To reflect upon how adults communicate with babies and/or young children
Aim
To reflect upon how adults communicate with babies and/or young children.
Evidence and reflection
Observe a range of adults communicating with young children. Analyse this communication in terms of how they use their voices and record your notes.
It would be helpful if you could identify somebody who you feel has a good way of interacting with babies or young children, somebody who the children find engaging. Pay particular attention to the ways in which the adult is communicating with the children.
Describe how they communicate verbally.
Describe how they communicate non-verbally.
Consider the language they use.
Consider the key aspects of their manner. Are they similar to your own? Different? Is there anything you can take from your observations to develop your own practice? Remember, while you may have new ideas to test and trial you don’t want to overact. As we said earlier, children are skilled at detecting motivations and dispositions!
