ABSTRACT
At its best, communication is a social process where verbal and non-verbal behaviors afford children the opportunity to develop and engage in meaningful relationships with peers and adults for a variety of purposes, both social and academic. Upon closer examination, there are several factors that can disrupt this process and hinder children’s social and academic engagement in the early childhood environment. The previous chapters of this book have explored various components of language, speech, and literacy, including developmental expectations and trajectories. We have discussed the form, content, and use of language, as well as speech sound production and the relationship to speech intelligibility. We have explored theoretical constructs and associated classic theorists, providing insight into research specific to the acquisition, development, and use of language modalities. The impact of these components on effective and functional communication has become evident as we have explored the multiple components of the functional communication system. It is important to revisit the importance and need for all individuals to access and experience effective use of communication to engage in a variety of interactions and communication exchanges across natural environments. As we have discussed, it isn’t enough for children to learn and master speech and language skills in a single environment or for a specific scenario. We should strive to support children through planting communication seeds for continued speech and language development, as well as build bridges when needed to ensure optimal communication experiences.
