Book excerpt: "Developing Baseline Communication Skills" is a practical resource designed to fit with the baseline assessments that are now part of the national curriculum in schools. It contains a programme of games and activities aimed at fostering personal and social development and promoting language and early literacy skills. Teachers often express concern about the many children who enter reception classes lacking the listening, understanding and speaking skills necessary to make a successful start to their school years. This resource seeks to address some of these problems by offering: Games and activities suitable for four to five-year olds in nursery education, playgroups, reception classes and those attending speech language therapy clinics. These are appropriate for both mainstream and special schools. There are two hundred games and activities, graded into level of difficulty, for whole classes or smaller groups, with a key to indicate where each activity can be easily incorporated into the existing school curriculum. It has a clear aim and full instructions for the games, which are easy to organise and with equipment kept to a minimum. Photocopiable templates are included where necessary. It includes activities that can be carried out between teachers, classroom assistants or volunteers, with simple record sheets for optional use. The book includes materials that may be used as an effective part of a speech and language programme in consultation with a speech and language therapist. This is a unique manual that should be an essential addition to the materials used by every professional working with young children.