1. Hints & Tips on Supporting Your Child in Their Early Years
Christine Paterson – Speech & Language Therapist,
Pre-5 Complex Needs Team,
NHS Lanarkshire
Christine McCabe- Early Learning Practitioner,
ELCaT Team,
North Lanarkshire Council

2. CHILDREN’S COMMUNICATION DEVELOPS INTERACTION
when
INTERACTION
is enjoyable and
they have a reason to communicate
leading to
LANGUAGE
With an appropriate way to communicate
e.g. gestures, signs, sounds, words

3. WHAT’S INVOLVED? Eye contact Attention & Listening Skills Copying
Turn-taking
Play
Vocalising
Early Words

4. HOW CAN PARENTS HELP? Everyday activities/routines Make time to play
Little and often
Down at child’s level
Reducing distractions – TV & iPad off
Reduce number of toys
Follow your child’s lead and interests
Reduce your own language – key words
Stop when the going’s good!

5. BOOKS AND STORY BOXES/BAGS
Time to share with child
Can be looked at again and again – repetition important for learning language
Encourages anticipation, listening, imitation, turn-taking, understanding & expression
Can relate to everyday experiences
Portable
Story Boxes & Bags – objects and pictures related to story helps understanding

6. MUSIC & SONG BAGS Benefits of Music
Encourages attention & listening, anticipation, vocal play
Repetitive – actions, sounds & words repeated again and again
Helps children to understand and use new words
Routines – helps with turn-taking
Relates to everyday experiences – make up songs
Portable – anytime, anywhere
Song bags – objects signifying a song – choice making, understanding

7. GESTURES , SIGNS & SYMBOLS
Supports development of comprehension and expression
Adds a visual clue to spoken word
Focuses attention and listening
Helps with auditory discrimination
Provides functional communication
Facilitates social interaction
Pre-reading and writing skills
Makaton Developmental Language Programme

8. Any questions?