1. Speaking and Listening Skills “If children can’t say it – they can’t write it.”

2. Why are ‘Speaking and Listening’ skills so important?
Speaking and listening are at the heart of children’s learning. Children need to be confident communicators and active listeners in order to learn about the world they live in. Language skills are crucial, and children begin to develop these from birth.
Before children can learn to read and write
they need to confident in their speaking and
listening skills.

3. Some Facts…
On average, a four year old will have a vocabulary of four to six thousand words.
At four a child's sentences become more complex and they start to get longer and include more information.
According to the Rose Review (2006) ' far more attention needs to be given, right from the start, to promoting speaking and listening skills to make sure that children build up a good stock of words, learn to listen attentively and speak clearly and confidently.‘
Women speak more words a day than men. women can speak up to 20,000 words a day whereas men only speak up to 7,000 a day. This is no surprise to the men!

4. A Good Speaker… …is clear about what they mean …uses good vocabulary
…makes a longer contribution than just one or two words
…uses good vocabulary
…speaks in a clear voice
…makes eye contact with the listener
….uses facial expression and gestures

5. How we can develop Speaking…
From the very earliest stages parents are teaching their children to communicate - through playing, chatting, singing, commenting and questioning parents are modelling speaking all the time. Here are some ways to develop your child’s speaking skills:
Make time to talk to your child
Encourage your child to talk
Listen patiently
Actively encourage longer conversations.
Asking questions
Be a good role model

6. Children love to make up their own versions of stories.
Encourage your child to finish the lines of poems and rhymes.
BOOKS, SONGS AND RHYMES Teach your children nursery rhymes, sing songs and share books with them every single day. Children can learn an enormous number of new and exciting words from sharing and talking about a book. Nursery rhymes and songs teach children about sound patterns and how to have fun with words.
Children love to hear familiar stories over and over again.
Sing along to the radio and CD’s together.

7. Things to talk about… Favourite food A journey or a trip
The school day
Special events e.g. birthday
Something in a magazine or book

8. …makes eye contact with the speaker
A Good Listener…
…makes eye contact with the speaker
…listens carefully
…responds appropriately to the speaker.
…asks relevant questions
…turns the body to face the person who is speaking
…turns off distracting noises such as the radio or television

9. How we can develop Listening…
Speaking and listening go hand in hand. Listening skills are important for all sorts of reasons. Here are some ways to develop your child’s listening skills:
Story tapes, songs and rhymes in the car and elsewhere
Ask them to follow clear simple instructions
Give them the opportunity to make choices
Take turns in conversations with them and encourage them to listen to your contribution.
Play language games – like ‘I-Spy’, ‘20 questions’, ‘What am I?’
Enjoy telling jokes and encourage the re-telling of them.
Take time to answer your child’s questions – model being a good listener!

10. What we do in school… At school children are taught and learn to:
Think about what they say
Choose the right words
Listen to others before they speak
Talk to others
Share ideas 
‘Listening and Speaking are the roots of reading and writing’ (OFSTED).
Talk partners, talking tins, lolly pop sticks etc

11. Active Listening Talk Partners Phonics Chatterboxes Talk for Writing
Phase 1 phonics games continue into phase 2. Children will have fun with sound, listen carefully, develop their vocabulary, speak confidently to you, other adults and children, tune into sounds, listen and remember sounds, talk about sounds, understand that spoken words are made up of different sounds.
Talk for Writing

12. How can I help at home?
Make time to listen to your child talking. Switch off the TV, radio and mobile phones – and really listen!
Show that you are interested in what they are talking about
Listen at home
Play-a-tune – and follow me!
Use puppets and toys to make up stories or retell known ones.
Cooking!
– as you meet them from their setting or school, as you walk, or travel home by car, in the supermarket as you shop, at meal times, bath times, bedtimes – anytime!
– look at your child, smile, nod your head, ask a question or make a response to show that you really have been listening.
– switch off the TV and listen to the sounds both inside and outside the home. Can your child tell you what they heard, in the order in which they heard it?
Make or buy some simple shakers, drums and beaters – play a simple tune and ask your child to copy. Have fun!
Cooking is a perfect way of getting the children to speak. You can talk about
How much of each of the ingredients you need which encourages mathematical language.
What event you are cooking for?
The type of ingredients you are using
Where those ingredients come from ( and no I don't just mean from the supermarket!)
How you might vary the item that you are cooking
As well as many other fun topics and at the end of it there is something to show from your discussion