{"id":130,"date":"2013-07-31T07:46:03","date_gmt":"2013-07-31T06:46:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jesusromerotrillo.es\/?p=130"},"modified":"2013-07-31T07:46:03","modified_gmt":"2013-07-31T06:46:03","slug":"talking-at-mealtimes-boosts-childrens-confidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jesusromerotrillo.es\/?p=130","title":{"rendered":"Talking at mealtimes boosts children’s confidence"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Judith BurnsBBC News education reporter<\/p>\n

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Mealtime chatter helps boost children’s communication skills, suggests a study by the National Literacy Trust.<\/strong><\/div>\n

Children whose families sit and talk during meals are more confident, the poll of 35,000 UK children indicates.<\/p>\n

But more than one in every four misses out on daily mealtime chats with their families, suggests the poll.<\/p>\n

Former EastEnders actress, mother, and literacy campaigner Natalie Cassidy said: “Food is fuel for our bodies. So is conversation for our brains.”<\/p>\n

Ms Cassidy urged parents: “Even if you’re strapped for time, make 10-15 minutes to all sit down together”.<\/p>\n

Vital conversation<\/strong>She said “the spoken word and listening back are the first steps on the learning ladder” for her daughter Eliza, three.<\/p>\n

Children aged eight to 16, from 188 schools across the UK, completed the questionnaire in their classrooms late last year.<\/p>\n

The data suggests that sitting in silence at mealtimes is worse for children’s confidence than not sitting down for family meals at all.<\/p>\n

The results suggest that some two-thirds (62%) of those who talk daily with their families at mealtimes feel confident to speak in front of a group, compared with less than half (47%) of those who eat in silence and just over half (52%) of children who don’t sit down for meals.<\/p>\n

Some three-quarters (75%) of those who chat at family meals said they felt confident to join in class discussions, compared with 57% of those who sit together to eat but never or rarely talk and just over two-thirds (64%) of those who don’t sit down for meals.<\/p>\n

The study also suggests that the majority of children and young people (87%) sit down with their family at mealtimes – but while almost three-quarters (74%) of families chat at mealtimes every day, some 7% said they almost always ate together in silence.<\/p>\n

Life skills<\/strong>Children on free school meals were slightly less likely to report chatting with their families at mealtimes everyday (71%).<\/p>\n

The rate for older pupils was also lower – 68% of 14- to 16-year-olds, compared with 76% of 11- to 14-year-olds.<\/p>\n

The National Literacy Trust’s\u00a0Words for Life<\/a>\u00a0campaign calls on families to encourage their children’s speaking and listening skills “by taking simple steps like chatting together at mealtimes”.<\/p>\n

The trust’s director Jonathan Douglas said: “Our research shows just how vital conversation at home is to the future success of our children and young people.<\/p>\n

“Talking and communicating at home, for example at mealtimes, will help children gain the skills they need for a successful and happy life.”<\/p>\n

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By Judith BurnsBBC News education reporter Mealtime chatter helps boost children’s communication skills, suggests a study by the National Literacy Trust. Children whose families sit and talk during meals are more confident,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9,13],"tags":[11,172,50],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t