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Parent Tips3 min read
Modelling great communication skills
Children learn to communicate by watching and listening to the people around them — so the way we talk matters.
Children learn to communicate by watching and listening to the people around them — so the way we talk matters enormously. Modelling is one of the simplest and most effective strategies you can use at home.
Ways to model great communication
- Get down to your child's level and make eye contact.
- Use clear, complete sentences slightly above your child's current level.
- Repeat and expand: if your child says 'big truck', you say 'Yes, a big red truck!'
- Pause and wait — give your child time to respond.
- Show good listening: take turns and avoid interrupting.
💡 Tip
Recasting — gently repeating your child's message with the correct grammar — supports learning without correcting or pressuring.
You are your child's most important communication model. Slowing down and showing what good conversation looks like makes a lasting difference.
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