Environment Audit Communication and Language: Listening and Attention

Environment audit – Communication and Language: Listening and attention

Use this audit tool as a starting point to help you decide what changes you could make to your environment and to check which resources are available or need to be provided.

Environment layout and resources √ X

Layout and organisation

An attention to the acoustics in the room, using flooring, fabrics and furnishings which help create a calm ambience. The environment invites responses from babies and adults- touching, smiling, smelling, feeling, listening, exploring, describing and sharing. Background noise is kept to a minimum to encourage listening and attention. Opportunities to stop and listen to environmental sounds – indoors, out of doors and further afield. A listening area where children can listen to recorded stories individually or as part of a small group. Comfortable spaces indoors for listening to stories and what others have to say. Comfortable places out of doors for listening to each other and storytelling.

Equipment

Range of resources that children can listen to and learn to distinguish between. Picture books which incorporate sounds in stories. A wide range of books and stories which include rhymes and repetitive phrases. Photographs and posters showing children communicating, listening and paying attention. Recordings of familiar songs sung in appropriate languages. Sound system with earphones which allows individuals and small groups to listen to recordings. Games and ICT programmes which encourage listening and attention. CDs of different types of music to use at appropriate times. Rhyme time bags of books to use in the setting and to encourage parents to share singing rhymes and games with their children. A range of musical instruments which make a variety of sounds. Telephone systems to be used indoors and out of doors. Sand timers to help extend concentration for children who find it hard to concentrate for sustained periods of time. Stethoscopes for ‘listening’ to the materials in the indoor and outdoor environment- try it! Pre-phonics and phonics games.