Communication and language resources

These resources will help you when reviewing your current curriculum to make sure you are meeting the requirement of the revised communication and language area of learning.

As you make changes to your curriculum consider what you want children to learn first and plan opportunities for them to achieve this.

What the early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework says about communication and language

The development of children’s spoken language underpins all seven areas of learning and development.

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Children’s back-and-forth interactions from an early age form the foundations for language and cognitive development.

The number and quality of the conversations they have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial.

By commenting on what children are interested in or doing, and echoing back what they say with new vocabulary added, practitioners will build children’s language effectively.

Reading frequently to children, and engaging them actively in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems, and then providing them with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts, will give children the opportunity to thrive.

Through conversation, story-telling and role play, where children share their ideas with support and modelling from their teacher, and sensitive questioning that invites them to elaborate, children become comfortable using a rich range of vocabulary and language structures.


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Other early years resources from the Department for Education

Early years child development training

Free online training providing an overview of child development and practical advice for supporting children in your setting.

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