Being able to listen and understand is the flip side to talking - and for two-year-olds, a developing skill. So what can we expect in terms of children's listening and understanding between the ages of two and three, and how we can support it?
The starting point for listening and understanding is noticing that communication is taking place - that is, paying attention to it. This is why listening and attention can be found together in the revised Early Years Foundation Stage.
Children aged two are not good at paying attention when they are doing something else. This skill is called 'divided attention'. It is actually a cognitive skill but, of course, impacts on communication.
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