Nursery World - Enabling Environments: Collections

How can practitioners help children develop good listening skills?
Nicole Weinstein offers some advice

Many young children have difficulties developing good listening skills. One in four children under the age of five has 'glue ear', which means that their hearing levels are affected each time they have a cold. Building up good listening skills is vital for recognising sounds, developing speech, following instructions, learning rhymes and songs and communicating with others - and sets the foundations for future literacy and numeracy skills.

It is important, therefore, that practitioners model good communication skills by listening to the child's thoughts and feelings and tuning into their interests. Other activities that support the development of children's early listening skills include stories, rhymes and listening games.

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