The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) report on the effectiveness of the Nuffield Early Language Intervention is a welcome further step to guide practitioners, parents and carers in ways to help young children develop their understanding and use of different styles of language and vocabulary.
Emphasis on language development during the very early years is vitally important for young children’s well-being and holistic development if they are to enjoy the first years of primary education and achieve their potential. Lev Vygotsky explained that language is not only a means of communication, it is also a tool for thinking.
It is now time we turned our attention to the important years before the age of four. Are we giving very young children the best opportunities to absorb and use language? Methods to develop children’s ability to use language are within each adult but are often under-used, as they have not been understood or their importance valued. It is said mothers are their children’s first language teachers!
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