The way we speak is shaped by where we grow up, our cultural background, our community and our everyday experiences. Different ways of speaking reflect identity, belonging and connection, and there is no single ‘right’ way to use language.
For early childhood educators, however, language also carries an additional responsibility. Alongside building warm and responsive relationships, educators are constantly modelling how language can be used to think, question, explain and make meaning. This involves being intentional about how we express ourselves and ensuring the language we use with children is both respectful of diversity and developmentally appropriate.
This doesn’t mean replacing natural conversation with formal or scripted speech. It means noticing the everyday moments where small shifts in language can help extend children’s vocabulary, comprehension and thinking.
“Look, I made a big tower!”
“Wow, that’s big!”
“It’s gonna fall!”
“Oh no… crash!”
Moments like this play out in early learning settings every day. They’re warm, responsive and engaging, but they’re also valuable learning opportunities. With a few intentional shifts, educators can extend children’s vocabulary, thinking and communication skills even further.
“Look, I made a big tower!”
“You’ve built a very tall tower. It’s enormous!”
“I think it’s gonna fall!”
“It does look a bit unstable. I wonder how we can make it stronger?”
By introducing new words into everyday conversations, educators can extend children’s language and thinking beyond the immediate moment, supporting them to imagine, recall past experiences, and predict what might happen next.
As Professor Sheila Degotardi of Macquarie University explains,
Children are not only learning language. They are learning through language.
Language is everywhere. It is how we connect with children, guide behaviour and make meaning together. But it is also something more.
“Your talk is the best teaching tool you've got. You're not just talking to make a connection. It is one of the primary teaching methods that educators can use,” adds Prof. Degotardi.
Research from the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) reminds us that language and communication are the foundations for all learning and social interaction, connected to cognitive, social and emotional development from infancy.
Meanwhile, the Early Years Learning Framework V2.0 (2022) recognises that “communication is crucial to belong, being and becoming” and that “interactions, conversations and shared thinking are vitally important for learning.” (p. 22)
From autopilot to intentional talk
Much of what educators say happens out of instinct. But becoming more aware of how and why we speak can shift practice in powerful ways.
As Prof. Degotardi notes, “People don't realise why they're talking and how they are talking until they actually take a step back and think about it and reflect on it.”
That reflection might include noticing:
“What I challenge educators to do is actually pay attention to how they talk and think first about what all the different reasons are for talking to children,” adds Prof. Degotardi.
This doesn’t mean overthinking every interaction. It means recognising that each moment, whether it’s helping with shoes or building a tower, is an opportunity to model language intentionally.
Jess Schofield, Forbes Preschool Speech Therapist, agrees that reflection is key. She says, “I think it’s important to be aware of how you’re expressing yourself and realise that you’re modelling every single time you talk. Children are wired to respond to engaging speech.
“This means it’s important to monitor our communication and talk to children in a way that is appropriate for their developmental level.”
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Colloquialisms, ‘brekkie’ and building vocabulary
Australian early learning environments are rich in informal, familiar language. Words such as ‘brekkie’, ‘ta’ or ‘good onya mate’ help create warmth and connection.
And that matters.
Rather than eliminating informal language, the focus should be on helping children understand context.
As Prof. Degotardi puts it, “We all slip into colloquialisms or that very casual talk… that's part of our culture. I don't think we should shy away from that. The key is balance. If you find yourself slipping into those everyday colloquialisms, try and find a way of then slipping in the correct term.”
For example: “Have you had your brekkie? What did you have for breakfast?”
As well as teaching the correct word, this models how to move between formal and colloquial language with confidence.
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Similarly, Jess says some colloquialisms can be developmentally appropriate at certain ages: “For example, I actually use ‘ta’ with my 18-month-old, but I wouldn’t use it with my four-year-old. I would say ‘Please can I have this…? Thank you.’”
Again, it’s about being thoughtful and recognising that words are a teaching tool.
“Every new word a child learns is a new concept,” says Prof. Degotardi. “It’s that link between language and learning and knowing and thinking.” She highlights the work of American developmental psychologist and professor Catherine Snow who posits that language learning is about building knowledge and concepts, not just vocabulary size.
Jess points out how ‘serve and return’ interactions help to build language and understanding: “Back and forth conversation is central to language development, even with very simple child contributions.”
Jess gives the following example: “If the child comes up to you and says, ‘Open’ while handing you a lunchbox; you might say, ‘Your lunch box? Do you want me to open your lunch box?’ And then you might wait and then you might say, ‘What's in that lunch box?’”
A single word can be built upon, reshaped and turned into a conversational moment.
Supporting multilingual children
Many children in early learning settings are growing up with more than one language. This Amplify! article highlights how bilingualism supports identity, connection and learning across contexts.
At the same time, the Early Years Learning Framework V2.0 (2022) positions Standard Australian English as the language of instruction. It reminds us:
“Children’s use of their home languages underpins their sense of identity and their conceptual development... They have the right to be continuing users of their home language, as well as to develop competency in Standard Australian English.” (p. 57)
Children should be hearing a lot of English in a service. However, if the educator and the child share a home language, one effective approach is ‘trans-languaging’. This is using multiple languages fluidly to support understanding and inclusion.
“The educator might say something in the child's home language and then they repeat the same meaning in English. Or an educator may start a play conversation in the child’s home language and then switch to English when the child is engaged,” explains Prof. Degotardi.
“They use both languages in a very seamless way. That not only supports the child's ability to learn English, but also the child's ability to maintain their home language, which is really important.”
This approach:
Importantly, this is not the responsibility of one educator alone. It’s the responsibility of the service to ensure that children have good language models.
Swearing and emotionally loaded language
Children are quick to pick up emotionally-charged words, such as swear words, especially when adults use them in heightened moments. They might also repeat words they hear at home, in the community or online.
Prof. Degotardi suggests that rather than reacting strongly, educators can model alternative words by slipping them into conversation. For example, if a child remarks, “It’s ****ing cold,” the educator could reply “It is chilly today isn’t it?”
Depending on the context, it may also be appropriate to calmly explain to a child that some words can hurt people’s feelings, or “you sound frustrated; let’s find another way of saying that.”
Jess agrees with this approach and adds that swearing by educators is a “definite no.”
Beyond policies: Building a reflective culture
Language is complex, nuanced and deeply human. While it might be tempting to respond to language concerns with policy, the real impact comes from reflective practice.
“It's hard to change how you speak, but it's not impossible,” says Prof. Degotardi. “The first step is to reflect and then, if needed, get some real-time feedback from colleagues.”
Language shapes more than communication; it shapes identity, thinking and belonging. When educators become more intentional, then even small changes, such as adding a word, extending a sentence, or pausing to listen, can have a lasting impact.
Language check: What are children learning from us?
References
AERO, Language and Communication Learning Trajectory: https://www.edresearch.edu.au/resources/language-and-communication-early-childhood-learning-trajectory
AERO, Early Childhood Learning Trajectories Evidence Base Report: https://www.edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2023-05/learning-trajectories-evidence-base-report.pdf
CELA: Creating harmony through bilingual learning
https://www.cela.org.au/publications/amplify!-blog/march-2020/bilingual-learning
Evidence for Learning, Communication and Language Approaches: https://evidenceforlearning.org.au/education-evidence/early-childhood-education-toolkit/communication-and-language-approaches
NSW Department of Education:
Brighter Beginnings: Connect and communicate toolkit
Snow, C. E. (2017). The role of vocabulary versus knowledge in children’s language learning: A fifty-year perspective. Journal for the Study of Education and Development, 40(1), 1–18. Retrieved 23 April 2026 from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1080/02103702.2016.1263449
Further reading
CELA: How early language skills shape future literacy
https://www.cela.org.au/publications/amplify-blog/february-2024/language-skills-shape-literacy
CELA: Learning about literacy
https://www.cela.org.au/publications/amplify%21-blog/sep-2019/learning-about-literacy