ABSTRACT
Rory is in an early stage of his journey as a language learner, but already he is able to listen carefully and respond as part of a turn-taking conversation. He is also able to use language to explore ideas, make sense of the world, ask for information and make connections between his experience and new learning. In this chapter, we explore how young children become active communicators. We consider how we can mitigate the slight disadvantage that boys have in their language development. We see how adults can provide a language-rich environment and support for all boys and girls that will allow them to become confident talkers and learners, and active members of their social groups.
