
* Be close enough for enjoyable two-way eye contact and for touch - from you to the young child and back again. Many toddlers have already learned that people 'listen with their eyes'. How many readers have experienced very young children cupping your face with their hands and turning you to face them?
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