Joint attention is the ability to focus on the same thing (e.g. an object, person or event) as another person. This means that three parties are involved in joint attention - the child, the object of focus and another person. Therefore in order for joint attention to happen, the child needs to be able to gain, maintain, and shift their attention.
Joint attention is crucial for language development. In order for a child to learn a word, they have to hear it and associate the label with an object. It is also important for developing social skills.
The following techniques can be helpful when trying to develop a child's joint attention:
You can access Speech and Language support by calling Just One Number on 0300 300 0123. Our opening hours are 8am-6pm Monday-Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Also in this section...
