Discover the skills that every child needs.
Children are primed to communicate at birth. Communication skills continue to develop as they grow and learn. Communicating calls on executive function skills, including paying attention in order to determine what we want to communicate (focus); thinking about how our communications will be understood by others (cognitive flexibility); and by substituting what we want to say for another way of expressing ourselves, especially if our original approach isn’t the most effective way to communicate (inhibitory control).
Children build the Life Skill of Communicating when they engage in back and forth conversations – through words, gestures or symbols to indicate what they want to convey – and pay attention to how it will be understood by others so they can continue the conversation. It is the skill teachers and employers feel is most lacking today.
Here are some research-based ways to help children improve the Life Skill of Communicating:
“Babies are prepared at birth to listen to language. Moreover, they’ve already learned something about the characteristics of their native language or languages and are prepared to listen accordingly”
Janet F. Werker
University of British Columbia
These free, downloadable resources offer tips for building the Seven Essential Life Skills based on classic and diverse children’s books that promote the skills. Designed for three age groups, infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age, Book Tips are available in English and Spanish.
Picky Eating, Bedtime Fears, Meltdowns, Constant Crying, Sibling Rivalry! We’ve researched the questions families and teachers most frequently ask and created short free guides, available in English and Spanish, for professionals and families to help turn common behavioral issues into opportunities to promote critical life skills in children.
Your support will allow us to continue to deliver our high-quality research, publications, and services to you. Families and Work Institute is registered as a 503(c)(3) non profit organization
EIN 13-3560042.
To provide a Corporate Gift or have Donation questions – Please email donate@familiesandwork.org
