I WANT to urge you to recognise the importance of developing communication skills in our children.

For many years, discussions about literacy have centered on primary and secondary school children, but now, alarming evidence indicates that problems can start much earlier.

More than 50 per cent of children are entering primary schools with limited abilities to speak, listen, and understand others and as a result these children face academic failure, social exclusion, and limited life chances.

As a result, the BT Education Programme, which has been committed to helping students become better communicators for many years, is turning its attention to pre-school children as well.

This is why we are supporting I CAN (the children's communication charity) in their eight month Make Chatter Matter campaign, to highlight the importance of communication skills as the foundation for all children's learning.

Without which, these children will struggle to keep up in the class, and even in the playground.

As well as supporting I CAN's call for the government to act on this issue, our support comes in very practical ways.

We are producing a new DVD-based training resource for pre-school teachers, nursery nurses, child minders and anyone else involved in the care of children from birth to five years.

BT is also sponsoring a major conference for 600 early years professionals in May 2007, and helping I CAN's to extend its existing communication development website (www.talkingpoint.org.uk).

If you visit www.bt.com/education teachers, pupils and families can order a range of free high quality resources and join BT in making sure children and young people in the UK have the opportunity to develop their speaking and listening skills and get the best possible start in life.

DAVID HANCOCK, head of education and volunteering, BT.