Communication and language is one of the three prime areas within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Communication and language development involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment, to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselve, and to speak and listen in a range of situations.

The key areas are: Listening and Attention, Understanding and Speaking.

Listening, Attention and Understanding

Children at the expected level of development will:

– Listen attentively and respond to what they hear with relevant questions, comments and actions when being read to and during whole class discussions and small group interactions;

– Make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding;

– Hold conversation when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teacher and peers.

Speaking

Children at the expected level of development will:

– Participate in small group, class and one-to-one discussions, offering their own ideas, using recently introduced vocabulary;

– Offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems when appropriate;

– Express their ideas and feelings about their experiences using full sentences, including use of past, present and future tenses and making use of conjunctions, with modelling and support from their teacher.