Why speech is more important for reception children than writing their name

If your child is starting school in September, you might be thinking about what they need to be able to do when they arrive.

Write their name?
Know their address?
Remember their birthday?

Many parents focus on some of the classroom learning, but communication should be a priority.

It’s vital to help them to understand what they’re being asked to do in the classroom, listen to instructions and play with other children.

A YouGov survey has found that:
54% of children aren’t developmentally ready to start school
But 90% of parents think their children are.

Of the 54% of children who aren’t developmentally ready for school, some are not at the expected level of communication – able to understand simple instructions, have a basic vocabulary, listen, and take turns to speak.

Our advice is to listen to what your child says and notice what they understand and how they communicate. Now is the time to find out and identify if they maybe need a hand, because there is time for speech therapy to be affective ahead of them starting school in September.

Reception children should go to school being able to:
Pronounce the majority of sounds correctly and be easily understood
Hold a good conversation with you
Easily get across their meaning (e.g: need the toilet, feel unwell, talk about what they did at the weekend)
Sit and listen
Follow instructions
Be interested in talking and communicating

Most children will develop these skills naturally but if you feel your child can’t get their message across, is often frustrated, plays alone or is unable to follow instructions, speech and language therapy may be what’s needed.

Communication helps the child to develop in their education – it filters into every aspect of their life; being able to speak, understand and join in. Literacy in particular is affected if speech and communication aren’t developed enough before the child starts school.

Children who were developing their speech and communication during the pandemic may have a lower level of speech and language than might be expected for when they start school.

We offer an assessment to let you know where your child’s speech and language level is, with therapy to follow if needed. We will always ask you to do some work at home so that the child gets to practice some new techniques – learnt at our fun, interactive and toy-filled sessions.

To find out more about an assessment, book into either our Chilham or Tenterden clinics.

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