Chatter Matters

Encouraging language development in children –  The Lord Mayor of Dublin Oisín Quinn recently launched Chatter Matters, an initiative of Dublin City Council’s Community & Social Development and Dublin City Public Libraries, to encourage language development in babies and toddlers. Research shows that in their first three years, children absorb more language than they will do at any other time in their lives. Talking to, playing with and reading to under 3’s as often as possible have been shown to support children’s confidence and communications skills.

Important building blocks in the early years of
oral language development include:

• Talking to and with children
• Playing
• Singing e.g. nursery rhymes
• Asking questions
• Repeating words
• Reading regularly, using picture, word or story books

Follow the conversation about the Chatter Matters
initiative on Twitter #chattermatters.

Click on the image to download a PDF  of the document.

The following are some useful links to services / information:

National Council for Curriculum and Assessment

Irish Association of Speech & Language Therapists (IASLT) 

Literacy and Numeracy Resources for Parents

Dublin City Childcare Committee

Dublin City Council

To support national policy on this issue, the Lord Mayor and Dublin City Council hosted a seminar ‘The Birth of Literacy’ in November 2013.  The half-day event focussed on the value of oral language competency development in children in the early years, and the role that families and communities play in supporting and encouraging communication.  Experts across a number of sectors presented on key themes providing valuable insights into the influences that early years language development and other experiences have on lifelong learning.

You can read a Review Birth of Literacy Seminar and Workshop 

Follow the conversation about the Chatter Matters initiative on Twitter #chattermatters.