From a baby’s first cry, to cooing, babbling, first words, and finally long sentences and storytelling. Language development is a remarkable journey. This course takes you through how children build communication step by step, from using gestures and sounds to forming complex sentences, asking questions, and exploring early literacy.

You’ll learn how to support receptive language (understanding) and expressive language (speaking, gesturing, writing) across the 0–6 age range, and discover how communication is shaped by relationships, play, culture, and environment.

Together, we will explore key theories of language development, the stages of speech and literacy growth, and practical strategies you can use every day to scaffold children’s skills.

Grounded in EYLF Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators, this course will empower you to:

• Understand how language develops from birth to school age.
• Foster confidence in children’s ability to express themselves.
• Embed rich literacy experiences into play and routines.
• Support bilingualism, home languages, and cultural competence.
• Observe, assess, and extend communication skills meaningfully.