Before words

About

Before Words is an attractive accessible resource, designed for parents. It emphasises the development of relationship and interaction during the first twelve months of life as fundamental to communication.

"It would seem that babies are great communicators from birth and have a range of pre-programmed abilities (instincts) which enable them to form close relationships with their carers."

"early communication between babies and carers is a non-verbal form of 'getting in touch' with another person and crucial in the development of language, as well as of understanding and sympathy with others, and of social skills, cooperation and play."

(Great Communicators Marian Whitehead 'Working with children in the early years' 2003 Ed: by Jane Devreux & Linda Miller Pub: David Fulton - London)

There are four A4 sides of information (0-3; 3-6; 6-9; 9-12 months) with colourful and amusing pictures showing children and their families doing all those everyday things that children and families do! The captions and speech bubbles describe, under three main sections (Being Together; Listening First; Baby Talk), how babies interact and learn from the very beginning. The captions also offer ways that parents - as their child's first and best teacher - can support this early development.

Before Words was created in Surestart Westgate Children's Centre by two Speech and Language Therapists - Lynn Jones and Gretel McEwen. The approach and the content reflect and support underpinning principles of the Surestart way of working and the importance of early intervention.