The Voice of the Child: How to Listen Effectively to Young Children

By: Julia Maria Gouldsboro

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Synopsis: If we want children to be successful, confident, independent learners, we need to relearn the skill of truly listening. The Voice of the Child builds on a number of theories which recognise the importance of interacting with, and listening, to the children in our care, and demonstrates how these can be put into practice - listening, communicating and hearing the voice of the child effectively. The book addresses each phase of a child’s development, from birth through to five years, and explains how communication skills can be used to support individual children’s specific needs. Chapters offer practical tips and strategies to help early years practitioners to listen and communicate in such a way as to encourage and enhance the development of a child’s speech and language skills. With case studies and reflective questions included throughout, the book highlights the importance of listening to children in order to keep them safe, ensure they feel included in their community, and to promote their confidence and self-esteem. The Voice of the Child is essential reading for early years practitioners and students, including those on Childhood Studies courses, who want to gain a clear understanding of how their own communication skills can impact on the child.