What sounds should my child be saying at a certain age? Children don’t simply wake up one day pronouncing all of their sounds perfectly. Actually, children develop sounds incrementally as their speech-motor systems mature. Some sounds are more complex to produce than others, so they emerge at a later stage. Though children develop at different rates and variability is expected, … Read More
Speech and Language Milestones in the First Year
Often as parents of infants (<12months old) we are very focused on the physical milestones of rolling, sitting and early walking as indicators of our child’s gross motor development. Did you know that there are equally important key skills we look out for in infants as they develop the potential of speech and language? Dr Robyn Cantle Moore and Kim … Read More
How do you feel today? – Early emotional language
We learn about our feelings – both physical and emotional from our first day. If those early days and even weeks or months are unsettled or disrupted we easily miss out on those early learning experiences. As we settle into our lives in these early days, sometimes the interactions and routines that are established leave out the steps that help … Read More
Importance of Questions
Questions, Questions, Questions. We all use questions in our everyday conversations. Some questions help us gain – information. These include “who, “what”, “where”, “when” and “how” questions. gain reassurance or confirmation, such as “Is it?” and “Does it?” check or test that the other person has understood; and give instructions politely or gently, such as ‘would you like to get … Read More
Phonological Awareness
Literacy refers to the ability to read and write. However, in order to succeed at these skills, children need to first develop phonological awareness skills. Letter sound knowledge and phonological awareness skills are found to be predictors of reading success. These are often referred to as ‘pre-literacy’ skills or the building blocks for literacy. Phonological awareness refers to the knowledge … Read More
Books are Brilliant
All children need to experience books. Playing with the pages, looking at pictures and words in good old favourites or new books brings life-long benefits. Sharing books is associated with well-being and promotes literacy later at school. Many of us can remember the books that we loved as children, which still bring us joy as adults, and even more so … Read More