Whether a newborn in an all in one suit or a youngster wearing toddler clothing, kids are never too young to develop their language ability, it has been implied.

Regional editor of the Good Schools Guide Sue Fieldman pointed out that the burden of responsibility for helping kids to articulate themselves does not fall solely on the shoulders of teachers.

She said the lessons learned at home determine how youngsters interact with society, adding that modern technology such as computer games could be stunting the linguistic development of some children, as they spend more time staring at a screen than conversing with their parents.

"A few sentences a day is often all that is needed just to get the child [to] start to interact," Ms Fieldman remarked. "It is what the children learn at home and communicate at home that is the crucial element to learning."

She was reacting to a survey by I CAN, which revealed the communication ability of 50 per cent of all 0 - 11-year-olds is a source of concern for parents.

Research found the most popular shared activity for mums and dads and their offspring was watching television, cited by 73 per cent of respondents.ADNFCR-3005-ID-19606974-ADNFCR