The acquisition of speech and language represent significant achievements for all children. These aspects of child development have received substantial attention in the research literature and a considerable body of theoretical knowledge exists to chart progress from infancy to maturity. Cross-cultural studies have identified the common purposes served by the acquisition of oral language by children, and the essential similarity in the sequence through which speech develops irrespective of geography and culture.

What is less clear is precisely ‘how’ children learn to say what they mean and ‘how’ teachers and parents can support and enhance the development of meaningful speech in their children. Until now, children’s speech has been underused as a means of promoting learning in the formal school setting. New requirements within the National Curriculum are trying to address this gap, but there remains a lack of clarity as to what this means for practice, and how it relates to the broad base of curricular objectives.

This book brings together a body of work, from different countries; it offers an improved understanding of how strategies for developing speaking and listening may impact metacognitive awareness, and raise standards of literacy and dialogic thinking for all children.

This book was previously published as a special issue of Early Child Development and Care.