Effective Communication

All babies and children respond differently to different voices and environmental sounds.

There are 5 key steps to ensuring effective communication.

1. Eye to eye
   Get down at your child’s eye level so they can see your face and you can see theirs.
   ( Sit on the floor with your child, or sit them on your knee)
2. 10 seconds
   Wait 10- seconds for your child to respond to you, before you repeat your question. This will help with early turn taking
   (count to ten slowly in your head)
3. A or B
   Offer your child choices as often s you can. Showing them and naming alternatives.
   ( i.e. would you like toast or cereal for breakfast today?)
4. Actions speak louder than words
   Use actions, facial expressions and tone of voice to help children understand and make new words stand out.
   (Mime having a drink while asking “do you want a drink?”
5. Model and extend
   Repeat or copy what ever your child does and add one word
   (i.e. your child picks up a car and says “car” you pick up a car and say “blue car” if they repat “blue car” praise them and say “yes, big blue car”