Article in the Daily Telegraph, 3 April 2004, by Anne-Marie Sapsted
Not on speaking terms - why do many children lack basic language skills?
Ann Jones is used to getting blank stares. As a primary school teacher of 20 years'
standing, she has seen the communication skills of her classes deteriorate steadily.
"Too many children are starting school lacking basic language skills," she says.
"A simple request such as 'Go to the cupboard and get the pencils, please' is met
with a blank look. Some of them simply don't know what I am talking about."
Nursery teachers agree with anecdotal evidence that children are less verbally advanced
than at any time in recent history. A simple question such as "Would you like apple
or orange juice?" leaves many confused and unable to answer.
A recent survey of nursery staff carried out by I Can, a children's charity, revealed that
almost all had at least one child in the nursery with communication problems. Ten per cent
said they had 10 or more children with difficulties. They reported that growing numbers of
pre-school children could not accomplish simple tasks such as explaining what they were
doing, concentrating, speaking clearly and following instructions. They said that children
often responded with monosyllabic answers or gestures, rather than appropriate language.
Staff pinpointed several factors for the increase: 92 per cent felt that the lack of adult
time spent talking with the children was the key reason and 82 per cent blamed the passive
use of television. Two thirds mentioned a trend for parents to talk for their child and
others suggested that the use of videos and computers was also to blame. Almost half felt
the situation was a matter of extreme concern.
The hard research evidence isn't there as yet because it hasn't been done," says Gill
Edelman, chief executive of I Can. "But there is a growing body of opinion among
professionals that there are more children than there used to be with communication
difficulties - and boys are three times more likely to have problems than girls. Early
intervention is critical because by the time they get to primary school they may already
have developed behavioural problems through frustration.
"If you start school without being able to understand basic language, it affects your
ability to learn. Behavioural problems in young children can quickly become
entrenched."
Edelman believes it is vital that parents talk to their babies right from the beginning.
"It's a verbal dance that goes on and it's not generally understood how early it
begins," she says. "Most parents do it automatically, but some need
encouragement."
Liz Attenborough at the National Literacy Trust agrees and the charity is running a
campaign called 'Talk to Your Baby. "Researchers looked at 750 Ofsted inspections of
primary schools, and in 50 per cent of cases inspectors expressed concern that half the
children arriving at school lacked basic communication skills," she says.
"One professional told me that, in the old days, you could look around a nursery and
highlight the children with difficulties because they were unusual, but nowadays it's the
other way round - you highlight the children without difficulties."
Blaming television is obvious, but Attenborough thinks it is only part of the story. Most
households are much noisier, with a background din from a television or radio preventing
people from talking to each other. "One research review suggested that it wasn't so
much the children who were watching television, but the adults around them who have an eye
on the screen all the time and who aren't paying attention to the children," she
says.
The family unit is now smaller, with fewer adults around to talk to children, and busy
lives mean that traditional mealtimes are becoming a rare occurrence. Attenborough also
cites the move away from active play to what she calls solo toys, such as computer games.
"Parents feel they have to give their children expensive presents and don't realise
that children would rather have their time than something flashy."
Another development she feels makes parent-child communication more difficult is the
modern buggy. "We all once thought they were revolutionary because it meant that
babies could look at the world, but with the old-fashioned pram it was easier to talk to
your baby," she says.
Most parents try very hard to do the right thing, says language therapist Alex Hall, who
is the director of policy and practice for I Can. "If parents have any doubts about
their children keeping up with their peers, then they should get advice. They should talk
to their child's nursery teacher or playgroup leader. These people see a lot of children
of that age and, while there is a variation in how children develop, they can usually spot
a problem."
Hall admits that in some parts of the country availability of specialist help is patchy,
but in most areas there is good NHS provision of speech and language therapy. Parents can
refer their own children if they feel there is a problem, and the majority can be helped
quickly with early intervention.
But the best intervention comes from parents early in children's lives. "How often do
you see mothers pushing buggies using a mobile phone?" asks Liz Attenborough.
"Their babies are chattering away and getting no response. It makes me weep. Even the
better-educated parents spend a lot of time shoving their children into the back of the
car and rushing them off to nursery earlier and earlier. It's about time we encouraged our
children to be seen and heard."
For more information see www.ican.org.uk
By the age of three, a child should be:
Using connected, largely intelligible speech.
Describing past and present experiences.
Beginning to ask "what" and "who" questions.
Counting three objects, pointing to each one.
Singing songs and telling stories.
By the age of four, a child should be:
Becoming grammatically correct and clear.
Speaking of imaginary conditions such as "I suppose" or "I hope".
Able to tell stories accurately.
Using a wide vocabulary and completing sentences.
Starting to use pronouns such as his and hers; linking words such as if and when; and using sentences of at least five to eight words.