Communication is an essential skill. Children need to understand what people are saying, use words and sentences correctly and speak clearly with their peers. This child communication development course takes your team through the milestones from 6 months to 4 years, and gives simple, everyday activities to support each stage.
Why communication development matters
Knowing what to expect at each age helps you see where a child is and what they need next. For every age band, the course looks at three strands: listening and attention, understanding and speaking. That gives practitioners a shared, practical picture to use in observations, in planning and in conversations with parents. When a child is not reaching the milestones, a clear record of what you have seen makes the next conversation easier.
Communication and language is a prime area of the EYFS. The lesson links to the DfE’s guidance for this prime area, with ways to build interactions, back-and-forth conversation and vocabulary through everyday routines, and to Speech and Language UK’s stage-by-stage description of talking, listening and understanding from birth to five.
What’s in the course
- Why communication mattersUnderstanding what people say, using words and sentences correctly, and speaking clearly with peers.
- 6 monthsCooing and babbling, turning towards sounds and copying smiles and laughs, with songs, rhymes and Peepo.
- 12 monthsMore babble, first words for some, understanding “hello” and “goodbye”, and naming what babies point at.
- 18 monthsA small vocabulary of simple words, early pretend play, and sharing picture books.
- 2 years50 or more words, short sentences and more pretend play, with activities that build word groupings.
- 3 years300 or more words, sentences of 4 to 5 words, clearer speech and longer instructions.
- 4 yearsOver 400 words, joining sentences with connectives and recalling activities, with word games and pretend play.
- Assessment10 questions. Pass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
What you’ll learn
- The three strands to check at each age: listening and attention, understanding and speaking
- What to expect at 6 months: cooing and babbling, looking at your face when you talk, and copying smiles and laughs
- Why it is never too early to talk to a baby and tell them what is going on around them
- How vocabulary grows, from 50 or more words at two to 300 or more at three and over 400 at four
- How sentences develop, from single words at two, to 4 to 5 word sentences at three, to sentences joined with connectives at four
- How understanding grows, from familiar words like “hello” and “goodbye” to questions using “what”, “who” and “where”
- Activities for each stage, including songs and rhymes with actions, Peepo, shared picture books, word games and joining in pretend play
- How to encourage longer conversations with three-year-olds without firing new questions at them
Who this course is for
- Practitioners and key persons in baby, toddler and preschool rooms
- Room leaders who plan talk and language activities across the week
- New starters and apprentices learning what typical communication development looks like
- Staff who share observations of a child’s communication with parents
How it works
- OnlineStudy on any device and pick up where you left off.
- Interactive moduleShort slides and activities you work through at your own pace.
- 10-question assessmentPass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
- CertificateIssued when you pass. NFAQ accredited.
Training your team
Children hear the richest language when every adult in the room talks with them in the same way, so this course works well taken by the whole team. Choose the number of learners at checkout, with group rates from 3 learners, or get it as part of the Training Portal for £5 per learner per month. It pairs well with Identifying and Supporting Speech, Language and Communication Needs and Early Literacy, Phonics and a Love of Reading.
Frequently asked questions
What ages does the course cover?
It sets out milestones and activities for 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 2 years, 3 years and 4 years, under listening and attention, understanding and speaking.
Does the course cover speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)?
The module focuses on typical milestones and how to support them. The lesson includes a SALT Referral Preparation Checklist for when a child is not reaching the milestones and a speech and language therapy referral is being considered. For a deeper look at SLCN, see our Identifying and Supporting Speech, Language and Communication Needs course.
Are there resources to use in the setting?
Yes. The lesson includes a Communication Development Quick Guide, an Age and Stage Communication Check Record with tick boxes for each age band, and an Everyday Talk Activity Planner that puts the course’s activities into the routine moments of your week.
How can we support communication in everyday routines?
Talk to babies about what is going on around them, sing songs and rhymes with actions, name the things children point at, share picture books, and join children in pretend play. The course matches activities like these to each age.
What happens if I don’t pass the assessment?
You can resit it as many times as you need until you pass. Your certificate is issued as soon as you reach the 80% pass mark.
Will this help at Ofsted?
Ofsted does not approve training providers. The certificate is evidence that training was completed and goes on your staff training record, and the course helps your team explain how they support children’s communication.
