By the age of four, our children had discovered the joys of speech. In this episode, we looked at how they picked up language skills and the importance of both verbal and non-verbal communication. At this age, children learn as many as ten words a day. Some of our children had already grasped the first 1,500 words of the 20,000 words they could expect to learn in their lifetimes.  But there's much more to communication than words. Children pick up on 'non-verbal leakage', or body language. We asked if the children who were disadvantaged in language skills - because English wasn't their first language or they had an impediment - compensated by developing other non-verbal communication skills. We also learnt whether the parents were proficient at reading their children's non-verbal messages and how important it was for them to be able to do so. Finally, we looked at whether the parents were passing their methods of communication on to their children, what influence gender had, and whether our ability to communicate is a basic biological gift or a sophisticated social skill. Can we give children a kick-start in life by boosting their self-esteem? Find out more in programme 3.
Disclaimer: The BBC Parenting site is provided for your general information only. The information contained on this site should not be treated as a substitute for medical, legal or other professional advice. The BBC is not responsible or liable for the contents of any websites of third parties which are listed on this site. |
