ABSTRACT
All children are developing their communication skills during the early years. Some, however, may have particular difficulties with this aspect of their development. Crystal (1984) suggests that perhaps one in ten children has a language difficulty significant enough to cause concern to his or her carers. Some of these children will be simply delayed in their development of language while others will have a specific difficulty which will need to be addressed. For professionals working in early years settings it can be difficult to know whether a child has a language difficulty or whether he or she is inhibited by a context outside the home. Some children will not speak for some time in a new setting but will chatter away happily at home telling parents about their experiences. Any concern regarding communication needs to be shared with parents so that it can be clarified whether or not it is a context-specific problem. Early identification of children with communication problems is crucial due to the key importance of language in development.
