Language and communication development

Foster children's language and communication development CHCFC506A

This unit is about fostering and enhancing children's language and communication development. Developmentally appropriate language and literature experiences for children may include:

  • Reading or telling stories
  • Rhymes and poetry
  • Pictures
  • Puppetry and felt board
  • Listening experiences
  • Planned discussion groups
  • Language extension experiences

 

Requirements

1. Stimulate the child's use and understanding of language

  1. Give children developmentally relevant opportunities to listen and respond to language
  2. Link language to all interests, activities, routines, and directions
  3. Create opportunities for group discussions and exchange of views between children
  4. Create a language rich environment that incorporates materials that capture the child's attention and stimulate a response
  5. Speak clearly and frequently to children in language that is appropriate to the age of the child
  6. Take time to listen and respond to children
  7. Use open ended questions to encourage children to express their thoughts, feelings and words
  8. Model and encourage two way communication by questions and careful listening
  9. Repeat and expand children's words and phrases in a natural style of conversation to model communication skills

Your strategies for language and communication development should include:

  • Handle materials positively (e.g. treat books with respect)
  • Enjoy presentation
  • Use correct, clear speech
  • Frequent interactions
  • Ask open-ended questions
  • Support children's skills in their own language
  • Give both formal and informal presentations

 

2. Support the child's skills in their own (non English) language as relevant

  1. Identify the family's language and use bilingual practices as relevant whilst supporting the child to maintain their first language both in the childcare and home environments
  2. Respond with respect to children's language
  3. Integrate materials in the child's language into experiences
  4. Encourage parents and family members to maintain their own language and participate in activities with the children
  5. Encourage parents to inform worker of key words and phrases
  6. Integrate child's cultural experiences into language development opportunities
  7. Ask for specialized help and use it if you need it and it is available

 

3. Contribute to assessment of language and communication skills and planning of appropriate support strategies

  1. Identify children with children with special language needs and monitor language development, including the provision of special language programs to meet individual needs
  2. Contribute to assessment of children's individual language and communication abilities and needs
  3. Consider English and other languages when assessing language development and use
  4. Develop a range of strategies for language and communication development for the individual child, including children with additional language development needs
  5. Discuss assessment with the parents and develop a plan in consultation with them
  6. Ask for specialized help where necessary
  7. Regularly review child's progress and the plan

 

4. Plan and implement language and literature experiences for children

  1. Select, read and tell stories
  2. Use stories, rhymes and poetry to enhance children's enjoyment of language
  3. Include language and literature experiences that support acceptance and appreciation of diversity
  4. Use puppets and other props to stimulate children's enjoyment of language and literature
  5. Experiences must be appropriate to children's age, development, culture and needs.

 

5. Other skills

  1. Communicate effectively with children
  2. Stimulate language development taking into account special language needs
  3. Develop strategies to access specialist language services
  4. Plan interactions with children to enhance language development
  5. Extend conversations with children by supportive, active listening and open ended questions
  6. Use words in a way that helps children understand their meaning
  7. Use resources that support the first language of the child
  8. treat all parents and children equitably, including Indigenous people
  9. work with cultural diversity.
  10. Apply the following skills identified as underpinning national child health and well being core competencies, where they are applicable to the work role:
    • implement effective evidence-based service delivery
    • coordinate service delivery to families with an interdisciplinary teamwork approach and where possible collaborative interagency practice
    • support infants and toddlers to master key developmental tasks
    • early identification of emerging trends in child needs and how to address them
    • manage children's health needs, eating behaviours and physical activity
    • provide environments and relationships that are safe for young people.