ABSTRACT
Listening and hearing children as co-constructors and equal participants is a way of thinking about and seeing children’s interactions. Creating an ethos based on placing children at the centre of the process of listening, hearing, and responding means following children’s ideas and motivations. This chapter explores the complexities of listening to children and really ‘hearing’ what they are saying through the different ways they express themselves in play and creative experiences. Taking a sociocultural approach, the chapter draws on observations of 4-year-old children’s talk and actions during play with their peers. It considers child–child interactions as well as adult–child interactions. Examples of children’s talk and actions are used to reveal how early childhood practitioners position themselves to listen and hear how children communicate with each other and the adults around them. Key elements of acknowledging children’s voices, facilitating autonomy, and providing choice through play are highlighted in an examination of the benefits and challenges of listening to and hearing children.
