- Wait and allow the child time to start the conversation.
- Follow the child’s lead to talk about what they are interested in.
- Give children thinking time. Wait for them to think about what they want to say and put their thoughts into words, without jumping in too soon to say something yourself.
- In conversations and playful encounters with children, model language a step beyond the child’s language use.
- Use the child’s voicing/speech attempts to lead play and encounters.
- For children learning English as an additional language, value non-verbal communications and those offered in home languages.
- Without comment, observe and then mirror a child’s interesting movement or series of movements. This might lead to a nonverbal “serve and return” movement dialogue, with the child leading the “conversation”. This can be very powerful with reluctant speakers or children not yet ready to use English.
- Add words to what children say, eg child says Brush dolly hair, you say Yes, Lucy is brushing dolly’s hair.
- Talk with children to make links between their body language and words, eg Your face does look cross. Has something upset you?
- Introduce new words in the context of play and activities.
- Use a lot of statements and comments and fewer questions to build natural conversation. When you do ask a question, use an open question with many possible answers.
- Show interest in the words children use to communicate and describe their experiences.
- Expand on what children say by repeating it and adding a few more words, helping children use more complex sentences.
- Use lively intonation and animated expression when speaking with children and reading texts.
- Talk to the child about family life, stories from home. Involve families in this.
