Tips and Tricks from BASA

At BASA, we have been helping children develop speech arts and communication skills for more than 35 years. Working with children as young as three has shown us just how important the early years are in building confident, capable communicators.

Our goal is to help children develop the confidence and creativity to express their thoughts, share their ideas, and communicate effectively with the people around them. These skills become an important foundation for success—not only in school, but throughout their lives.

One of the most significant factors we have observed in accelerating a child’s development is the involvement of parents at home. The good news is that some of the most effective ways to support your child’s communication development are also some of the simplest.

Read Together—And Read Aloud

One of the best things you can do is read stories aloud to your child every day. Your child is listening closely to the way you speak, often without even realizing it. When you read with expression, enthusiasm, and clarity, they hear how our voices can convey excitement, curiosity, surprise, humour, and emotion.

As they listen, they begin to absorb vocabulary, sentence structure, pronunciation, pacing, and the natural rhythm of spoken language. You are giving them an example of what confident and expressive communication sounds like.

Turn Stories Into Conversations

After reading a story, take a few moments to talk about it together. Ask questions such as:

“What was your favourite part?”

“Why do you think the character did that?”

“What do you think might happen next?”

“What would you have done?”

Talk About Their World

Finally, make conversation part of your everyday routine. Ask your child about their day, what they enjoyed, what they learned, who they played with, or what they are looking forward to.

When a child feels that their thoughts and stories are genuinely valued, they become more willing to share them. These everyday conversations provide valuable practice in taking turns, listening, responding, explaining, and expressing themselves all essential social and communication skills.

Small Moments, Big Impact

For a young child, a bedtime story, a conversation at the dinner table, or a question on the way home from school may seem like an ordinary moment. But these moments provide countless opportunities to develop a confident voice.

At BASA, we believe that every child has something to say. Our role is to help them find the confidence to say it—and your role as a parent can begin long before they step into the classroom.