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Early Talk Boost research project with EEF- Speech and Language UK (formerly ICAN)

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Early Talk Boost research project with EEF- Speech and Language UK (formerly ICAN)

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Fully funded research programme. The Early Talk Boost intervention has been designed by Speech and Language UK specialist teachers and speech and language therapists, with the help of early years practitioners and parents. It is informed by strong evidence and has demonstrated early promise in a study that showed impact on children's ability to talk and understand words.

The intervention is 9-weeks long and comprises of three 15–20-minute sessions a week.  It is usually delivered to around 6-8 pupils in each setting.

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Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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Early Talk Boost research project with EEF

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Being able to talk and understand words are key skills for young children, enabling them to access all areas of the early years foundation stage (EYFS).

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Whole School SEND Fully Funded 20 minute CPD-  

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Whole School SEND Fully Funded 20 minute CPD-  

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Series of online Continuing Professional Development (CPD) units designed to support those who work with children and young people in schools to deliver an inclusive experience for every learner. Each online unit takes 20 minutes to complete and is supported by a live online networking session, facilitated by a regional SEND leader. Areas of interest may be; An introduction to speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), Identifying and supporting speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) and Supporting the development of speech, language and communication skills.

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This series of online Continuing Professional Development (CPD) units is designed to support those who work with children and young people in schools and further education settings to deliver an inclusive experience for every learner.

Funded by the Department for Education, and developed in partnership with Real Group, these free-to-access units build on learning from our Ambitious About Inclusion modules.

In all, 20 units will be released over the next two years. Units on Safety and Belonging were launched in October 2022 and have since been completed by over 1200 practitioners with consistently positive feedback. Over the next few months we will be launching further units - check back regularly for the latest releases.

Each online unit takes 20 minutes to complete and is supported by a live online networking session, facilitated by a regional SEND leader. Places are limited, so early booking is advised - please see below.

Please note, you must be logged into your free nasen or Whole School SEND account to access these online units.

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This series of online Continuing Professional Development (CPD) units is designed to support those who work with children and young people in schools and further education settings to deliver an inclusive experience for every learner. Funded by the Department for Education, and developed in partnership with Real Group, these free-to-access units build on learning from our Ambitious About Inclusion modules.

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Early Years Professional Development Programme

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Early Years Professional Development Programme

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The Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP) is an exciting opportunity for early years practitioners to improve their understanding and skills in supporting the development of the most disadvantaged children between the ages of 2 and 4.

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Early Years Professional Development Programme

Registration for January 2024 cohort now open. Register your interest today.

Early Years Professional Development Programme

Government funded support and training for Early Years Practitioners in England

Early Years Professional Development Programme

Free to access professional development for Early Years Practitioners. Registration for January 2024 cohort now open.

The Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP) is an exciting opportunity for early years practitioners to improve their understanding and skills in supporting the development of the most disadvantaged children between the ages of 2 and 4.

About the programme

Funded by the Department for Education in England and delivered by Education Development Trust, the EYPDP is a tailored professional development programme and forms part of the government's Early Years Education Recovery Plan which aims to address the continued effects of the pandemic on young children.

The training is available to eligible practitioners across all participating local authorities in England. There will be staggered start dates across the 2023\25 period with a total of four cohorts, the next of which is due to start in January 2024. Participants will receive high quality, evidence-based CPD (continuous professional development) to support them to improve outcomes on school readiness, early language, early mathematics and Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED).

FAQs

EYP Places Available

Start Date

Completion Date

2000

February 2023

October 2023

3000

September 2023

May 2024

3000

January 2024

September 2024

2000

April 2024

December 2024

The EYPDP has been made available to all 152 Local Authorities across England, with eligible practitioners from all participating Local Authorities encouraged to apply.
Pre-reception practitioners and childminders from schools and private, voluntary and independent settings (PVIs) who offer childcare to children between 2 and 4 years are eligible, with priority given to applications from settings that meet at least two of the following criteria:

Provide to at least one child with an Education, Health and Care Plan or Disability Access Fund indicator

Provide to at least one child in receipt of Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)

Provide to at least one child taking up the disadvantaged two-year-old offer

EY providers which do not meet the above criteria but where local intelligence suggests disadvantaged children would benefit from their practitioners receiving additional CPD support, may also be eligible.
Additionally, participating practitioners must:

Be qualified to at least level 3

Be currently working with 2-4 year olds (e.g. a manager who does not spend any time with the children is not eligible)

Not have completed a previous version of the early years professional development programme delivered by Education Development Trust.

This programme is free to access. Support with backfill costs will be made available to settings via their local authority to help complete the training.

It is expected that it will take participants 8 months and approximately 60 hours to complete the programme. Some flexibility may be granted in extenuating circumstances. For further details, please contact us to see our extenuating circumstances policy.

If you are a Setting Manager* and are interested in practitioners from your setting taking part in the Early Years Professional Development Programme starting, please click here to complete an expression of interest form.
*We are using the term Setting Manager to refer to all those who manage Early Years Practitioners. Examples could include: EYFS leads, EYFS teachers, Nursery Managers, Childminders
If you are an Early Years Practitioner interested in signing up for the programme, please speak to your setting manager and ask them to complete the expression of interest form on your behalf

News

Jan Dubiel has decades of experience in the early years sector, as a Nursery, Reception and Year 1 teacher in schools across England and then leading teams as an Early Years Coordinator. He is the former Head of National and International Development at Early Excellence, and now works as an independent speaker, consultant, trainer, author...
Read More...

One of the most significant features of the Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP) is its unashamed and deliberate focus on the pre-Reception Years of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). This specific age-related focus fully acknowledges the importance of this element of the phase and the vital, unique and explicit strands of development that...
Read More...

Registering your interest is quick and easy

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Early Years Professional Development Programme

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Registration for January 2024 cohort now open. Register your interest today. Government funded support and training for Early Years Practitioners in England Free to access professional development for Early Years Practitioners. Registration for January 2024 cohort now open.

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This article is really interesting focussing in on our very little ones and the beginning of language acquisition - and how we can help.

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Let's face it: six-month-old babies are pretty bad at making small talk.

But that sure doesn't stop them from trying.

If you're caring for infants, you're familiar with the sounds of baby babble. You've heard the gooos and the gaaas, the bababababas, and the doodoodoodoos. What you might not know, however, is what this babble really means - or why babies do it.

Today, we're going to decode baby babble. We'll learn why babies even babble in the first place, how that babble develops, and how you can best support your babbling babies on their language learning journey. And to get an expert's perspective on all that, we'll hear from Dr. Jenny Saffran.

Jenny is a professor with the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Psychology, who focuses on how children pick up language. She also helps lead the University's Infant Learning and Little Listeners laboratories, which focus on speech development in early childhood.

And as she explains, if we want to understand babble, we should start by looking at deaf babies.

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Why doth the baby babble?

There are still a lot of unknowns in our understanding of why babies babble. But a lot of what we do know, we owe to deaf babies.

The thing is, deaf babies babble too. They start babbling at the same age as babies who can hear, and their babble sounds the same. Even deaf babies with deaf parents will babble, although nobody in the family can hear it.

That's what leads Jenny, as well as many other researchers, to believe that part of babbling is just about babies exploring what their bodies can do.

"At the start, babies probably babble for the same reason they might suck on their toes, wiggle their arms, or any of those early body motions. It just feels good for them, and it's kind of fun," Jenny explains.

But there's more to it, too.

If we expose babies to sign language, they'll start babbling in hand signs. Regardless of whether a baby is hearing or deaf, you'll see them start to bunch up their fists and wiggle their fingers, making simple mimics of the hand signs they see. Babies who don't see any sign language won't do this sort of babble - so we know that babble is, at least in part, a skill that we learn.

The truth, Jenny suggests, is somewhere in between. Part of babbling is probably just babies exploring their bodies, and what they can do. But we've also got good reason to believe that babies are, from an early age, sensitive to the basic concept of communication. Maybe babbling babies don't know what's being said, but they get that this back-and-forth is important.

But because we can't really do a scientific interview with a six-month-old, it's hard to know for sure.

A brief timeline of babbling‍

While babies can already understand some of the words we say by the time they're 6 months old, their own speaking skills take a little longer to kick in.

You might look at babble as a stepping stone on that journey. Regardless of whether we know the real why behind baby babble, it's what gives them the basic foundation to say words later on. So we'll take a quick look at how babble bubbles up, and where it goes from there.

But before that, it's worth clarifying that language acquisition works differently for everybody. These are average milestones - and for every average, you'll have babies clocking in a little later and a little earlier. Both of those are completely fine too.

0-6 months: This is when babies start cooing - it's the first attempt to give our vocal chords a spin. Cooing is mostly one extended vowel noise, like "aaaaaaa" or "goooooo". At this stage, all babies' noises sound the same around the world, regardless of their native language.

6-12 months: At this stage, babies start truly babbling. That's when they start introducing some consonants by opening and closing their mouths. Yesterday's "gooo" turns into "googoogoogoo," or that "baaaaaaaa" might become "bababababa." Around this time, babies' babble is going to start sounding more like a mushy version of their mother tongue.

12-18 months: This is the window when we typically hear babies' first words, and it's when they graduate from true babble to simple speech. But this isn't a hard boundary - babies learning to speak can and will go back to babble sometimes, and that's just fine.

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Infant-directed speech: our answer to babble

Speaking more slowly

Using a higher-pitched voice

Going up and down with the pitch of your voice in an exaggerated way, like speaking in more musical tones

If you're conversing with a babbling baby, you're probably speaking a little language that scientists call infant-directed speech. You might know it as "parentese." ‍

It's more effective at drawing babies' attention. They love the sound of it, and it's easier for them to separate and identify each word in our sentences. There's some research to suggest that because of this, infant-directed speech can give babies a little boost in language acquisition.

Infant-directed speech just sounds happy. It's pretty hard to talk tough in that baby voice. These warm tones send babies a lot of positive emotional information, and help them feel cared for and happy.

Almost all cultures and languages, including sign language, have some form of infant-directed speech. Compared to our grown-up speech, it's got three defining characteristics:

As Jenny explains, infant-directed speech has two big benefits for babies:

But Jenny is careful to point out that infant-directed speech isn't essential - babies will learn to speak just fine if they only hear grown-up speech. In general, she says, you don't need to feel like there's one single "right way" to support babbling babies as they build up their speaking skills.

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"Humans didn't evolve language in this environment where we think that if we say the right things to our babies, they'll have a better shot at getting into the best university. That's a really recent thing - we've been learning languages just fine for thousands of years before that."

Dr. Jenny Saffran

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More speech isn't always better‍

Sometimes, it can seem like there's some special recipe to speaking skills - like if we say the right amount of words to a baby, they're guaranteed to turn out smarter later on.

But maybe not it's not about the amount of speech, so much as warmth and sincerity of your interactions. As Jenny says, it might help to reframe this whole question as a 'quality versus quantity' sort of thing.

"Just having a caregiver spew language at you isn't going to do anything if you're not interested in it. It's more about tailored language, talking about the things you notice that babies are into," she explains.

If your baby really loves a certain teddy bear, tell them a little story about it. If your baby is staring at a lamp on the table, explain what it is, what color it is, or how it works. When babies seem interested and receptive, that's a good time to talk. But if they seem checked out, you don't need to talk.

After all, Jenny says, babies get bored too.

"Even if a shorter interaction has fewer words, it can be a richer learning experience for babies than being with a caregiver who never stops talking, because they think they've got to talk to babies every minute they're awake," Jenny says. "My guess is that babies are tuning those adults the heck out."

‍How do we best back our babbling babies? ‍

Make good use of baby books. Babies aren't the strongest conversational partners, so just talking to them can feel kind of one-sided sometimes. Reading stories aloud is a great way to engage babies, without the pressure of having to think of something to say. It also introduces some vocabulary you might not come across in your daily life.

Sing a little song to babies. "The only thing babies love more than infant-directed speech is infant-directed singing. It's the absolute number one thing they like," Jenny says.

Talk about what's going on in front of you. If you're preparing a snack or getting dressed, just narrating your actions out loud is an easy way to give babies more spoken words. Plus, they can connect your words with things they see in the room, which often involve them directly.

Build songs and rhymes into daily rituals. Diaper changes and bath time are more fun for everybody if you've got a rhyme to go with it. "It allows babies to feel like they're predicting the future," Jenny explains. "They know there's this warm little routine that ends with their caregiver kissing their tummy, or something like that. When they can predict that, it's really fun or exciting for them."

You don't need some magic recipe for creating a tiny linguistic genius, and you shouldn't feel guilty if you don't have time for dedicated "language time" every single day.

Instead of stressing over delivering some measurable boost to babies' language skills, it's enough to know that when we talk to babies, we're helping build a stronger bond and a warmer relationship together.

With that in mind, let's look at Jenny's advice for how to speak with those babbling babies in your life:

Ultimately, the best support for a babbling baby is what feels best for you. It's not about hitting some daily number of words, Jenny explains, but about making language learning a personal, meaningful experience for you and your babbling baby.

"Anything that feels natural and comfortable to the caregiver is a win," she says. "Anything that feels imposed can feel unnatural, and I think it probably removes some of the joy from our caregiving. And babies are a ton of work, so we want to keep as much of the joy as possible."

Official Danish Government Reopening Advice

Guidance from the Danish Health Ministry, translated in full to English.

UK Nursery Covid-19 Response Group Recommendations

The full recommendations from a working group of over 70 nursery chains in the UK.

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Let's take a look at what baby babble means, and get an expert's perspective on how you can support infants on their language-learning journey.

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*NEW* Communication hubs resource libraries 

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*NEW* Communication hubs resource libraries 

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The resource libraries from the Communication Hubs are now available for reference from ECFS bases between hub meetings.

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Communication Hub resource library update

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Please see the dates for communication hubs. These hubs contain fully funded CPD.

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Universally Speaking: children's communication development from birth to 5 years  

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Universally Speaking: children's communication development from birth to 5 years  

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This document provides a comprehensive overview of how children's communication develops and how each stage can be supported through practice, interaction and environment.

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Most speech and language referrals require evidence of screening and intervention for 10-12weeks. This is then sent in alongside the referral form. Please see guidance here.

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If you are at home with your child and have been advised that you need to do a check of their current communication skills, please watch Early Years Screening video and use the Early Years Language Screening Tool to try the activities with your child.

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Located in Norfolk, Communication Hubs provide support to all those looking to improve their knowledge and understanding of children’s speech, language and communication development, in the early years  and beyond. Themed, fully-funded network meetings are held every half term online.

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Communication Hub_Promo flyer FINAL 27.05.22 PRINT

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Early Years Transition - The STAIR transition document, the Padlet and downloadable information leaflets

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Early Years Transition - The STAIR transition document, the Padlet and downloadable information leaflets

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Supporting Transition and Inclusion Record (STAIR)

The Early Years Learning and Inclusion Service has worked with partners to coproduce a record to support children's transitions. The STAIR has been designed to enable smooth transitions, which recognise children's emotional needs, what help they might need and to capture each child's uniqueness.

The STAIR is optional, and settings may use their own versions if they prefer. The STAIR is in 8 short sections. Privacy Notice, Child Details, Transition Information, Developmental Progress and Contact Details should be completed for every child. Learning and Inclusion Needs, Professional Involvement and Plans should be completed where additional information would be useful in making adjustments to ensure transition is successful. When sharing the STAIR for children with additional needs you should also attach any relevant plans, reports or letters from professionals.

The most important thing is to paint an accurate picture of the child, taking into account the child's own views. The STAIR should be completed in conversation with parents/carers and shared with consent, in line with your setting's information sharing policy.

A copy of the STAIR will be emailed to you. You can also include email addresses for parents/carers and the onward setting to have a copy sent to them automatically. Alternatively, the STAIR can be printed and delivered by hand or forwarded via email.

The STAIR online form can be completed using this link https://forms.norfolk.gov.uk/service/Supporting-Transitions-and-Inclusion-Record

Ideas, information and resources to support practitioners, families and children with transitions in the Early Years. This includes the STAIR, publications, videos to share with families, research and book recommendations.

EYFS Transitions in Norfolk (padlet.com)

Below are some downloadable leaflets to help support the various transitions that children may experience in the EYFS. Please note that due to Covid-19, some of the practices described in the leaflets may not be possible. Settings and schools must prioritise health, safety and hygiene requirements at all times.

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Early years forms and leaflets about children progressing from pre-school to school, etc

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Transition resources for settings supporting children or young people with a special educational need or disability (SEND)

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Resources to support English as an Additional Language (EAL) in the Early Years

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Resources to support English as an Additional Language (EAL) in the Early Years

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English as an additional language (EAL) for Early Years - Schools

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Definiton, FAQs, Language Line for early years and childcare settings, plus information on cultural differences, settling in, and some top tips

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Communication Passports - Creating Passports

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Personal Communication Passports - Person-centred booklet for those who cannot easily speak for themselves. A way of making sense of formal assessment information and recording the important things about a person.

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Guide to visual support for Early Years Practitioners

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Guide to visual support for Early Years Practitioners

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Communication Champion Core Training was developed by ICAN and The Communication Trust and has been successfully delivered through the Norwich Opportunity Area (NOA) project since 2018. We’re now delighted to be able to expand this fully funded training to all early years practitioners in Norfolk. This includes childminders, early years group setting practitioners and school nursery and reception teachers and teaching assistants.

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Communication Champion Core Training Autumn 2022 (6)

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Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI)

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Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI)

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Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI)

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The NELI Programme, provided by OxEd and Assessment, is an integrated programme, for 4-5 year olds, that is proven to improve language and behaviour. The Programme consists of:

LanguageScreen, an assessment to select children for intervention and monitor individual and whole-class progress,

CPD certified training with mentor support,

a 20-week intervention delivered by TAs or teachers. The printed resource pack includes full session plans and materials to make delivery of the intervention as easy as possible.

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Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI)

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The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) is an integrated programme, for 4-5-year-olds, proven to improve language and behaviour.

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Here at Just One Norfolk, we are dedicated to providing children and young people's health services to the community. Find out more about our services

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Kirstie Page, Speech and Language Therapist and Teacher explains how to weave interventions into early years practice. This 1 hour training video explains aspects of early language development and considers how interventions can be embedded throughout interactions, curriculum, pedagogy and learning environments.

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Kirstie Page, Speech and Language Therapist and Teacher explains how to weave interventions into early years practice. This 1 hour training video explains how we can support early communication skills.

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Speech, Language & Communication development: Moving into KS1

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Speech, Language & Communication development: Moving into KS1

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As children move onto Key Stage 1, the focus on this essential area of development often lessens. Shifting our focus away from speech, language and communication skills as we begin to focus more on formal learning, literacy, maths and knowledge is a false economy

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The need to understand more about speech, language and communication development and making this a core focus of CPD is frequently discussed within the Early Years. As we move to work in Key Stage 1, the focus on this essential area of development often lessens. Shifting our focus away from speech, language and communication skills as we begin to focus more on formal learning, literacy, maths and knowledge is a false economy.

For all children, there is still a great need for us to understand more about speech, language and communication development. Although, for many children, the basic skills are in place as they leave the EYFS, they still have so much to learn. To name just a few, narrative, negotiation and the language skills surrounding problem solving need to develop way beyond the basic level of skill which will have been established by the age of 5. Non-literal understanding, allowing children to understand and then use humour, sarcasm and metaphors, also develops within this next phase of Education.

Understanding more about the speech, language and communication skills children still need to develop between the ages of 5 and 7, can allow us to think specifically about the opportunities we create for our children. These opportunities could be created within the learning environment, our planning and the games we play. For example, if we are making some play-based learning available to children within our learning environment, we can make more informed decisions about what we add to the environment and how we might evolve the opportunities over time. This is because we have a greater understanding of the correlation between the purpose of the opportunities we make available and the skills we are wanting to facilitate in our children.

Although understanding more about this crucial area of child development has applications for all children aged 5-7, it becomes even more important when a child presents with skill gaps. Many children leaving the EYFS will continue to present with some or all areas of speech, language and communication at an earlier stage of development than would be expected for their age. This is known as delayed development. The more we know, the easier it is to establish which area or areas of a particular child's development are delayed and which are not. Even more essentially, understanding more about the order of speech, language and communication development, allows us to establish what a child can do, moving away from just describing what they cannot. It is from the child's level of success that we must work from as we set next steps and facilitate progression.

Developmental Language Disorder can be easily missed within the EYFS and it is often between the ages of 5 and 7 that children with disordered patterns of language development begin to stand out a bit more. As the other children's higher-level skills develop, especially with social communication, inference, prediction and non-literal understanding, it becomes apparent that these skills are not as automatic for some children. It is essential that, if we work in this age bracket, we know more about this so that we can spot Developmental Language Disorder and not confuse a child's issues with behaviour, lack of listening or rudeness. As our expectations with reading comprehension, problem solving and creative writing rise quite quickly and significantly, it is essential that we understand the impact that disordered patterns of development may have. Understanding pragmatic development/social communication is essential if we want to know how to support a child who is not mixing with or struggling to socially engage with the other children. Pragmatic issues are often the core root issue, with many children struggling with Personal, Social and Emotional Learning.

Understanding more about speech, language and communication development links in very strongly with Ofsted's agenda with, as they term it, 'The lowest 20%.' It becomes very difficult to decide and talk about what this group of children need if we do not understand more about child development and what the barriers to learning and progression are for this group of individuals. Building a Skill Profile for children who are causing us concern and who need and deserve a little more thought is often the best place to start. From this point, we can then think about what each child needs and decide how we might achieve that.

At this point, our thoughts often turn to interventions alongside some Quality First Teaching Strategies. More often than not though, we will reach for isolated Intervention Programmes or follow a pattern of giving these children more of that same, but simply in smaller groups.

Although there is nothing intrinsically wrong with Intervention Programmes, it is essential that we understand what the gaps are that need closing. Otherwise, we are trying to fix a problem that we haven't understood ourselves. We also need to think about what we do outside of that Intervention Programme. How can we support closing the gap within our interactions, within the opportunities we create within our learning environment, etc?

Understanding more can also help us to understand that more of the same, is not always the best way to ensure progression. For example, visual discrimination issues will impact on a child's ability to retain graphemes, especially similar, confusable ones or to move on to di- and trigraphs. Issues with sequential auditory memory are often the root cause of children not being able to blend. Although a strong and consistent SSP is crucial, we will be much more effective if, alongside, we identify and tackle these barriers rather than ignoring them. Not only is this more likely to facilitate progression, but it is also a fairer and more empowering approach to take when children are finding things tricky, no matter how many times you repeat the same thing.

Issues with auditory memory and sequential auditory memory may also be the hidden reasons why a child can't hold a sentence, remember what to do when they get to the table, struggle with problem solving and reading comprehension. Issues with semantic development/vocabulary skills may also be the hidden reason why certain children struggle with inference, prediction, generating ideas of things to write about and why they still tend to take everything that is said or read literally. Understanding more about the links between these core skills and the things we are trying to teach and ensure progression with can make things a lot less frustrating when a child can't do something. Most importantly, it allows us to understand why this might be the case and what we need to do about it.

Knowing more about the specific nature of different children's skill gaps and the incremental skills that need to be facilitated to close the gaps, will allow us to think about the exact Quality First Teaching Strategies we need to put in place for different children. It also allows us to begin to embed interventions into our interactions, our planning, the learning environment and the speaking & listening games we choose to play. This means that 'interventions' become more frequent, are less labour intensive, more sustainable and are woven into what the child is learning and communicating about already. Often, we turn to isolated Intervention Programmes as they seem easier, particularly when we don't have the knowledge or confidence to embed our own.

Understanding more about speech, language and communication development can also really support us when we need to work with Outside Agencies. Deciding which children need referring elsewhere is greatly supported the more we know. The extent of the mismatch between a child's stage of development and their age, along with disordered patterns of development would be the main factors that would indicate that a referral might be needed. Understanding more about this area of development also allows us to avoid over referring as we begin to feel more confident about these decisions and being able to set next steps for children ourselves.

Multidisciplinary working also becomes more two-way, the more we understand about speech, language and communication development. It allows our referrals and reports to contain more specific detail and offers clarity to our thoughts about what a child can do well and what they find more difficult. A greater level of knowledge also allows us to interpret reports from Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists, etc. Most fundamentally, it allows us to understand what their assessment findings mean to a child's learning and what we need to put in place for that child.

To find out more about Launchpad for Literacy, visit the website.

All our primary articles have been moved to Tapestry.info. You can read them and lots of other articles there.

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Speech, Language and Communication Development in Key Stage 1

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The need to understand more about speech, language and communication development and making this a core focus of CPD is frequently discussed within the Early Years. As we move to work in Key Stage 1, the focus on this essential area of development often lessens. Shifting our focus away from speec...

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Early Excellence: Navigating the sea of talk

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Early Excellence: Navigating the sea of talk

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'Reading and writing float on a sea of talk' [James Britton 1983]. This blog from Early Excellence focuses on the important contribution of relationships, environment, interactions, shared thinking in developing talk. “In order to capitalize on the power of language to influence both thought and action, experiences must encourage talk as a key process through which young children learn" [Julie Fisher]. There are some useful key questions to encourage reflective thinking.

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Being a reflective teacher, we're often told, is the key to developing effective practice. Realistically though, within the busy school day with many demands on teachers' time, having the opportunity to stand back and consider our practice is a real rarity. The lockdown period was an anxious time, but it gave many teachers an opportunity to stand back from, and reflect on, their practice. The rise in demand for online CPD, blogs and other materials has shown that, although school buildings may not yet be fully open, many teachers are more than ready to tackle the key issues around practice.
So let's consider one big issue around EYFS practice-talk. Talk has, for a long time been seen to be beneficial in the development of literacy skills. As James Britton stated in 1983,

"Reading and writing float on a sea of talk"

The benefits of talk go way beyond literacy though. Key research projects such as The Snowling Review in 2011 have highlighted the acquisition of language as a crucial element in learning and as a key predictor of later educational achievement. These reports have also pointed to the importance of the adult role in modelling the use of carefully chosen words and phrases in supporting language development.
A Report for the Education Endowment Foundation on Early Language Development in
October 2017 found that
"... there is evidence that the rate at which children develop language is sensitive to the amount of input they receive from the adults around them. The quality of input that children receive is likely to be more important than the quantity. "
"Putting words together may be a better predictor of later abilities than the number of words that a child uses."
Of course there are many other gains too. Effective communication is also built on close, strong relationships. These relationships nurture a sense of value and security in young children and help to build the high levels of wellbeing that are also vital to the learning process.
Yet classroom practice does not always reflect how much talk is valued. Showing that we do, or don't value talk hinges on how we use our time within the classroom. Both taking turns in conversation and engaging in sustained shared thinking, require adults who are prepared and able to invest quality time each day in building positive relationships. For this to happen, adult time needs to be used wisely and we need to be very aware that teaching does not just happen on the carpet or at the group table.

What might this look like?

Building strong relationships from an early point in the school year is vital. Spending time alongside children within areas of provision to model how materials can be used, introduce key vocabulary and help children make connections with prior experiences, will provide a rich context for learning. In order to support children effectively, staff will need to use language and vocabulary consistently and appropriately. A crucial element of continuous provision planning is to identify the names and key vocabulary linked to resources in each area of provision. So, let's consider this, do staff in your school or setting use the names of resources consistently and appropriately? Do all staff know the key vocabulary linked to each resource within the room?

A Language Rich Environment

Of course, focussing on the importance of language isn't new. In 2012, the EYFS Guidance highlighted the importance of a "language rich environment" so that children could "develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves, and to speak and listen in a variety of situations." Yet what is meant by a language rich environment can cause issues. There is a key difference between a print rich environment and one rich in language. Settings which focus purely on displaying vast numbers of key words on a range of surfaces have potentially missed the point. Acquiring new words and their correct context is linked to meaningful experience and talk. Key words displayed on laminated labels above the water area are no substitute for effective adult interaction linked to the rich sensory experiences and investigations in the water. Which raises a question: why are children taken out of provision areas for speech and language interventions?

Effective Interactions

Interacting effectively with children requires real skill, sensitivity and awareness. Children will be very quick to move away from adults if they feel that their own purpose has been interrupted or sidelined by the adults working alongside them. Adults need to be aware of the importance of giving children their full attention, getting down to the children's height and displaying open, trusting body language. Shared moments that happen in this context provide a rich opportunity for teaching and learning, and they also provide the adults with rich knowledge of the children and how they go about learning. Getting the right balance of written and recorded observations alongside effective interactions here is crucial. Adults whose main concern is the gathering of written observations and photographs will often miss vital opportunities to engage in valuable talk with children about their learning and understanding. The irony here is that vast amounts of recorded information can often indicate a surface level understanding of children's development.

Of course, early years classrooms and outdoor areas are busy places and we can't be everywhere at once. If we are going to prioritise talk and create a truly language rich environment, then we need to allow time for talk in a variety of contexts. The Highscope structure of plan, do and review, gives children the daily opportunity to talk through their ideas and actions and provides staff with meaningful opportunities to engage in conversations with the children. Of course, this requires an investment of time; time to talk, make plans, consider ideas and also time to share how things went and what we might do differently. Crucially, it is often through these periods of sustained shared thinking that children will ask questions that the adults don't know the answers to. In terms of learning, these moments are like gold dust, a great levelling moment where adults and children are at the same point, wondering, thinking, questioning and exploring. This is talk and language at the heart of the learning process. As Julie Fisher puts it:

"In order to capitalize on the power of language to influence both thought and action, classroom experiences must encourage talk as a key process through which young children learn."

So, some key questions to consider:
* Does your timetable reflect the importance of talk as a valuable part of the learning process?
* Are your staff team skilled in interacting with children in a variety of contexts?
* Does your Senior Leadership Team recognise the importance of talk as a key part of the teaching and learning process?
* Does your continuous provision planning identify opportunities within areas of provision for adults to model vocabulary consistently?
* In your school or setting, is the recording process a barrier to effective interaction with children?

The ability to interact sensitively and appropriately, supporting and extending learning is a complex process built on a deep understanding of how young children learn and our knowledge of each unique child.
Find Out More
Our National Centre is open to visitors every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am - 5pm. You can also visit us virtually, where you will find a highly informative interactive environment to look around with ideas for your classroom, lots of display ideas and an exhibition of children's work to inspire you.
We hope to see you soon!

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There is a key difference between a print rich environment and one rich in language. Settings which focus purely on displaying vast numbers of key words on a range of surfaces have potentially missed the point. Acquiring new words and their correct context is linked to meaningful experience and talk

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Just One Norfolk: Advice for supporting Early Language  

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Just One Norfolk: Advice for supporting Early Language  

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Advice and videos for supporting early language development through everyday practices. Downloadable guidance for first words, saying two words together, Blank's level of questioning and learning concepts.

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Repeat and expand on what your child says to you. If they say 'juice' you can say 'more juice', 'juice please' or 'juice gone'. This shows your child how words can be put together to make short sentences.

Comment on and describing what they are doing during play in short sentences. For example, if your child is playing with a small world farm - you can say 'horse eating' 'pig rolling' 'pig all dirty'.

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Repeat and expand on what your child says to you. If they say 'juice' you can say 'more juice', 'juice please' or 'juice gone'. This shows your child how words can be put together to make short sentences. Comment on and describing what they are doing during play in short sentences.

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This toolkit provides settings an opportunity to audit their SLC practice & provision and identify resources to support setting development. It includes a planning template to commit to planned developments. Whilst it is created with EYFS settings in mind, it can be used for older year groups and settings.

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Communication Friendly Environment audit tool

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Communication Friendly Environment audit tool

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This accessible tool has two sections, to help you reflect on the development of children's speech, language and communication. The first section has a focus on the environment whilst the second section focuses on the practitioner interactions.

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Sign up to the National Literacy Trust for free to access ideas and plans for; Looking and talking, sharing books, using outdoor sensory experiences to prompt communication and language development.

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Resources

These easy-to-deliver early years sessions are aimed at children aged two to five but can be adapted for other ages.

They focus on the benefits of running sessions outside, including:

Spending time in nature leading to improvements in mental health and emotional regulation

Play in natural environments leading to improvements in motor fitness for pre-school children

Communication and language development prompted by the children's sensory experiences

Session plans can be downloaded from the available files section of this page, and we've added an explore the outdoors book list to support these activities and inspire more fun outdoor learning.

More outdoor resources

These resources are based on our Early Words Together at Two Outdoors programme which is centered on forest school principles, and has been created in consultation with an experienced level 3 forest school leader. To find out more about Early Words Together visit the Early Words Together programme resources page or contact EWT@literacytrust.org.uk with any questions you have about the programme or resources.

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Outdoor Activities to Support Communication and Wellbeing | National Literacy Trust

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These easy-to-deliver early years sessions are aimed at children aged two to five but can be adapted for other ages.

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Boosting communication and language skills - Little Owls case study

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Boosting communication and language skills - Little Owls case study

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Nursery Manager Deborah Parfitt explains how the physical environment impacts communication skills: "If we raise the language skills of our Early Years Pupil Premium children, then other things tick better for them. When we set up the areas within the room, we looked at them from a language point of view. We created quiet spaces and places where children can talk."

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Our company is relied on by thousands of schools and nurseries across the UK. See how some of these settings have used Community Playthings to create quality learning environments for their children.

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Case studies | Room design | Community Playthings

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Our company is relied on by thousands of schools and nurseries across the UK. See how some of these settings have used Community Playthings to create quality learning environments for their children.

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'Interacting or interfering' by Julie Fisher

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'Interacting or interfering' by Julie Fisher

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If you are working with children from six months to six years this book from Julie Fisher encourages you to reflect deeply on the quality and impact of interactions in your setting.

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Good practice in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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The value of singing lots of songs and giving children a large song repertoire by Marjorie Ouvry

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"The wheels on the bus," "Wind the bobbin up," "Baa Baa black sheep," "Polly put the kettle on," "Hickory dickory dock"...All good songs, but not enough. How many children's songs do you know? Actually we all know many more songs than we think we do, but we just don't sing them as often as we could! We fall back on the ones we know and the ones that the children know. Why is it important to increase our own and our children's repertoire of songs? Why is it important that we sing new songs?

The value of singing lots of songs and giving children a large song repertoire

Most adults know that singing makes us happier by causing endorphins to flow. It helps us breathe efficiently and it enhances our brain function and general well-being. With all the many benefits of singing and music making, it seems sensible to give priority to it in the curriculum. In some countries such as Hungary, singing with young children is seen as so important to their development that you can't be an early years practitioner without being able to sing in tune, know at least a hundred songs and play an instrument! Yet the emphasis on music in the training of early years practitioners in the UK is negligible.

Singing and music are part of children's development. We miss opportunities for learning if we rely on singing only a limited number of the good old favourites. For example, when the children are on the seesaw, what song can we sing? When the children find and show an interest in worms, caterpillars and snails, what songs can we sing? Mini-beasts are always going to be joyfully found in digging patches and grasses and when we react to children's ecstatic response, we deepen and extend their knowledge by teaching a song about these creatures there and then or later at together time. Have we an appropriate repertoire up our sleeves? Singing organises words and sounds for the children and allows them to deal with grammatical structures beyond their everyday ability and use a vocabulary that exceeds their own comprehension.

Think about how we can develop more of a culture of singing in our settings and sing songs about what the children are doing and are interested in. Think about the songs you know to sing in the home corner, for example:

Rocking and lullaby songs to sing when children are cradling the dolls

Cooking songs when children are baking

Making cups of tea songs when children have tea parties

Think about the songs to sing outside, for example:

When children are climbing and digging, gardening or running

When you organise ring games

When children are washing clothes or their bikes at the "car wash"

How can we learn new songs?

Learn them from each other. "But", I hear you say, "Where do I find new songs to learn and how do I learn them as I can't sing and can't read music?" If we are convinced that singing and learning new songs is important, we have to do our homework.

Make a setting song book. Now is the time to make your own book of songs. If each person in the setting contributes one song and teaches it to other practitioners, you have a very good start. Laminate lists of songs and put them at adult height in all the areas inside and out, just as an aide memoire.

Learn them from songbooks. Just about every songbook published now comes with a CD, for example, songs in " Sounds like playing ". There are songs to sing about building with blocks and crates, about people who help us, about painting, digging and so on. There is a fine selection of ring games and action songs in "Singing and Rhymes for early years" and "Singing and Rhymes for tiny tots" by Geoghegan L. (2002). A&C Black publishes great music books with CDs, for example:

Okki-Tokki-Unga: Action Songs For Children

Sing Hey Diddle diddle - 66 nursery songs

Apusskidu - A great collection of music hall songs, pop songs, noisy songs and happy songs.

Play Songs and Rhymes for Babies and Toddlers

Bobby Shaftoe clap your hands

And there are recordings of all the songs with backing tracks available on CDs as well.

Learn them from internet sites. For example: bbc.co.uk/schoolradio nursery songs and rhymes (one site has 84 songs with videos!)

Rub a dub dub, dirty socks in a tub,
Red and yellow and blue and green,
With a hole in the toes and a hole in the heel,
Wash them all till they're fresh and clean.

Rub a dub dub, clean socks in a tub,
Hang them out in a row to dry,
With a hole in the toe and a hole in the heel,
Watch them bounce on a line up high.

If the children are interested in anything from superman to dinosaurs, you'll find a song about it on one of these websites!

Learning in all the areas of development

In terms of consolidating the areas of the curriculum, what can be better than learning a song about it. For example:

Number songs for counting and symbolic representation, e.g. There were 10 green bottles.

Nursery Rhymes teach syntax and phonological awareness long before any formal teaching should be taught.

Songs when you want to find out if all the children are present e.g. "Is Gemma here?" "Yes I'm here."

To signal a change in the routine; e.g. tidy up time songs. "Now it's time to tidy up, tidy up, tidy up, so everyone is helping" to the tune of "This is the way we..."

Songs covering information, e.g. "Old McDonald had a farm."

Songs for historical memory - music is a memory bank for finding one's way about the world. In my native Scotland we have a lot of songs that tell of the triumphs and disasters of our history. In Estonia there was a singing revolution marking the end of Soviet domination!

Folk songs inform children about the stages of life, e.g. "Old Roger is dead and he lies in his grave."

Ring games structure movement and working together; e.g. "There was a princess long ago."

Songs for fun and silliness, e.g. "Bananas in pyjamas."

Songs for supporting acceptable behaviour and living in a community, e.g. "This is the way we sweep the leaves", or when the crayons spill the teacher can sing, "I'll pick up the blue ones, the blue ones, the blue ones, I'll pick up the blue ones, if you pick up the red."

Songs for helping children to keep order, e.g. "I wonder where the lego goes, when it's time to tidy up?"

Making up songs

If you think of the old fashioned fire engine or ambulance sound "Nee Naw, Nee Naw" or the old playground chant, "na nana na na", then you have the tune that you can use to make up songs. "What-are-you-mak-ing?" "I-have-a-ham-mer". With just two or three notes you can begin to make up your own songs and rhythms. Children will begin to make up their own songs when they are given the permission to do so.

Songs with parents

Before leaving the subject of how important singing is in the education and development of young children, the case for involving parents and carers must be made. We now are aware that babies do not come into the world as clean slates but rather that they are "up and running" from very soon after conception and that there are powerful prenatal neural connections that form the basis for musical experiences. Babies begin "hearing" as early as 22 days after conception and their hearing is as sensitive after five months in the womb as that of an adult! So babies already have in their brains lots of sound and musical memories and associations from the world of their mothers. Professor Colwyn Trevarthen in Edinburgh as well as Papousek and others have studied the musical interactions between mother and infant showing that the babbling and mother-ese is patterned, musical in structure and amazingly universal. Parents do sing and dance with their children, but lack the confidence to call themselves musical. By developing strategies which involve parents in the musical life of the nursery, practitioners can rekindle the enthusiasm and confidence to enable them to foster and share songs and musical dialogues to the benefit of all.

There are a few strategies we can employ to involve parents.

Invite the parents to arrive to collect their child a little earlier and have a sing-song with the children and parents.

Write out a song of the week and give the parents a copy of the words to take home and sing with their child.

Singing all the time!

The approach of Friedrich Froebel, the 19th century German philosopher and educationist, has always influenced my thinking and teaching since I trained as a Froebelian teacher. He believed that we should start respectfully by observing children in their play to see what they know and can do already and then support them in making connections to new knowledge and experiences. Nothing can be more familiar to young children than music and movement and so it makes sense to use children's singing and sound-making and make connections through action songs, ring games and movement and dance. Froebel believed that singing the songs and singing games he devised provided fundamental learning experiences, reinforcing the moral, social and emotional life of the child as well as the linguistic and intellectual rigour and symbolic representation. " This little thumb "(in Froebel's Song collection) is very similar to the song , "Tommy thumb", a song that we sing. "Here is the beehive, where are the bees?" In this finger rhyme the hands represent the hive and the fingers hidden within, the bees. There are many songs that we sing today that use the fingers on the hands as symbols.

Singing is a natural and intuitive activity, which children engage in with great joy. It is particularly important that we capitalise on their enjoyment and use singing much more in our practice.

References

bbc.co.uk/nursery songs and rhymes: Songs from the internet

Ouvry, M. (2004) Sounds like playing: Music and the early years curriculum. London, British Association of Early Childhood Education, (tel 020 7539 5400)

Geoghegan L. (2002) Singing and Rhymes for early years and Singing and Rhymes for tiny tots

National Youth Choir of Scotland, Glasgow London Early Years Music Network (2013) What's that noise https://youtu.be/vCdh1XDsydA Trevathen, C. (Editor) Malloch, S. (editor) (2009) Communicative Musicality: exploring the basis of Human companionship. OUP. Oxford

© Marjorie Ouvry 2017. First published in Early Days Volume 5, issue 2. Used with permission of the author and editor.

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Singing new songs | Singing with children | Community Playthings

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Actually we all know very many more songs than we think we do, but we just don't sing them as often as we could! But why is it important that we increase our own and our children's repertoire of songs?

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Famly article: The power of open ended questions in the early years

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Famly article: The power of open ended questions in the early years

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Why use open-ended questions in your setting? How should you do it? What makes them so powerful?

For answers to those excellent examples of open-ended questions, read on!

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Let's start off with some key features. Open-ended questions:

Can't be answered with yes or no.

Don't have a right or wrong answer.

Encourage discussion, not short answers.

Don't assume too much about the activity or situation you're questioning.

Give control to the child.

They tend to start with a 'What', 'How', 'Where' or a 'Why' (and rarely a 'Which' or 'Who'). Great open-ended questions can start with a 'Tell me about...' or an 'I wonder if...' as well.

Think of them as good conversation starters. Most importantly, they should be about tuning into the child and listening deeply before responding, creating a powerful learning moment.

Close-ended questions, on the other hand, can easily impart our own expectations onto a child, blocking their creativity and their self-confidence.

What if Jack wasn't really drawing a rocket at all but a pizza restaurant, a park, or a dinosaur museum on Mars? Then our question about the rocket ship has taught him that maybe his ideas are wrong. And that there's only one way to draw a rocket.

Not good.

We loved this example from the US education department so much, we just had to include it:

See how the adult kept the questions open, and allowed the child to take charge? Coupled with some great language extension, what you have is a fleshed-out, engaging conversation between practitioner and child.
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Why are open-ended questions so powerful in the early years?

The influential 2004 study on the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education makes some strong claims for open-ended questions:

"In addition to sustained shared thinking, staff engaged in open-ended questioning in the settings where children made the most progress and provided formative feedback to children during activities."

- The Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) Project: Findings from pre-school to end of key stage 1
So why are they so beneficial? For one, they help children to learn problem-solving. Instead of giving them the 'right' way to do something, open-ended questions encourage independent thinking and guide children towards finding their own truth.

They give children the opportunity to try, fail, hypothesise, experiment and succeed on their own.

They also:

Stimulate more language use.

Show there's many solutions to one problem.

Affirm children's self-confidence.

Allow children to take charge.

Help to encourage creative thinking.

The first part of that quote from earlier is important too. Sustained Shared Thinking is when two or more people are involved in an extended conversation, where both of you are absorbed in the joint problem-solving.

It's been proven to be a crucial part of early development, and open-ended questions encourage it left, right, and centre. For more on Sustained Shared Thinking, we recommend this great introduction from Kathy Brodie.
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The 6 stages of open-ended questions

Open-ended questions aren't the be all and end all. Great conversations with children are crucial no matter how you question, and the most important thing is that you listen and respond to children. Open-ended questions are just one of your tools to do that.

These next six categories are rough guidelines for development through open-ended questions. Theoretically, they reflect the learning curve of a child in the early years, but they're guidelines, not rules.

We know it's easy to feel overawed by all this information. And it's not easy to stay in the moment when you're trying to recall it all!

Try not to worry too much about these 'stages'. Remember the basic principles of open-ended questions, arm yourself with a few starters like "I wonder if..." and "Can you tell me about.." and you're unlikely to go too far wrong. Tune into the child, and you won't be asking them questions they're not ready for.

With that said, here's our breakdown of the different stages, for those of you that want a deeper understanding.

The Immediate Thinker is ready to answer questions with stuff from their direct experience.

Your questions should relate to more concrete things that they can see, feel, hear or remember. They are often 'What' questions. Things like:

What can you hear outside?

What do you think it is?

Can you tell me about what you've made?

What does it feel like?

Can you find something green out here?

These questions are great because it helps them to explore their sense of self, notice detail, and encourage curiosity in the world around them.
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2. The Expresser & Comprehender

OK. So we're at point number two and we're already cheating a little because these questions actually have forms at every stage.

It's just that from here on in we get more specifically into problem-solving, while the questions we want to talk about here are still very much about their concrete environment. And that's important too!

Moving on from The Immediate Thinker, here we're asking them about what they think about their experience too. Open-ended questions like:

How do you feel about that?

What happened when you jumped off the rock?

How do you know that?

Why do you think that happened?

3. The Clarifier & Grouper

At this stage, we're dealing with how ideas relate to one another. We're looking for solutions to different situations. According to 'What to expect, when?' from the DfE, these kinds of questions are understood at around 30-50 months.

We're talking about open-ended questions like:

How are these the same?

How are they different?

Why is this here?

What else could work for that?

Can you see anything that could help us to do that?

What else do we need to make this sandwich?

4. The Experimenter

This is when children start to think about cause and effect in the here and now. They might not be ready for abstract thinking yet, but they can explore their options and think about what might happen when they make an action.

Mostly, this stage is all about 'What do you think is going to happen?', but it can be emotional too. When reading a story you could ask 'How do you think the bear feels?' or in a real-life situation you can try to encourage empathy by asking 'How do you think that made Charlotte feel?'. It helps children to begin stepping into another person's shoes.
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5. The Problem-Solver

Now we're really moving. This stage is all about encouraging children to think about the effect of something, and how they can create that effect.

As ever, it's important for children to lead the play. But rather than questions like 'What will happen if we leave the water outside overnight?' it's more 'How do you think we can make this water become ice?'. Also things like:

How could we make this structure stronger?

What else do you want to add to your creation?

What might make Michael feel better?

What helps you to feel better when you're upset?

6. The Predictor & Explainer

Probably the most advanced stage of open-ended questioning, this is all about understanding what might happen under different circumstances. It's also about understanding why things might have happened.

This can take a lot of cognitive load because they need to both consider situations outside their direct experience, and predict the future in that alternative world. This might seem a simple thing for us to do, but it's not easy for a 5-year-old. We're talking about questions like:

If that were to happen, how might he feel?

Why did the ball fall down the pipe that way?

I wonder what would happen if we turned it around? What do you think?

Four ideas to simplify questions

As many as 35% of 5-year-olds are not necessarily ready for stages four and up, so be aware of pushing children beyond what they're comfortable with.

Of course, reading the child and making sure you're not causing them distress is the key to getting this right. But if you're struggling, these four ways to simplify questions might help. Do the opposite, and you have four easy ways to make your open-ended questions more challenging.

1. Make the question concrete

2. Relate them to personal experiences.

3. Choose recent events or objects.

4. Prioritise familiar vocabulary.
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More tips for practitioners

Tune in - Respect the child and how they're feeling, including their body language, speech and actions. Don't get so wrapped up in your own thoughts that you forget to connect with the child.

Give your full attention - When children are engaged, try to keep eye contact and affirm with smiles and nods.

Don't push it - If they're too focused to answer or engage with you, leave them be. Remember, it's about interacting, not interfering or interrupting.

Extend language - Repeat concepts or actions that children are doing with more complex vocabulary to promote richer language.

Don't assume - Keep an open-mind so that you assume as little as possible. This will stop you from closing off your questions.

Don't ask a question that you already know the answer to - You'll be surprised how easily young children know when you're doing this.

Offer your own experience - Any conversation should be a two-way street. It might be more engaging for a child to hear a little about what you think on the subject too. Just remember to keep it to your opinions and preferences.

To finish up, we've got some extra, short tips for practitioners who want to improve the way the ask open-ended questions. For this, we're indebted to Professor Iram Siraj-Blatchford's 2005 presentation "Quality Interactions in the Early Years' where you can find even more ideas to support quality Sustained Shared Thinking.

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How to use open-ended questions in the Early Years | Famly

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Let's start off with some key features. Open-ended questions: Can't be answered with yes or no. Don't have a right or wrong answer. Encourage discussion, not short answers. Don't assume too much about the activity or situation you're questioning. Give control to the child.

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Simple And Powerful Language Activities For Preschoolers (discoverybuildingsets.com)

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Simple language activities for preschoolers can be powerful. By encouraging language development through play, you create an environment for language activities to occur naturally. Let's play and build some valuable communication and language skills.

Language learning comes naturally, and children are born with all they require to develop their language skills. Therefore, as long as we expose children to language in early childhood, they will learn to speak. Furthermore, we also know that they quickly soak up words for communication and language development early. I am sure you recall a time your toddler or preschooler repeated something you said, and you wished they hadn't?

Even though language development in children begins at birth and occurs naturally, it does not mean that we, as parents, can not enrich their language learning and development environments.

Our role is to interact, listen, read, sing, talk, and play with them to build communication and language skills. By making eye contact, speaking directly and clearly, introducing and repeating new words, and using complete sentences, we model and encourage strong communication skills.

What a privilege and pleasure to play a role in your child's language learning!

The Importance Of Language Development

The importance of language development in early childhood is vital to a child's social-emotional development as well as brain and cognitive development. Language and communication skills are an essential developmental task and support overall growth in your child's early years.

Our language skills determine how we communicate, relate to others, and experience life. Envision a world where you could not learn, express yourself, build relationships, or communicate your needs and wants. Admittedly, that is not what we want for our children.

Furthermore, as your child begins to watch, listen, and explore the world around them, they learn how to express their ideas and emotions.

Play And Language Development

Ah! Play, is it really that important to language development in preschoolers and toddlers? The answer is YES! If you have been around Discovery Building Sets much, you will see that all children need more time to play (adults too!)

So, how do you encourage language development in toddlers and preschoolers? Language development through play, includes reading, singing, talking, playing games, block play, and more.

How To Include Language Learning Into Daily Play:

Create a space for language activities to occur naturally-a welcoming environment where children can explore, play together, and play on their own.

Provide open-ended materials, like arts and crafts, playdough, pretend play, and block play area props. The larger the variety of materials offered increases the exploration opportunities. Just look around the house, and you will be amazed at what kids can use to play. Through play, your child can ask questions, increase vocabulary, and you can model language, boosting their language skills.

Build on what interests your child. As an illustration, if your child is curious about penguins, read books about penguins. Talk and sing songs about them. Enjoy other activities like a field trip to the aquarium or zoo to see the penguins. Use these opportunities to develop language skills and increase their vocabulary all through play and exploration.

This is not a time for worksheets and memorization, but instead, let them wonder and ask questions. Then together, find the answers.
What To Remember When Incorporating Language Activities For Preschoolers Into Play:

Actively listen to your child.

Talk, talk, and talk some more about what you are doing throughout the day. For example, "Let's go have some breakfast. After breakfast, we can get dressed and go to the park."

Gently correct mistakes by repeating the sentence back with the proper word usage and pronunciation.

Encourage and praise proper language and communication skills.

Repeat new words to develop vocabulary.

Ask open-ended questions that require more than one-word answers. Such as asking, "What are you doing?" will provide a more extended response than "Are you playing with your blocks?"

Use follow up questions for more details. For example, if your child said "blocks" to the above question, you could ask, "What are you building with your blocks?"

Model more elaborate sentences and phrases. For instance, if your child answered "house," you could respond with, "Oh, you are building a house with your blocks." You could further the conversation by asking more questions like, "Why are you building a house?" or "Who will live in the house?"

Keep screen time to a minimum. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends, "For children 2-5 years, limit screen use to one hour a day of high-quality programming and co-view with children."

Language development activities for preschoolers should be natural, not forced. Remember, you are just having conversations!

Language Activities For Preschoolers

When deciding what language activities for preschoolers to provide, remember the focus is on encouraging your child's verbal development. Create opportunities to engage in group games that foster conversation. Build language skills for preschoolers with listening activities. Try recording your child talking with you and play it back. They love to hear themselves!

Each of these preschool language development activities is simple, playful, and fun! While also building your child's language and confidence.

Storytelling

Who doesn't love a good story? Well, storytelling is also one of the best language development activities for preschoolers. There are several methods to create storytelling activities, but they all follow the same principle. Get your child talking by encouraging them to tell or retell stories.

Create A Story Basket Or Bag

Again, there are multiple ways to build a storytelling basket, bag, box, or bin. Ideally, you want to collect things from around the house based on a theme that will inspire a story. It can be any combination of loose parts and characters, either based on a book you are reading or not.

For example, you may have spent the day at the beach previously, and you want your child to tell a story about that day. You could include a small bottle of sand, shells, small pieces of fabric, little paper umbrellas, tiny pretend food, and small figurines.

Now open the top of the container and encourage your child to tell a story with the objects. You could create a little rhyme to use each time, like, "What story will we tell today?" "Open the top and see who has come to play!"

You may also want to have available paper, crayons, markers, or colored pencils to expand the story potential with a background or landscape.

Use Photos Or Wordless Picture Books

In this method, you use wordless picture books or photos to prompt storytelling. Try some of these variations based on your child's language skills.

If your child is not yet using their expressive language skills, you can have them point out items in the book or pictures as you tell the story. Connecting the story they hear with the photographs is helpful if your child is not yet talking.

If your child has some expressive language ability, they can start by describing what they see in the photos or books. For example, "What is the character doing?"

Finally, if your child has well developed expressive language skills, you could ask them to describe not only "What the character is doing," but also "What they are thinking?"

Tell Your Child Stories

Create stories based on your child's interests with characters, adventure, and a happily ever after ending. Make it playful, maybe something from your childhood, or entirely make-believe.

We had a camping tradition when our kids were small. When it was time to quiet down for the night, dad would tell them a story. They got to choose the subject of the story, and he would make it up on the fly. Sometimes they would chime in and build on the plot, but mostly, they just loved to listen. Why not create a storytelling tradition of your own?

Block Play

is one of those activities that is easy to add to your daily routine and fosters communication and early language development. Have you ever noticed how the block play area is a magical place for toddlers and preschoolers?

When playing with wooden building blocks , your child learns new words that describe the block's colors, shapes, and sizes. Or perhaps they might name the parts of their fort or tower, like the "window," "door," or "gate."

Furthermore, block play inspires imaginative play, and this is where communication and language skills really develop. Pretend, or fantasy play invites dramatic adventures and storytelling. Preschoolers love to narrate what they are doing. As their story develops, so does their language and communication skills.

Also, building with blocks provides opportunities for social interaction. This time is when children learn to interact with others, communicate, figure out how things work, collaborate, and work through their problems. During block activities , you can engage with your child by asking interesting questions about what they are building.

Building sets and blocks for toddlers are available in various materials, shapes, sizes, and colors. So, select one that is age-appropriate and sparks your child's interests.

Music Activities

What child doesn't love a good rhyming or silly song? They love to sing, dance, and move to the music. So, what better way than to develop language skills with music. By memorizing and repeating the words, they build vocabulary and thereby develop their language skills.

A win-win way to engage them is while driving in a car. Put on a favorite CD and together sing some silly songs and rhymes. This might even make them forget the age-old question, "Are we there yet?"

Sing Songs Or Rhymes Like One Of These:

Engage In One Of These Favorite Musical Circle Games

As a bonus, use instruments purchased or homemade (pots and pans with wooden spoons) to play along.

Arts & Crafts, Painting, And Playdough

These open-ended materials are wonderful for vocabulary building and conversation-starting preschool language development activities. They can describe what they are making. Or express their feelings about the picture they painted.

Language Development Games

Games, like board games, card games, or outdoor games, encourage social interaction and build vocabulary related to the game. You will want to be sure the game is age-appropriate, and your child has the vocabulary necessary to enjoy playing the game.

Describe Me Bags

This activity focuses on getting your child to describe things.

You need some type of bag (cloth works well) to place the objects so they can not be seen.

Next, collect everyday items from around the house, such as a crayon, a small magnetic wooden block , a spoon, and more. Place all the pieces into the bag.

Lastly, your child is going to put their hand into the bag, feel one of the items without looking, and then describe it to you until you can guess what it is.

Sensory Play

Sensory activities are about getting your child to use all of their senses-while building receptive and expressive language skills. Look for items with a variety of textures and sizes like magnetic blocks , pasta, corks, pebbles, buttons, and so on. You can also use things like finger-paints, shaving cream or dried beans, rice, or oats.

Focus On These Activities For Language Development In Preschoolers

Ask Questions - Such as, "What color is the square block?"

Follow Directions - For instance, "Bang two blocks together."

Inference - For example, "If we mix red and yellow playdough, what will we get?"

Expand Vocabulary (plurals, verbs, prepositions, and adjectives) - For instance, "Roll the yellow playdough into a ball and put it on top of the blue."

A sand play area is terrific for sensory activities or constructive play that includes digging, building, and playing.
Use Their Senses To Introduce New Vocabulary Words

Receptive Language Activities

Receptive language skills are the ability to comprehend words, sentences, what is read, and what others say. Typically developed first, these skills are essential for successful communication. Without the ability to hear and understand language, it is difficult for a child to learn, express themselves, or to build relationships.

Explore the receptive language activities for preschoolers to develop your child's receptive language skills.

Play Every Day

Language learning should be fun! It is something that can easily be included in your everyday play and activities. During play, it is simple to use and model position words such as "over," "under," "top," or "bottom." Or action words like "hopping," "running," "swinging," or "jumping."

Let your child lead, be creative, and encourage their imagination and creativity while playing.

"When we make PLAY the foundation of learning, we teach the WHOLE child." - Vince Gowmon

Read, Read, And Read Some More!

Do you see a common theme here? It is never too early to begin reading to your child. Reading is crucial to their language development, including both receptive communication skills and expressive communication skills.

In this case, we are focusing on receptive language activities. While reading, expand their vocabulary by pointing to and labeling pictures in the book. Encourage them to find and identify things. Recap what is happening in the story. Ask questions about the main parts of the adventure to boost comprehension.

Furthermore, you can encourage a love of books by reading daily. Start simple with picture books and graduate to longer ones as the child's language skills develop. Visit the library or bookstore for storytimes to foster a lifelong love of reading.

Puzzles

Puzzles are another fantastic way to focus on receptive language skills. The aim is to engage in conversation while putting together the puzzle. For example, have your preschooler or toddler find a specific piece. You can ask, "Find the duck." and "What sound does the duck make?" If the puzzle is about animals on the farm, you can talk about "What else do you find on the farm?" Keep the conversation going as long as your child is engaged and enjoying themselves!

Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts of any kind are brilliant for building language skills as well as gross motor development . Just think about all the running around and finding things the kids do. What a blast!

However, to focus on the language development aspects, let's create a list and hunt for the items. It is easy to incorporate this into another activity like cooking, painting, or gardening. Let's say you want to bake cookies. You create the list (include pictures) for your preschooler to "shop" for the items around the house.

Help them complete the list with questions or directions, such as "Where do we keep the butter?" or "You can find the flour in the pantry." Follow up by baking the cookies together, which further develops their expressive language skills.

Games That Stimulate Language Development
Do you remember any of these classics?
Activities and games that target active listening and following directions are perfect for receptive language development. These skills are vital to building effective communication.

Simon Says

Red Light, Green Light

Follow The Leader

For more games and activities to build communication skills, see this post on Social Activities For Toddlers And Preschoolers.

Expressive Language Activities

Expressive language skills are the ability to use gestures, words, sentences, and signs to express meaning to others. Therefore, the following expressive language activities for preschoolers support expressive language development.

When engaging your child's expressive language skills through block play or activities, it helps to remember the following tips:

Engage in conversation.

Ask open-ended questions.

Talk about what you are doing.

Have your child narrate their actions.

Use language to take turns, request items, and give instructions.

Read, Read And Still Read More!

We previously discussed receptive language activities for preschoolers; however, here, we will focus on expressive language activities.

Books are amazing! They provide so many ways to explore and develop language skills. As we said earlier, it is never too early to start reading to your child.

Read age-appropriate books and ask lots of open-end questions. Questions that require them to respond with more than one word. For instance, "How do you think she is feeling?" "What do you think the dog will do next?" or "Tell me what is going on in this picture?" All of these questions will require your child to process the question and then use their words to express the answer.

Picture books are excellent for introducing younger toddlers to expressive language skills. In this case, your questions can be more direct, like "What color is this?" and "What is this?" These will be one-word answers which are age-appropriate. You can help model language by expanding on your child's responses and reply, "Yes, that is a whale. He is a blue whale."

Select books that relate to your child's interests. For example, looking at a book about the ocean presents various vocabulary words associated with the sea. Encourage your child to identify and name items in the pictures.

Imaginative Play

Pretend play, fantasy play, or imaginative play are like language development on steroids. Children tend to focus and develop more complex, expressive language skills during this time. There is so much language flying around that it is like being in the front row seat of the theater. We wrote a post on the benefits of imaginative play that you can read.

Pretend play is magical and requires your child to use their creativity . Encourage your child to elaborate their storytelling by asking questions such as "Where should we go?" "Who would you like to come with us?" and "What shall we take with us?"

These open-ended questions help build the sequence of events and storyline, helping your child develop language skills and confidence. Most important, be a part of the fantasy play and language learning experience.

"When children pretend, they're using their imaginations to move beyond the bounds of reality." - Fred Rogers

Use These Ideas To Boost Your Child's Imaginative Play:

Dress up and have a tea party.

Set up a pretend kitchen and cook something delicious.

Build a make-believe hospital and take care of their dolls or stuffed animals.

Create a corner store and go "shopping."

Play "house," "go to a party," or "get married."

Assemble a racetrack for their cars.

Construct a repair shop for their toy cars.

Additional Ways To Expand Your Symbolic Play And Language Development:

Dress-Up Chest

Collect old shoes, hats, and accessories from garage sales, thrift stores, or party stores. Add former Halloween costumes when the event is finished. Dress up is such a fun way to increase their vocabulary and language skills.

It can't be repeated too often, engage in conversation, and ask those questions. Talk about "Who are we going to be?" "What are we going to wear?" and "Where will go once we are dressed up?" Be part of the fun and dress up!

Add A Telephone

This is something every toddler and preschooler should have in their play area. Even the quietest child will engage in conversation with a pretend phone.

Other Props

Adding props, like dolls, cars, trains, toy animals, play food, and other household items to both your pretend play and block play areas, adds additional vocabulary and language opportunities.

Puppet Play

Puppets are a playful way to interact and create dialog. Children love playing with puppets and creating a show for the family. They can recreate a favorite story or ultimately make up a new one. The possibilities are endless.

Furthermore, puppets are a way for children to feel comfortable expressing themselves. Your child can speak through the puppet or even have a conversation between two puppets.

Cooking

Remember the scavenger hunt previously where you "shopped" for the cookie baking items? Well, here is where you can continue that activity focusing on expressive language development through the sequence of events. In this activity, you both will describe the recipe ingredients and steps.

Begin by looking over and reviewing the ingredients they collected. Read through the recipe, talking about each of the steps. Next, have them describe what you are doing, or what they are doing, what you have done, and what they think comes next. Continue the dialog throughout the process by asking them, "What do I need to do next?"
Which language activities for preschoolers will you try next?
Whether you tell stories, sing, or build a repair shop with magnetic blocks , you want to get your kids engaged in conversation and using their language skills. Simple but powerful things like puzzles, games, or pretend play, all increase your child's language development.

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Simple And Powerful Language Activities For Preschoolers

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Simple language activities for preschoolers can be powerful. By encouraging language development through play, you create an environment for language activities to occur naturally. Let's play and build some valuable communication and language skills. Language learning comes naturally, and children are born with all they require to develop their language skills.

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Tips and guidance for EAL in the Early years from Norfolk County Council's advisory service.

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English as an additional language (EAL) for Early Years - Schools

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Definiton, FAQs, Language Line for early years and childcare settings, plus information on cultural differences, settling in, and some top tips

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Oral Health resources from Just One Norfolk 

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Oral Health resources from Just One Norfolk 

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Oral health resources for professionals.

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In School Health education is a statutory requirement in schools and this should include oral health. Around a third of children do not attend a dentist and so it is difficult for key messages on oral health to be shared.

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Play ideas to support baby development, using inexpensive or everyday items. This page also contains links to short, simple videos to support parents/practitioners.

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Playing helps your baby:

To do more tricky learning tasks and supports their brain and language development, social, physical and problem-solving skills

To learn through using their 5 senses - Tasting, Touching, Smelling, Seeing, and Hearing

To develop their brain and build nerve connections

To calm down when feeling angry or worried

Soft cuddly animals and plastic toys made especially for babies are useful because they are safe, fun and washable.

Expensive toys that are made for "early learning or "brain development" can be a let-down if your baby is quickly bored with them. Babies' brains develop best when they spend time with their parents and carers, and play with simple, everyday things.

Play with everyday objects

Jennie Linden wrote a series of leaflets for Early Education ten years ago, and her words remain true for many babies: "We live in a high-tech society now, but babies remain saucepan and cardboard box people."

Why do babies want to play with your metal teaspoon?

Babies have always enjoyed exploring objects with their hands, eyes and mouths. Every experience a baby has stimulates their brain. Plastic spoons aren't as interesting - your baby likes the metal teaspoon for three main reasons:

The metal feels cold and hard in their mouth

The spoon makes an interesting noise when they bang it on the table, highchair or even better a saucepan

Most importantly, you seem to like to play with them when you measure coffee or stir tea in a mug

Treasure baskets

A treasure basket is a collection of objects made from mainly natural materials. Babies like to explore interesting textures, shapes and smells piled up in a large round basket or shoe box.

Try making a simple treasure basket - your baby will love it:

Objects in the treasure basket need to be safe. Check for loose parts and wash the items regularly.

Sit your baby near the basket so they can reach the items. You need to sit near to your baby, but don't interrupt them, just watch.

When your baby looks up at you, encourage them with a smile or response to what they are doing: "What have you got?"

Your baby may look at the things for up to 30 minutes. When they start to get tired, put the basket away for later.

For safety reasons, never leave your child unattended with their treasure basket.
Visit our page on treasure boxes for more information and ideas on items you could include.

Play together

Playing together benefits so many areas of your child's development and they will thrive off the love and attention they receive.

Watch these videos for ideas on how to help your baby learn and play:

Sensory play video

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Playing helps your baby: To do more tricky learning tasks and supports their brain and language development, social, physical and problem-solving skills To learn through using their 5 senses - Tasting, Touching, Smelling, Seeing, and Hearing To develop their brain and build nerve connections To calm down when feeling angry or worried Soft cuddly animals and plastic toys made especially for babies are useful because they are safe, fun and washable.

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Building Relationships in the Early Childhood Classroom by Jennifer Fiechtner
Children’s developing brains are wired to absorb language in early childhood. There are three types of language skills teachers should keep in mind.

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Helping children build vocabulary and develop language skills to get what they need and want is a key teaching task in the early childhood classroom. So many important developmental tasks are tied to children's ability to access and use language in the right ways at the right time. And, one of the most important predictors of children's future success as readers is the size of their vocabulary at age five.

Our impact as educators is particularly important for our most economically disadvantaged students. These children, studies show, may be exposed to as many as 3 million fewer words by the age of three than their more advantaged peers. Further research has confirmed that language in general and vocabulary in particular is best developed in the context of relationships, in meaningful, reciprocal interactions about things that are important to the child. Mere exposure isn't enough-your relationship with children is the foundation for language learning.

Children's developing brains are wired to absorb language in early childhood. There are three types of language skills teachers should keep in mind.

Expressive Language: The words children use when they talk.

Receptive language: The words that children can understand, although they may or may not use them when they speak. Typically much more expansive than expressive language, especially for those who speak or are regularly exposed to a second language.

Pragmatic language: The way language is used in social settings-knowing what to say and how to say it to achieve a desired outcome. Requires a wide vocabulary, as well as a nuanced understanding of the social world.

The good news is that teachers can really make a difference in children's language development. Infant and toddler teachers have a special role, as they recognise and respond to children's earliest efforts to communicate, long before babies speak their first words. When the youngest children know that their voices are heard and valued, early foundational language development is supported.

Here are three ways you can help children develop the sophisticated language skills they need to succeed, in your classroom and in the wider world.

1. Use books to build vocabulary.

Ms. Kenzi is readingThe Pout-Pout Fish to her class of four-year-olds. They are in the middle of a whole unit on the ocean, and the children are very excited about the book. As she reads, "'Mr. Fish is most astounded,'"she pauses and asks, "Astounded? Does anyone know what that means?" Brian says, "Surprised?" Nikki says, "Shocked?" Ms. Kenzi says, "You're both right! Astounded is another word for feeling really surprised!"

This first strategy is so simple-you're probably already doing it. In many classrooms, reading time plays a central role in the rhythm of our days. A slight shift in focus with this regular classroom feature is all it takes to target language development. Toddlers are rather notorious for their love of repetition-embrace this drive by reading the same book again and again (and encouraging families to do the same). This helps children begin to understand the rhythms of language and absorb the structure of sentences and storytelling. Alongside the regular favourites, introduce new books, taking advantage of current interests as you branch out.

Older preschoolers benefit from hearing and reading books with a wide variety of vocabulary and story-telling styles. When you come across a word children might not be familiar with, take a moment to talk about it. Ask children if they have an idea what it means-you might be surprised by what they know. Children often learn best from each other, so taking time to talk about what you read is an important vocabulary building exercise, and it helps you tune into their interests as you choose your next books.

Be sure that the books that you choose are well written, free from bias, and represent broad diversity of gender, race, abilities, family structures, and so on. Your local children's librarian may be able to help, and there are a wealth of resources online for finding diverse, engaging, and high quality books. Read the books yourself first to be sure they are a good fit for you and your classroom. If you love a book, your enthusiasm will draw children in and connect them to all those new words.

2. Incorporate indirect language stimulation techniques.

Another mindful strategy that teachers can use is indirect language stimulation. Developed by speech and language pathologists, these techniques focus on the language you use as you interact with children, within the context of your relationship. They are excellent ways to help children develop more complex language skills and build larger vocabularies.

The first technique is description. To use this simple strategy, narrate or describe what is going on in the child's world. When you notice an interest, explain to the child what he or she is seeing. This is especially useful with children under three, second language learners, and children with language delays who are working on building their expressive vocabulary.

" Joseph is building a tall tower!"

"That's Marissa's stepmother. She's here to pick Marissa up today."

"There is broccoli, pasta, and strawberries on your plate."

The second technique is parallel talk. Parallel talk is "you talk," focusing on what the child is doing, connecting their actions to words in the form of a complete sentence, adding new vocabulary whenever possible. This also helps support your relationship, showing children you value them and are paying attention to what they are doing.

"You have a red shirt and plaid pants on today!"

"You are feeding your baby in the high chair."

"You are digging a deep hole in the sand!"

Self-talkis the third language technique covered here. Self-talk focuses on your (the teacher's) actions, explaining what you are doing and why-it is "I talk." Self-talk is also good way to help children prepare for transitions, drawing their attention to the important cues you provide them about what will happen next. (Find out more about managing transitions.)

" I am cleaning the table because it is almost time for snack."

"I am packing up my bag because, in five minutes, it will be time to go inside."

"I am writing a note to tell your dad that you rode a tricycle today all by yourself."

One more indirect language stimulation technique is expansion. Expansion is an ideal strategy to use with children who are learning to put words together to express more complex ideas. This strategy takes what a child says and expands it-sometimes adding to it-to make a complete sentence, offer more nuanced vocabulary choices, and make the most of an opportunity to build connection with the child.

Max says, "Milk!" His teacher says, "You'd like some milk to drink! I'll pour some for you."

Leila says, "Mama bye-bye." Her teacher says, "Your mum went to work. She'll be back to pick you up after nap time."

Amhed says, "Wow, big!" and his teacher says, "I see that truck, too! It's enormous!!"

One key detail about indirect language stimulation techniques is that they require nothing of the child in that moment. Children are not required to repeat you or adjust their own language. Instead, they learn over time from your good example within the context of a warm and supportive relationship.

3. Support second language learning and be aware of children's home culture.

Three-year-old Tavo is new to Mrs. Booker's class. He has been at home with his mother until recently, where Spanish is the primary language spoken. Mrs. Booker greets him as he arrives, "Hola! ¿Cómo estás? Good morning! How are you?" She takes a moment to show his mother the new labels she made for the toy area, naming the contents of the bin in both Spanish and English. Before his mother leaves for the day, Mrs. Booker asks her to write down Tavo's word for the special blanket he brought from home, so she'll be able to offer it to him more easily, should he get upset and need it.

Currently, one in five residents of the United States speaks a language other than English at home, and many children enter childcare or early childhood classrooms as second language learners. While some educators and families worry that learning two languages at once might confuse a child, there is no evidence that this causes language delays. In fact, the benefits of being multilingual can last a lifetime.

When a child who is learning a new language enters your classroom, partner with his or her family. Ask family members to share key needs-meeting words, especially ones related to eating, sleeping, toileting, and pain. Then, focus on helping the child learn those new words right away, so they can communicate their basic needs, building the trust and sense of safety all children need in order to learn. Remember that learning a new language is both tiring and stressful-children may need extra support from you.

In your classroom, use pictures, labels, objects, and real events to link the language the child knows to the language he or she is learning. (This literacy and vocabulary-building strategy benefits every child.) Invite the child and his or her family to share their home language and culture in your classroom. Songs, books, and family holiday traditions are wonderful ways to connect all children with the wider world.

Finally, remember that culture and language are closely linked. It's important to be aware that every culture has variations in the way it uses language. Nonverbal expectations like eye-contact, deference to adults, and what kinds of information are considered private, also vary.

The best way to learn about a family's home culture and language is to ask. A questionnaire can be a useful, non-intrusive way to explore and expand your understanding. An Internet search can help you find blog posts and articles related to specific cultural nuances (but be sure you check your sources-the best resources are ones created by members of that particular group). Talking to colleagues and other adults from those cultural groups is also important-an objective third party can often tease out details that might get overlooked in everyday interactions.

Teachers play an important role in the language development of children in early childhood classrooms. Your efforts in building a relationship where communication is valued, and in implementing strategies that deliberately expand children's vocabulary, make a lasting impact over their educational years.

References:

Colker, L. .2014. "The word gap: the early years make a difference." Teaching Young Children,(7)3, 26-28 February/March. Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/tyc/article/the-word-gap/

Diesen, D. 2008. The Pout-Pout Fish. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

Forrester, M. &K. Albrecht, 2014. Social Emotional Tools For Life: An early childhood teacher's guide to supporting strong emotional foundations and successful social relationships. Houston: Innovations in ECE Press.

Gros-Louis, J., & M. West. 2014. "Maternal responsiveness and the development of directed vocalizing in social interactions." Infancy ¸ 19(4). 385-408, May 29. doi: 10.1111/infa.12054

Hart, B., & T.R. Risley. 2003. "The Early Catastrophe: The 30 million word gap by age 3." American Educator. 27(1), 4-9.

Lowry, L. 2012. "Build your child's vocabulary." The Hanen Centre. Retrieved from https://www.hanen.org/helpful-info/articles/build-your-childs-vocabulary.aspx/

Nemeth, K. 2009. Many Languages, One Classroom: Teaching dual and English language learners. Washington DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Nemeth, K. 2012. Basics of Supporting Dual Language Learners: An introduction for educators of children from birth through age 8. Washington DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Rowe, M. 2012. "A longitudinal investigation of the role of quantity and quality of child-directed speech in vocabulary development." Child Development, 85(5), 1762-1774. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3440540/

Zeigler, K., & S. Camarota. 2014. "One in five U.S. residents speaks foreign language at home, record 61.8 million." Center for Immigration Studies. October. Retrieved from https://cis.org/record-one-in-five-us-residents-speaks-language-other-than-english-at-home/

Resources:

Children's Book List from The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning

9 Resources for Finding Multicultural Books for Children from the Institute for Humane Education

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Supporting language development in the early years

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Helping children build vocabulary and develop language skills to get what they need and want is a key teaching task in the early childhood classroom. So many important developmental tasks are tied to children's ability to access and use language in the right ways at the right time.

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DFE Communication and Language guidance 

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DFE Communication and Language guidance 

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Resources, activity ideas and advice for teaching communication and language to early years children.

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Access resources, activity ideas and advice for teaching communication and language to early years children.

Communication and language resources

Resources are split into 3 areas based on the educational programmes:
Interactions Exploring language Listening and understanding
These resources will help you when reviewing your current curriculum to make sure you are meeting the requirement of the revised communication and language area of learning.

As you make changes to your curriculum consider what you want children to learn first and plan opportunities for them to achieve this.

Please bear in mind any current covid restrictions and/or advice when undertaking any suggested activities.

What the early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework says about communication and language

The development of children's spoken language underpins all seven areas of learning and development.

Children's back-and-forth interactions from an early age form the foundations for language and cognitive development.

The number and quality of the conversations they have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial.

By commenting on what children are interested in or doing, and echoing back what they say with new vocabulary added, practitioners will build children's language effectively.

Reading frequently to children, and engaging them actively in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems, and then providing them with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts, will give children the opportunity to thrive.

Through conversation, story-telling and role play, where children share their ideas with support and modelling from their teacher, and sensitive questioning that invites them to elaborate, children become comfortable using a rich range of vocabulary and language structures.

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Access resources, activity ideas and advice for teaching communication and language to early years children. Resources are split into 3 areas based on the educational programmes: Interactions Exploring language Listening and understanding These resources will help you when reviewing your current curriculum to make sure you are meeting the requirement of the revised communication and language area of learning.

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How does your learning environment support your pedagogy & curriculum? (See also Welcome to ELIZABETH JARMAN® - Elizabeth Jarman®)

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Elizabeth Jarman looks at the impact of the physical learning environment on young children's speaking and listening skills.

Introduction

Despite a huge number of curriculum initiatives over the past decade, by and large, learning spaces have remained the same and a rethink of how practitioners arrange spaces is long overdue. Yet, for many practitioners, 'their environment is still a blind spot: unchanging, unchangeable and beyond their control - an obstacle that they must work around, rather than a tool to support and enhance their practice' (Design Council, 2005). Last year, the Basic Skills Agency commissioned a review of how the physical environment could impact specifically on young children's speaking and listening skills. The recently published Communication Friendly Spaces Toolkit is the result. This involved a substantial review of international research and practice and visits to many settings across England and Wales. The following key considerations which were identified as contributing to Communication Friendly Spaces (CFS):

The learning environment should support the educational pedagogy of the setting.

Practitioners should maximize the use of space in all areas, inside and out.

Spaces should take account of the physical environmental factors that can impact on learning, for example, light, color and noise.

The environment should not be over stimulating.

Spaces should be viewed from the child's perspective.

The learning environment should support the educational pedagogy of the setting

A central consideration for practitioners is being clear about how the learning environment and their underpinning pedagogy connect and support one another. The way that a space is set out says a lot to children about the sort of behaviors and interactions that are welcome. 'What we are talking about here fundamentally shifts our traditional thinking in terms of how and why we present certain resources, furnish and layout our space. It may be that a rethink is in order,' says Constance Tyce, an early years adviser in Norfolk. 'This may be quite a challenge as it could conflict with your current knowledge and thinking.'

Practitioners should maximize the use of space in all areas, inside and out

It is important to view learning spaces as a whole, including both inside and out. Across the space, children need secure spaces to talk where they feel comfortable and relaxed. It is important to think about how an area will be used; what furniture is actually necessary; if you are predetermining what will happen there? It is essential to observe, reflect and then make informed decisions. Spaces should be flexible enough to change to support activities as they develop. 'Start by reviewing one area and then let this be the trigger to influence a review of your whole setting. Each part may be very different and so it should be if you are truly basing your ideas on the children,' suggests education consultant Lesley Staggs.

Environmental factors that can impact on learning:

Noise Research concludes that chronic noise exposure in young children has a detrimental effect on children's language development. An extreme illustration from teachers working near Birmingham airport where 90% believed that aircraft noise had a negative impact on children's literacy and numeracy skills. Whatever the source of noise, though, an excessively noisy learning environment is a poor one. Light Current research confirms that we are all energized by natural sunlight and indeed that children learn faster in classrooms with natural light. This also flags up the importance of maximizing the spaces you have outside. In an American study, students with lots of daylight in their classrooms progressed 20% faster in maths and 26% faster in reading in one year than those with the least. 'Light levels stimulate brain activity in different ways and often generate physical reactions, whereas colors impact on human emotions and undoubtedly have spatial effects in rooms. When light levels and colors are wrong for students, they will switch off and lose concentration.' (Prashnig, 2004.) Color Research indicates that when deciding which colors you should use in a learning space it is really important to consider the purpose of the space. Colors need to be chosen carefully and with consideration of the layout or the room, position of windows and sun-exposure. Colors are commonly associated with 'psychological temperature' ie the physical and emotional reaction that we have to the colors around us. The following basic guidelines date back to the '60s when Dr Max Luscher created his color test:

Color Response

Blue - Feels tranquil, cool, serene Green - Makes people feel secure and 'tended', persistent and self-centered; can be dull Red - Increases respiratory rates, stimulates eating, can increase blood pressure, feels exciting and invites impulsiveness: over-exposure can result in agitation Yellow - Recognized by humans faster than any other color, evokes spontaneity, is joyful, optimistic, warm and signifies communication! Orange - Dominant, lively: peachy orange is warm, bright orange is non-relaxing Violet - Can be overpowering, pastels are better for backgrounds

The environment should not be over stimulating

The advantages of an ordered learning space are obvious. Children can select what they need from the resources available and are not overwhelmed by a mass of hoarded, possible outdated and irrelevant materials that just take up space. It is not about restricting choice, but targeting influence. 'Make sure that children have access to interesting resources, so that they can make choices about how they wish to represent their ideas, but select these resources carefully and think about how best to present them, as clutter and poorly presented materials can be confusing, can deflect concentration and lack any sort of appeal.' (Sally Jaeckle, Early Years Foundation Stage Team, DfES.) Think carefully about storage options. Children do not need to see all of the resources all the time, but they do need access to specific resources when needed. Large storage boxes quickly become full of small pieces which eventually become separated. Perhaps use smaller, transparent, labelled storage. Despite the value of well-planned displays, many are overly stimulating and highly decorative, not always linked to or supporting children's learning in an interactive way. Consider who and what the displays are for. Think carefully about their positioning. It makes sense not to have a busy, cluttered display in an area where children are expected to focus say on a whiteboard, or a story book.

Spaces should be viewed from the child's perspective

'The way in which practitioners approach their environment reflects what they understand about how children learn and this is where much more thought and consideration is needed... All too often, the environment is planned by adults for adults, yet we know that the space belongs to and is for the children,' says Lesley Staggs. 'This routine error can lead to a crucial lack of focus and confidence regarding what is right for children.'

Inspiring a review of practice

Alongside the Communication Friendly Spaces Toolkit, a range of CFS training and development programs have been developed, which aim to raise awareness and understanding of the approach and inspire a review of learning environments in settings. Training is being delivered to Early Years Foundation Stage practitioners in several local authorities to support the delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage and Communicating Matters training. Training is interactive and includes lots of examples of good practice as well as discussion activities to help practitioners consider how this approach applies to their context. Some programs include supported development tasks, which are completed by delegates in the time between training sessions.

Changing Spaces Challenge

The Changing Spaces Challenge, involves seven children's centers in Plymouth which have had input from Elizabeth Jarman on using the Communication Friendly Spaces Toolkit. The children's centers will have opportunities to share with other providers how they have risen to the challenge to change a space to promote children's speaking and listening skills, with only £100 to spend from the LA. All Early Years Foundation Stage settings and schools across Plymouth will be receiving a Communication Friendly Spaces Toolkit. Lark children's center: 'We have done a lot of consultation with the children. They have drawn some pictures and we have recorded and documented their dialogue on what they would like in the area. We have also taken photos of the kinds of places that our children like to spend time. We plan to attach drapes to the ceiling in the area. We have found some lights that are battery operated. We will also add a few drawstring bags that we can put some drapes and pegs in so that the children can change and adapt the area when they want to'. Lark found that the size of the spaces they created is significant and that some children prefer having really small spaces big enough for one or two children. They have responded by using screens and adding an enclosed swing to create these sorts of spaces. Nomony children's center is building a low-level pergola in their outside space, which can be covered with a range of materials to provide an area for children to talk and play. Enclosed spaces are important for children to withdraw to. Having a range of materials to use within the pergola will help to prevent it becoming 'part of the furniture', always a challenge with a fixed structure.

Fourwoods children's center is planning to create a sensory space by using lots of natural materials. Their concrete outside area is very small. Adding as many natural materials as possible will soften the space and add points of interest to help to stimulate conversations.

Useful related reading

Design Council Learning environments campaign prospectus 2005

Prashnig, Barabara (2004) 'Colour me beautiful', Education Today, issue 6

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Communication Friendly Spaces - Early Years - Teaching Expertise

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Elizabeth Jarman looks at the impact of the physical learning environment on young children's speaking and listening skills. Despite a huge number of curriculum initiatives over the past decade, by and large, learning spaces have remained the same and a rethink of how practitioners arrange spaces is long overdue.

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Children develop language at different rates. However, understanding what is typical can help you identify speech and language problems early.  You can also find out how to help your child learn to talk and develop their communication skills.

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Children develop language at different rates. However, understanding what is typical can help you identify speech and language problems early. You can also find out how to help your child learn to talk and develop their communication skills.

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A speech & language toolkit from screening to intervention

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Delayed language skills lead to under-performance later in life, yet many primary school children have unidentified speech and language difficulties. WellComm can help you to turn this around.
Both the Early Years and the Primary toolkits enable you to quickly and easily identify children needing support. They're quick and simple to use (requiring no speech and language expertise), and the traffic light scoring format of the instant reports makes them quick to interpret.

Both toolkits come with an age-appropriate Big Book of Ideas providing a total of over 150 instant, play-based activities so you can take appropriate action straight away. Activities can be used with parents at home too, so that support is provided whether or not a child is referred to a speech and language therapist

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Both the Early Years and the Primary toolkits enable you to quickly and easily identify children needing support.

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Every child a talker [ECAT] Monitoring tool

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Every child a talker [ECAT] Monitoring tool

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Monitoring tool to assess children's speech, language and communication

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The child monitoring tool enables practitioners to assess the developmental level of children's speech, language and communication. It is structured across 4 strands which, although appear separate, are interlinked.

It is proposed that observations link to the best fit for a child in each strand (see information on the reverse of the tool). The information is to be put onto the overview sheet along with the child's chronological age in months. The developmental stage needs to be compared to the child's chronological age to establish if the child is 'at risk of delay', 'as expected' or 'ahead' (see information on the reverse of the tool).

This is a very powerful and informative tool and should be used on a regular basis to link outcomes to learning language across the provision.

For use with PFTS:

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Child Monitoring Tool and Action Plan | Leicestershire County Council Professional Services Portal

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The child monitoring tool enables practitioners to assess the developmental level of children’s speech, language and communication. It is structured across 4 strands which, although appear separate, are interlinked.

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The WellComm training videos will provide you with invaluable support in an easy to follow, step by step process to ensure accurate administration, identification of next steps and monitoring of progress.

The two 30 minute videos are made up of the following 3 parts: part 1 - Pre-Testing Essentials, part 2 - Post-Testing Essentials and part 3 - Further Support:

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The WellComm training videos will provide you with invaluable support in an easy to follow, step by step process to ensure accurate administration, identification of next steps and monitoring of progress.

The two 30 minute videos are made up of the following 3 parts:

Part 1 - Pre-Testing Essentials: This will look at the administration process and top tips for successful screening.

Part 2 - Post-Testing Essentials: This will guide you through your reports, helping you to identify children's next steps. It will also show you how to deliver effective support both within your setting and where applicable, in children's homes. Clear guidance on how to measure children's progress is also included within this section.

Part 3 - Further Support: This will provide you with information on how and where to seek further guidance and support if needed.

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The WellComm training videos will provide you with invaluable support in an easy to follow, step by step process to ensure accurate administration, identification of next steps and monitoring of progress. The two 30 minute videos are made up of the following 3 parts: Part 1 - Pre-Testing Essentials: This will look at the administration process and top tips for successful screening.

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Offering a targeted and specific approach to high quality speech and language curriculum. Identifying & closing skills gaps, embedding interventions and ensuring progression for all.

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The Launchpad for Literacy Package provides materials and information to implement and embed the approach. This includes the following.

The A1 chart of the Launchpad for Literacy Skills Framework underpins the approach. Skill strands are broken down into systematic, incremental skill steps through which children need to progress in order to be ready for all aspects of literacy.

The Skills Handbooks cover theoretical and developmental information about each skill area, giving practical ideas and guidance for each skill step in order to implement and embed the approach.

The Customer Number and Password allows access to the log-in area of the website to access the Class Tracker, supporting documents and assessment information.

The Launchpad for Literacy Class Tracker enables skill progression to be tracked, supplying summative data across the skill strands, comparing progression between vulnerable groups. The process of closing the gaps, literacy readiness and speech and language support becomes measurable, also aiding the early identification of specific developmental needs.

Cost of Package: £295 (including P&P)

Training to support implementation of the Launchpad for Literacy Approach is available on request.
Please email kirstie.page@launchpadforliteracy.co.uk for more information.

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The Launchpad for Literacy Package provides materials and information to implement and embed the approach. This includes the following. The A1 chart of the Launchpad for Literacy Skills Framework underpins the approach. Skill strands are broken down into systematic, incremental skill steps through which children need to progress in order to be ready for all aspects of literacy.

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Early language identification intervention and measure tool: Guidance Handbook

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Early language identification intervention and measure tool: Guidance Handbook

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This handbook is a guide for practitioners to carry out the Early Language Identification Measure and Intervention programme as part of the 2 to 2½ year review. It is structured as a conversation with the child’s parent/carer, encouraging practitioners to support the parent/carer to make informed decisions for their child.
The handbook outlines the 3 steps of the Early Language Identification Measure and Intervention programme: assessment, conversation, and intervention.

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The Teddy Talk Test is a speech and language assessment that can be used by a range of Early Years Professionals with children who are 5 years old or under.  It enables practitioners to identify a child’s speech & language development relative to their chronological age.

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Training

The first provides information about the Teddy Talk Test- how it is structured, the theory behind it and practical tips about how best to use it.

The second part is more interactive and provides an opportunity for attendees to complete a Teddy Talk Test in real time using a video of a child completing the test. We discuss and trouble-shoot interactively giving atendees the opportunity to reflect on the application of the Teddy Talk Test in their setting. ​

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Training for SLT Students ​

The Teddy Talk Test is a simple play based speech and language assessment that can be used with any pre-school age child and provides a life-line when final year students step off the academic stage and into Early Years clinics. The Teddy Talk Test is an easy to use tool that offers an insight into the child's current speech and language skills compared to norms for their age. Good quality assessment is key in knowing where to start with any child and we know from experience how valuable the Teddy Talk Test can be as an NQSLT.

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Please contact our training coordinator by email to discuss any training requirements that you may have: amy.teddytalktest@gmail.com

To explain the theory under pinning the design of the Teddy Talk Test

1. To revisit the stages of speech and language development in the early years and how children with hearing impairment might be impacted.

2. To demonstrate how to use the Teddy Talk Test to assess and analyse a child's communication development.

3. To expore practical considerations around achieving engagement from the pre-school child whose attention and listening skills may be affected by their hearing impairment.

4. To explore the use of the Teddy Talk Test for children who use a combination of speech and signing.

5. To discuss actions that should be taken as a result of assessment findings.

6. To discuss local provision, the steps that might need to be taken in order to make a referral to local SLT services and how the Teddy Talk Test might be used to support that referral. ​

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1. To revisit the stages of speech and language development in the early years.

2. To demonstrate how to use the Teddy Talk Test to assess and analyse a child's speech, language and communication development.

3. To explore practical considerations around achieving engagement from the pre-school child.

4. To discuss where to start in terms of intervention or any other actions that should be taken as a result of the assessment findings.

5. To provide information about how the Teddy Talk Test can be used to guide other professionals that refer to your SLT service in order to improve appropriateness of referrals.

6. To discuss how the Teddy Talk Test could be used to identify cohorts of children for allocation to given care pathways, providing improved transparency and equitability across your SLT service.

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Teddy Talk Test | Speech and Language Assessment | Training

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Training The first provides information about the Teddy Talk Test- how it is structured, the theory behind it and practical tips about how best to use it. The second part is more interactive and provides an opportunity for attendees to complete a Teddy Talk Test in real time using a video of a child completing the test.

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Guidance from Norfolk and Waveney Children's Speech and Language Therapy service 

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Guidance from Norfolk and Waveney Children's Speech and Language Therapy service 

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Guidance and ideas to support early communication including use of visuals, developing understanding and developing use of language. Webpages include lots of videos and activity ideas.

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Our Speech and Language Therapists support children with speech, language and communication needs, to help them to communicate better. They also work with children who have eating and swallowing problems.

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speech language therapy talking talk problems issues play salt communication support supporting cleft lip palate hearing loss stammer stutter stuttering development social worried child early years school eating drinking sound

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Norfolk & Waveney Children's Speech and Language Therapy Service

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Here at Just One Norfolk, we are dedicated to providing children and young people's health services to the community. Find out more about our services

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Attention Autism - 'A bucket full of ideas' 

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Attention Autism - 'A bucket full of ideas' 

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A document which covers each stage of Attention Autism as well as of the theory behind it.

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Guidance and videos to support the use of Intensive Interaction, Attention Autism, Choice Making and Objects of Reference.

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Communication is so much more than just talking, developing good early interaction skills form the foundations of language. Children also need reasons to communicate and opportunities to do so.

In addition to the ideas on the early communication, y our child may also benefit from some more specific early communication and interaction approaches to reach their potential with communicating.

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Communication is so much more than just talking, developing good early interaction skills form the foundations of language. Children also need reasons to communicate and opportunities to do so. In addition to the ideas on the early communication, y our child may also benefit from some more specific early communication and interaction approaches to reach their potential with communicating.

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Activities to encourage early speech and language development.

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Early Talk Boost is a targeted intervention aimed at 3-4 year old children helping to boost their language skills.

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Early Talk Boost

Early Talk Boost is a targeted intervention aimed at 3-4 year old children with delayed language helping to boost their language skills to help narrow the gap between them and their peers. The programme aims to accelerate children's progress in language and communication by an average of 6 months, after a nine week intervention.
Who isEarly Talk Boosttraining for?
The training is for early years practitioners working with groups of 3-4 year olds in early years settings. Participants will develop the skills and knowledge to understand the rationale behind Early Talk Boost, identify appropriate children, measure their progress and deliver the intervention successfully.

The training is on-site in your workplace. If you are a small setting you might wish to consider grouping your staff together with other settings for the training and sharing the costs between yourselves.
How will children improve their language and communication skills?
Children who are selected to take part in the intervention will attend three sessions per week during circle/story time, each lasting 15-20 minutes delivered by an early years practitioner.

The sessions include activities that cover the foundation skills in speech, language and communication that children need for learning and understanding new words, as well as having conversations.
What are the benefits of Early Talk Boost?

Supports children who are not achieving their expected levels of progress in their language development

Can be used to demonstrate to Ofsted how you are focussing on developing staff skills

Help to build relationships with parents, by reinforcing the language skills the child learned during the group sessions

Demonstrates the effective use of your Early Years Pupil Premium allocation

An all-in-one speech and language solution package

Can be used by non speech and language specialists

Proven to improve children's language and communication through our evidence base

Designed to be sustainable so you can deliver the intervention multiple times to new groups of children

A dedicated team at I CAN to support you to maximise the impact ofEarly Talk Boostin your setting

Identify, monitor and track children's progress before and following the intervention with the online tracker

What doesEarly Talk Boostinclude?
Once you have booked onto the training course, you will receive the following materials:

An Intervention Manual containing detailed group session plans and resources required

10 x 8 Jake and Tizzy Story Books that have been specifically designed and written for the intervention

Access to our Online Tracker Tool to measure and analyse progress which supports Early Pupil Premium

Costs
We have a regional team of Licensed Tutors who can deliver training directly to you. The cost of theEarly Talk BoostIntervention Packis £500.00 + the cost of the Licensed Tutor delivering your training.
Next Steps
Visit the Find a Tutor page to find a Early Talk Boost Licensed Tutor near to you. Alternatively get in touch on earlytalkboost@ican.org.ukor call 0207 843 2515 to talk to our team about Early Talk Boost or to arrange training.

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Early Talk Boost Early Talk Boost is a targeted intervention aimed at 3-4 year old children with delayed language helping to boost their language skills to help narrow the gap between them and their peers. The programme aims to accelerate children's progress in language and communication by an average of 6 months, after a nine week intervention.

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The Word Aware early years approach is based on the same theory for supporting vocabulary development as the original Word Aware resource but is adapted for the Early Years. This website will link you to resources, training and further information.

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A Time to Talk... Speech and Language Therapy for Schools

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Well-developed vocabulary is required to:

* Understand concepts in subjects such as maths and science * Develop reading comprehension * Write expressively * Succeed academically and in life.

This practical training will introduce you to Word Aware: a structured whole school approach to promote the vocabulary development of all children.

The Word Aware early years approach is based on the same theory as the original Word Aware resource but is adapted for the Early Years.

The training will support EY settings to promote effective vocabulary development in preschool children of all abilities.

Word Aware continues to have a supportive application in secondary schools as pupils begin to require an understanding of specialist and subject-specific vocabulary.

The approach is adapted for older pupils in this training.

Word Aware can be delivered as a whole-school INSET training day or as a series of twilight sessions. Choose your main focus:

Early Years, Primary, Secondary.

Alternatively individuals can book onto a local course. See below.

Consultative support, including coaching and class demonstrations, can be arranged following your training to help you get off to a flying start!

Bespoke workshops to cascade or refresh knowledge and practice skills can also be arranged.

See the testimonials page to find out what other professionals said about the training.

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A Time to Talk... Speech and Language Therapy for Schools

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A Time to Talk... Speech and Language Therapy for Schools

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Well-developed vocabulary is required to: * Understand concepts in subjects such as maths and science * Develop reading comprehension * Write expressively * Succeed academically and in life. This practical training will introduce you to Word Aware: a structured whole school approach to promote the vocabulary development of all children.

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Signalong provides training and resources to assist those with communication difficulties and English as an additional language.

Signalong is a key word sign-supported communication system based on British sign language and is used in spoken word order. It uses speech, sign, body language, facial expression and voice tone to reference the link between sign and word.

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Signalong provides training and resources to assist those with communication difficulties and English as an additional language.

Signalong is a key word sign-supported communication system based on British sign language and is used in spoken word order. It uses speech, sign, body language, facial expression and voice tone to reference the link between sign and word.

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Signalong provides training and resources to assist those with communication difficulties and English as an additional language. Signalong is a key word sign-supported communication system based on British sign language and is used in spoken word order. It uses speech, sign, body language, facial expression and voice tone to reference the link between sign and word.

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Introduction to Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

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Introduction to Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

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An introduction to using PECS to support children. The webpage also answers some frequently asked questions from families/carers and professionals. Please note, PECS should only be used following support from a PECS trained professional.

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This resource considers the ways in which practitioners can support children's understanding and communication by using every day routines, objects and visual prompts.

Also included are ideas to motivate children to communicate, along with achievements in developing understanding and communication.

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This section considers the ways in which practitioners can support children's understanding and communication by using every day routines, objects and visual prompts.

Also included are ideas to motivate children to communicate, along with achievements in developing understanding and communication.

How everyday routines can help

Routines are important for all children and especially children with autism. If a child has problems understanding spoken language, routines can be used to help with understanding because they are repetitive and predictable.

Many children with autism develop their own routines and rituals. There are several possible reasons for this. Sometimes they develop because the child is trying to predict or control what is going to happen. They may also be a way for the child to occupy themselves.

A preference for routines can be used to an advantage when trying to teach a child everyday self-help skills. At first, a fixed routine will need to be used so that the child will begin to understand what is happening and what will happen next.

Simple reduced language (key words) can be used to show the child what is going to happen along with gestures, objects or pictures to support understanding. The routine gives lots of opportunity to repeat and emphasise words, which gives the child lots of experience of associating the words with the event.

When the routine is familiar, small choices and changes can be introduced. For example, when the child has learned to sit at the table for his favourite snack, a choice between two foods can be offered.

Using visual prompts

Children with autism often need extra help to understand spoken language. Speech should always be simplified and repetitive, with an emphasis on key words. Visual clues such as gesture, objects, signs and pictures should also be used.

As the child progresses it may be helpful to use a hand signing system such as Makaton. The advantage of using signs is that they are both available and transportable. Signs are very useful for teaching verbs. For example, the sign for running can be more obvious than a picture of someone running. Signs are also useful when the child is ready to start putting words together and understand short sentences.

Using objects of reference

At an early age, babies learn to associate objects and sounds with events, eg the sight of a bottle means that milk is coming. Objects can be used with a child with autism to help prediction, eg a cup to indicate snack time. An accessible box with key objects can also be used to encourage the child to fetch objects to show you what he wants.

It is advisable to start with one or two objects. Teach the child to give one when he wants the associated event and always deliver what is asked so that the connection is learned. This exchange with objects or pictures is a good way show a child the purpose of communication.

Using pictures or photographs

As well as using objects to show what will happen next, it can also be helpful to use pictures or photographs to show the sequence of an activity. For example, lay out pictures of clothes in a sequence so that the child can learn to get dressed in the right order.

Completing tasks can be difficult for children with autism. They often lose the thread of what they are doing and can stop or repeat an action over and over again. Using a visual sequence helps to cue them into what they are doing now and what will happen next.

Using pictures and symbols to communicate has been developed in a number of programmes for children with autism and can be very successful in developing the early stages of communication. Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is one programme which uses symbols to communicate. It has been found that in the early stages this helps to develop rather than delay the child's ability to understand and use spoken language.

Helping a child to understand words

Practitioners should observe, wait and listen to the child; becoming a responsive partner with many opportunities to talk.

Ways to do this include:

Simplifying language so that the child can understand

Making points that are direct and simple

Concentrating on what the child is doing

Getting close to the child and talking face to face. Patience is needed here, as some children with autism will resist physical closeness with others

When the child shows some understanding of a few key words and can imitate a familiar action, it may be appropriate to start some direct teaching to develop understanding of words and concepts.

Achievements in developing understanding:

Demonstrates understanding of gestures, such as hand out to be lifted up

Co-operates when being physically guided through familiar routines such as going to the toilet

Understands that gestures or objects can communicate familiar events, for example, come here can be shown by the gesture of a hand held out, dinner time can be shown by giving the child a spoon

Responds to own name by stopping and turning

Stops an activity when gestured or told 'no' or 'stop'

Understands a few key words, signs or pictures in context, for example, drink, car

Follows simple instructions accompanied by gesture, such as 'come here', 'give it to me' and 'wave bye bye.' Objects and pictures can also be used to support understanding.

Identifies some familiar people and objects when named, for example; drink, car and ball. Gestures and visual cues will still be used to support understanding

Follows requests verbally and supported by visual cues that involve five objects for example; throw the ball, give me the cup

Understands ten or more requests involving everyday items for example, cup, coat, chair

When asked can touch own body parts

Understands twenty or more requests involving everyday items for example; plate cup, coat, chair , names of food and drink, names of clothing

Understands the words and signs for simple actions such as; sit, jump, clap and can perform the action

Follows instructions involving two key words for example, put cup on table, put car in box

Visual support should only be phased out when the child can attend more to the words that are being said. When new words and phrases are introduced it is helpful to go back to using visual supports, even if the child can understand some words without them.

Developing speech

Children will only begin to use language meaningfully when they have heard and understood it. All children need to hear words over and over again before they want to say them. Children with autism often have very little motivation to speak because they find it hard to understand the purpose of communication.

To communicate successfully the child will need:

A reason to communicate

The opportunity

The means to communicate

To feel that the effort to communicate is worthwhile, the child will need to get results. He needs to know that someone understands him and is responding in the way he wants.

Some common reasons why young children communicate include:

Refusing/rejecting

Requesting an object

Asking an adult to do something

Wanting more or wanting something again

Wanting some attention

Commenting on something of interest

Asking for something to be named

Opportunities can be created for a child to communicate:

When he wants something but is not able to get it without help

When a choice is offered - story or outdoors?

When something unusual happens, either a change in routine or a familiar object being used differently

When the child wants to get or keep your attention

Means of communication that young children commonly use include:

Crying

Smiling and laughing

Using their bodies, throwing, banging

Using objects, for example throwing a spoon on the floor to show he has had enough to eat

Vocalising

Using speech

Babies do not do things to communicate on purpose, but gradually learn that what they do gets a response. A child with autism may have difficulty noticing the connection between what he does and what happens as a result. They need structured teaching to begin to make this important connection and to make progress in communication.

Developing a child's ways of communicating

If the child is not using words it will be helpful to teach him to copy sounds, which may encourage further vocalisation.

Set up opportunities where the child can see something he likes but needs to signal to you that he wants it.

If the child repeats words/phrases heard but not in a communicative way, (echolalia), add meaning to this by assuming he means to communicate, eg repeating the phrase or pointing to the object. When the child is responded to in this way, it encourages him to make further attempts to communicate.

Offer choices to encourage communication; this could initially be reaching out or making a noise. If he finds it difficult to make a choice, offer one thing you know he likes and one he doesn't. In the beginning, limit the choice to two things and slowly increase this as his understanding develops.

Achievements in a child's communication

Observe the child to analyse how he communicates how he feels and what he wants

Assume he is trying to communicate his needs and respond positively, naming what he is doing; this will encourage him to communicate more

Help the child to realise that adults are useful in getting what he wants

He may approach and touch another person to get something. He may also reach towards an object when someone is close by

He may push another person's hand away or may push yours away if you get close This is his way of communicating 'no' or 'go away'

Gradually the child will learn to take adults hand or pull her to something he wants

Next, he may use his voice along with some gestures to request objects and actions

He may make sounds and say some words, not necessarily to communicate

The child may say several words, phrases and rhymes but not in an appropriate context

He may repeat words he has heard to get what he wants

The number of words used will increase. Adults need to respond as if he meant to communicate eg by giving him the things he has named

He may use some learned phrases to communicate, for example, 'what you want' to mean he wants a drink

He may be able to make choices that are important to him. He will have his own way of communicating 'yes' or 'no' from shakes of the head for 'no' to putting his hand out for 'yes'

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This section considers the ways in which practitioners can support children's understanding and communication by using every day routines, objects and visual prompts. Also included are ideas to motivate children to communicate, along with achievements in developing understanding and communication. Routines are important for all children and especially children with autism.

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Makaton is a language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate. It supports the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening, comprehension, memory, recall and organisation of language and expression.

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We would like to announce that The Makaton Charity has successfully acquired the intellectual property rights of Special iApps, a renowned creator of award-winning educational apps. These apps are specially designed to provide support to children with special educational needs, fostering language and communication development.

With Special iApps, users can effortlessly create personalised learning resources in minutes, making it easier for children to access the educational tools they need.

We are excited to continue the legacy of Special iApps and further enhance the impact these remarkable apps have on individual's learning journeys.

Next steps

Our goal is to enhance and modernise the existing Special iApps functionality through updated technology and advancements. We are aiming to relaunch the apps by Summer 2024.

We are delighted to announce that as part of their membership package, all Makaton Members will have exclusive access to the apps. This means that Makaton Members will be able to benefit from the incredible features and educational resources offered by Special iApps, further enriching their membership experience.

Previous Special iApps customers

The apps will also be made available free of charge to previous Special iApps customers for a period of six months. During this time, we encourage users to provide feedback on the development and usability of the apps. This valuable input will help us further improve and refine the apps.

Sharing your data

If you were a previous Special iApps customer and you would rather not have your personal data stored with The Makaton Charity, please email vicki.partridge@makaton.org and we'll ensure it is removed from our database.

More information regarding these exciting developments will be released later in the year. Makaton has worked closely with the Founders of Special iApps and is committed to continuing and expanding upon the remarkable work they have accomplished.

Stay tuned for more updates on how we will be taking this important work forward!

The Makaton Charity

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Makaton is a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate. It supports the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening, comprehension, memory, recall and organisation

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Just One Norfolk (JON) Speech & Language Therapy Service 

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Just One Norfolk (JON) Speech & Language Therapy Service 

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For ideas to help children with their speech and language intervention, use the pages linked here. This is JON’s central webpage for Norfolk and Waveney Childrens Speech and Language Therapy Service with links for both parents and professionals.

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Portage is a free home-based visiting educational service for pre-school children with additional needs and their families. It is a recognised world-wide intervention. Norfolk Portage Service is managed and funded by Education Inclusion Children's Services, Norfolk County Council. Further information including how to make a referral can be found on the Portage website.

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Main contact:

Melanie Warren - Portage Strategic Co-ordinator

Telephone number:

01603 704049

Mobile:

07717 224776

Email:

melanie.warren@norfolk.gov.uk

Address:

Sensory Support Centre

Other staff contacts:

Helen Hall, Portage Secretary helen.hall2@norfolk.gov.uk

Local Offer Website
Norfolk Local Offer page
Service Information Leaflets

Norfolk Portage Service Leaflet

Service description

Norfolk Portage Service is managed and funded by Education Inclusion Children's Services, Norfolk County Council.

The service delivers home visits and specialist groups within Children's Centres and other settings. The team also support with EHCP reporting, attend FSP meetings and have Key Working responsibilities.

Norfolk Portage Service also has 2 NPA Accredited Trainers and one member of staff working towards accreditation. We deliver Portage Awareness Workshops and Portage Training.

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Main contact: Melanie Warren - Portage Strategic Co-ordinator Telephone number: 01603 704049 Mobile: 07717 224776 Email: melanie.warren@norfolk.gov.uk Address: Sensory Support Centre Other staff contacts: Helen Hall, Portage Secretary helen.hall2@norfolk.gov.uk Local Offer Website Norfolk Local Offer page Service Information Leaflets Norfolk Portage Service Leaflet Norfolk Portage Service is managed and funded by Education Inclusion Children's Services, Norfolk County Council.

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Early Support: Information about speech, language and communication needs for children with SEND

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Early Support: Information about speech, language and communication needs for children with SEND

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Early Support is a way of working, underpinned by 10 principles that aim to improve the delivery of services for disabled children, young people and their families. It enables services to coordinate their activity better and provide families with a single point of contact and continuity through key working.

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ECFS referral forms and details of interventions that families can be referred in for. The programme of activities is regularly updated.

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Supporting documents

Norfolk Threshold Guide

Use the Norfolk Threshold Guide if you are unsure which service you should refer a family to.

Early Childhood and Family Service (ECFS) forms

Signs of Safety Model - tools and resources

You should use the Signs of Safety model during the family support process. You can record what the child or young person wants, by using Voice of the Child documents.

Frequently asked questions

Groups and organisations that might help you

Supporting legislation and policies

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use resources for family support professionals

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Use the Norfolk Threshold Guide if you are unsure which service you should refer a family to. You should use the Signs of Safety model during the family support process. You can record what the child or young person wants, by using Voice of the Child documents.

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Contact details for eating and drinking referrals.

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Here at Just One Norfolk, we are dedicated to providing children and young people's health services to the community. Find out more about our services

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Fluency, stammering - links to downable guidance for EY settings, teachers and families 

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Fluency, stammering - links to downable guidance for EY settings, teachers and families 

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Videos, advice and downloadable guidance sheets for EY settings, teachers and families.

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Advice For Younger Children Advice For Older Children My Stammering Tap Video Michael Palin Centre Video Tips For Teachers Video

Advice For Younger Children

There are many ways to help a young child who stammers including:

Learning about stammering so that it feels less worrying.

Keeping your child chatting and developing their language and communication skills, whether they are stammering or not.

Learning about what you can do at home to help.

Exploring therapy options, including approaches that are specifically designed for pre-school children who stammer.

Advice For Older Children

There are many ways to help a young person who stammers including:

Learning about stammering

Supporting them to develop confidence speaking

Supporting the to increase their self-esteem

Meeting other people who stammer

Talking to family and teachers so they can offer support.

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Advice For Younger Children Advice For Older Children My Stammering Tap Video Michael Palin Centre Video Tips For Teachers Video There are many ways to help a young child who stammers including: Learning about stammering so that it feels less worrying. Keeping your child chatting and developing their language and communication skills, whether they are stammering or not.

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Information about Norfolk's Specialist Resource Bases for SLCN, referral criteria and details of the SLCN outreach offer.

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Specialist Resource Bases are additionally funded provisions within a maintained mainstream school/academy that have reduced class sizes, additional staffing, tailored environments and access to additional resources and expertise.

They are funded from Norfolk's High Needs Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant. They are registered SEN units that form a constituent part of the school/academy.

There are five distinct specialisms within the programme catering for different areas of need with different operating models:

Autism bases

Deaf bases

Learning and Cognition Needs (LCN) bases

Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) bases

Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) bases

All individual bases form part of the Specialist Resource Base programme in Norfolk and are a key component of Norfolk's SEND Local Offer and of mainstream inclusion support to children, families and the school system.

Autism and Deaf Resource bases offer long term permanent places whereby children join the roll of the school that the base is part of. These provisions will be accessed via county admissions processes, with the local authority retaining the placement decision-making responsibility.

Learning and Cognition Needs (LCN) and Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) bases offer short term support whereby children remain on the roll of the home school and attend the SRB on a four day SRB, one day home school model. Placements will also be accessed via the county admissions process, with a panel of relevant professionals having delegated decision-making responsibility.

LCN outreach support to primary phase in home school, whole schools and cluster development.

SLCN outreach support to primary phase in home school, whole school and cluster development.

Social, Emotional and Mental Health bases (SEMH) offer full time 5 day placements in the first term initially on a up to four term cycle. Full details regarding changes to the operating model are available in MI Sheet 133/21.

Leaflets for professionals detailing each specialism's offer are available to download from this page.

Dyslexia Outreach Service provides a wide range of services including pupil support plans, diagnostic assessments, exam access arrangements, training and development opportunities.

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about the specialist resource bases programme

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About the Specialist Resource Bases programme

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Specialist Resource Bases are additionally funded provisions within a maintained mainstream school/academy that have reduced class sizes, additional staffing, tailored environments and access to additional resources and expertise. They are funded from Norfolk's High Needs Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant. They are registered SEN units that form a constituent part of the school/academy.

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Stammering - A Guide For Early Years Settings 

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Stammering - A Guide For Early Years Settings 

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A guide for settings from Norfolk and Waveney Children and Young People's services

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Speech link provide SCLN support packages for schools

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Speech Link and Language Link empower SENCos, teachers and TAs in their work with SLCN and indicate the need for further support for the child where required. We do this through screening, intervention, staff training and support which are all included in one yearly subscription.

Schools can book a FREE, no obligation trial of our award winning speech and language support packages.
Download an overview of our packages.

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Speech and Language Link - support for SLCN

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Speech and Language Assessment, Interventions, Screening and Support from Reception to KS3. Empowering teachers to target help where it is needed for SLCN

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Based in Norwich, The Wensum Trust English Hub is one of 34 English Hubs nationwide. Funded by the Department for Education, the hubs support other schools to achieve excellence in teaching reading and early language development.

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The Wensum English Hub is located at Heather Avenue Infant School, part of The Wensum Trust, and is one of 34 English Hubs nationwide. Funded by the Department for Education, we support other schools in the county to achieve excellence in teaching reading and early language development.

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The Wensum English Hub is located at Heather Avenue Infant School, part of The Wensum Trust, and is one of 34 English Hubs nationwide. Funded by the Department for Education, we support other schools in the county to achieve excellence in teaching reading and early language development.

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Norfolk Early Years Inclusion SEND Training 

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Norfolk Early Years Inclusion SEND Training 

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The Norfolk Early Years training brochures including training in themes supporting SLC such as Autism, Signalong, EAL. Updated termly, booking details included.

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The brochures below include early years and childcare courses taking place during autumn 2023. Further dates and titles will be added to these brochures throughout the term. Please refer to the Mailing List section below to ensure you are subscribed to receive emails when we add new training opportunities.

The majority of courses will take place online using Zoom or Teams, however, some courses are scheduled to take place face to face. Please check the venue details for each course carefully before you apply.

Settings can apply for multiple places per course, however, a maximum of 4 spaces* per setting will be allocated initially to ensure fairness of opportunity. Additional members of staff will be added to a waiting list and allocated a place should the course have spaces prior to the start date.

*1 space per setting for Signalong Introduction and Signalong Routines workshops due to reduced training group size.

EYFS Training Brochure Autumn 2023

Health and Safety Training Brochure Autumn 2023

Inclusion/SEND Training Brochure Autumn 2023

Leadership and Management Training Brochure Autumn 2023
Safeguarding Training Brochure Autumn 2023
Early Years and Childcare Training Summer 2023

EYFS Practice Training Brochure Summer 2023

Health and Safety Training Brochure Summer 2023

Inclusion/SEND Training Brochure Summer 2023

Leadership and Management Training Brochure Summer 2023

Safeguarding Training Brochure Summer 2023

First Aid Training

12 Hour Paediatric First Aid courses are available to book with Norfolk Adult Learning. Please type 'Level 3 paediatric first aid' into the search bar on the site for a list of courses in Norfolk this term.

If you are unable to book with Norfolk Adult Learning please email earlyyearschildcare@norfolk.gov.uk for advice on your options.

Applications for training must be made at least 24 hours** prior to the course start date. We are unable to accept bookings after this time. If the course is taking place on a Monday we would need you to apply by the morning of the Friday before in order for your booking to be processed.

Joining instructions are emailed 3 days prior to the start of the course (unless you have applied late, then you will receive them 24 hours in advance of the start of the course).

If you are booked on to a course please ensure you have the joining instructions 24 hours in advance of the course so there is time to contact us if there are any issues.

**48 hours for courses in the Safeguarding Training brochure.

If you would like to be kept up to date with future training opportunities and early years developments, please subscribe to our email newsletter service

FAQs
How do I pay for training?
If there is a charge for your course, your setting will be invoiced after the training takes place - usually towards the end of each half term period. You must pay promptly to avoid your future training applications being affected.
What happens after I've applied?
We will email you regarding your training application within 24 hours (during business hours, Monday-Friday). If you fail to receive any communication from us during this time frame you will need to contact us to check on the status of your application, in order to avoid any unnecessary non-attendance fees. It is the responsibility of the setting to check on the progress of applications if you fail to receive anything from us.
What should I do if I cannot attend a course?
If you are unable to attend a course you must email your name, setting and details of the course you're cancelling your place on to earlyyearschildcare@norfolk.gov.uk

You will receive an email acknowledgement confirming the cancellation.
*We do not accept cancellations by phone* Cancellation and Non-Attendance Charges:

Cancelled place more than 24 hours' notice - No charge

Cancelled place less than 24 hours' notice - Cost of the place

No notice, didn't turn up or didn't fully complete a course with advertised costs - Cost of the place

When will I get my certificate?
If there is no charge for the training, certificates are issued after the training has taken place and will be emailed to you. If there is a charge, certificates are issued after the invoice has been paid (invoices are sent towards the end of each half term period).

If you did not find what you were looking for please contact the Early Years Learning & Achievement Service by email earlyyearschildcare@norfolk.gov.uk , alternatively call 01603 222300

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This page from Just one Norfolk provides information on communication development from pregnancy.

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Just One Norfolk has been created by Norfolk & Waveney Children & Young People's Services which is provided by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust. This service is commissioned by Norfolk County Council.

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talking playing communication help my child doesnt talk how to play what can i do talking to my baby

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sppech communication quiz my child is behind what can i do

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Here at Just One Norfolk, we are dedicated to providing children and young people’s health services to the community. Find out more about our services

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Every child a talker [ECAT] Practitioner Guidance

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Every child a talker [ECAT] Practitioner Guidance

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Materials designed to support your development as a practitioner and develop high quality language provision in your setting

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Free Online Communication Champion Training (designed by ICAN/The Communication Trust) 

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Free Online Communication Champion Training (designed by ICAN/The Communication Trust) 

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Practitioners can complete both the Core and Leadership/Intermediate modules at their own pace.

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These mini coaching sessions are designed to help you take action to implement what you have learnt, either in the core set of modules or in the intermediate set of modules.

You should attend these sessions only if you have completed at least one module in the block of training modules you plan to complete.

The online sessions are available on a first come first served basis on dates before the end of the term. The sessions will last 90 minutes.

Click the link below to book your place on one of these follow up sessions.
Thursday 9th July for the training core Tuesday 18th August for the training intermediate
Places are limited to 15 people per session, so please be sure to book now, and to notify the event organiser if you are later unable to attend so that your place may be allocated to someone on the waiting list. Note that sessions will need a minimum of 7 participants to go ahead.

If you have any trouble booking onto the link, please contact info@ican.org.uk

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These mini coaching sessions are designed to help you take action to implement what you have learnt, either in the core set of modules or in the intermediate set of modules. You should attend these sessions only if you have completed at least one module in the block of training modules you plan to complete.

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Kirstie Page SLC Consultant resources & recordings

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Kirstie Page SLC Consultant resources & recordings

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The Early Years TV interviews offer great advice with clear and consistent messages about EY's SLC provision. They can be accessed free of charge here, without the need to subscribe.

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An Introduction to speech, language and communication

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Launchpad for Literacy: Pennywell Early Years Centre case study

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Launchpad for Literacy: Pennywell Early Years Centre case study

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Claire Nicholson from Pennywell EYC uses Launchpad to drive and support their Curriculum, ensuring speech, language and communication are at the heart of everything Pennywell do.

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Claire Nicholson from Pennywell EYC uses Launchpad to drive and support their Curriculum, ensuring speech, language and communication are at the heart of everything Pennywell do.

View Claire's PDFs:
Claire Nicholson, Pennywell EYC

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Claire Nicholson from Pennywell EYC uses Launchpad to drive and support their Curriculum, ensuring speech, language and communication are at the heart of everything Pennywell do. View Claire's PDFs: Claire Nicholson, Pennywell EYC

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Launchpad for Literacy: New Beginnings Nursery case study

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Launchpad for Literacy: New Beginnings Nursery case study

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'Implementing the approach has involved leadership whilst also involving the team with reflecting on and improving practice through team discussion and training days. We are now in the process of embedding the approach'.

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New Beginnings Nursery is based in a deprived area of Sunderland. The majority of places are Government funded (2 year-old free education) in addition to a high Pupil Premium percentage. The majority of children enter nursery with some speech, language and communication delay. This has become an inc…

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Elklan website for practitioners that may want to purchase individual or whole setting training – accredited and non-accredited options

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Elklan Training Limited | Elklan Training Limited

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The Hanen approach - 'Helping you help children to communicate'. Resources, articles and training opportunities to help parents and professionals develop communication and social interaction skills of young children, based on research. Useful resources relating to Autism can be found here.

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Featured Article

Light Up Your Child's Brain with Books!

As children head back to school, many parents wonder what they can do to help their child succeed in the classroom. Well, there's one simple activity that can make a huge difference - enjoy books together! Here are some tips for reading with your child that can lay the foundation for language and literacy success.
Continue Reading
Tips

Language and Literacy-Building Tips

Book Nook

Introducing Rare Vocabulary with Mama Built a Little Nest

Helping a child understand less commonly used words will have a big impact on their reading and writing abilities later on. In this Book Nook, we share some helpful strategies to introduce rare words to children and to ensure they really understand them.
Continue Reading
The Hanen Newsletter

Sign up for The Hanen Newsletter and get the latest articles, biggest news and most helpful tips every month - all chosen especially for you.

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The Hanen Centre | Speech and Language Development for Children

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As children head back to school, many parents wonder what they can do to help their child succeed in the classroom. Well, there's one simple activity that can make a huge difference - enjoy books together! Here are some tips for reading with your child that can lay the foundation for language and literacy success.

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Free introductory courses which offer simple strategies to use in your setting/classroom. These can be accessed as pre-recorded videos.

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We're pleased to be able to provide a range of short, free introductory courses which will offer you with some simple strategies to use within the classroom. These can be accessed either by booking onto a live training session or by watching the pre-recorded sessions below.

We would like to support as many schools and settings as possible, so each course will be run twice a month (virtually at present). All courses are also available as a recorded session below. You can access in your own time if the live training is not convenient or you want to recap information and strategies.

We have a range of resources online that link to these training sessions to offer further information and ideas.

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speech language therapy talking talk problems issues play salt communication support supporting cleft lip palate hearing loss stammer stutter stuttering development social worried child early years school eating drinking sound

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We're pleased to be able to provide a range of short, free introductory courses which will offer you with some simple strategies to use within the classroom. These can be accessed either by booking onto a live training session or by watching the pre-recorded sessions below.

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Practical Help with Autism | Gina Davies Autism Centre

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Gina Davies Autism Centre, our role is to provide

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Virtual School Sensory Support are offering a virtual training session via TEAMS, free of charge, to ensure that people working with children have a basic understanding of glue ear, its prevalence and impact. Giving ideas on how to create a deaf friendly environment and strategies to support children with glue ear.

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Glue Ear Training | Norfolk Services for Schools

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Glue ear refers to a build-up of fluid in the middle ear section (behind the ear drum). This can result in a temporary hearing loss. Glue ear affects up to 20% of pre-school and reception aged

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This summit was held in May 2022. Recordings of presentations from a range of EY experts are still available to purchase through this link.

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The FREE Early Years Summit on Speech, Language and Communication

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Free online CPD for Early Years Practitioners - runs from Monday 29th May to Sunday 4th June 2023 with interviews with leading experts on Speech, Language and Communication in the Early Years. Featuring Sally Haughey, Alistair Bryce-Clegg, Prof Sam Wass, Dr Lucretia Berry & Dr Tehlia Glass, Molly Po…

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Words for life - National Literacy Trust 

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Words for life - National Literacy Trust 

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Family support section with resources, videos and activity ideas. Families can also sign up to a Newsletter to access updates.

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Words for Life | National Literacy Trust

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Activities and support for parents, children and young people to improve language, literacy and communication skills from home.

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Tips for talking to your baby and young child

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Tips for talking to your baby and young child

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Tips and benefits, taken from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

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You don't need to be an expert to help your child develop good communication skills. All you need is a listening ear and the willingness to chat to your child whenever you can.

Here are some top tips and benefits of talking with your baby and young child.

Top tips for talking with your child

1. Talk to your child when you're playing together.

2. Get into their zone and talk about what they are looking at or playing with - they will learn language faster that way.

3. Have fun with nursery rhymes and songs, especially those with actions.

4. Encourage your child to listen to different sounds, such as cars and animals. This will help your child's listening skills.

5. Gain your child's attention when you want to talk.

6. Increase vocabulary by giving choices, e.g. "Do you want juice or milk?"

7. Talk about things as they happen, e.g. when you're both unpacking the shopping.

8. Listen carefully and give your child time to finish talking. Take turns to speak.

9. Always respond in some way when your child says something.

10. Help your child to use more words by adding to what they've said, e.g. if they said "ball" you might say, "Yes, it is a big, red ball."

11. If your child says something incorrectly, say it back the right way, e.g. "Goggy bited it." "Yes, the dog bit it, didn't he?"

12. Try and have special time with your child each day to play with toys and picture books.

13. Limit TV time. Try to watch TV together so you can talk about what happens.

Talking to your baby matters
Here are some of the benefits:

1. It will help your child learn to talk, as it is from listening to your voice that babies learn to use language.

2. It will stimulate your baby's brain, helping to strengthen the connections that make learning possible.

3. It will help your child become a good reader and writer, because language skills form the foundation for literacy.

4. It will help your child develop social skills and good relationships.

5. It will show that you love and respect your child, enhancing self-esteem.

6. It will help the two of you form a close bond - communication is the basis of your relationship with each other.

Content was originally developed for Talk To Your Baby, drawing on research from the leaflet, Help Your Child Talk by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

For more information

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Tips for talking to your baby and young child | National Literacy Trust

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You don't need to be an expert to help your child develop good communication skills. All you need is a listening ear and the willingness to chat to your child whenever you can. Here are some top tips and benefits of talking with your baby and young child.

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Top tips for supporting communication with under 2's

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Top tips for supporting communication with under 2's

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Downloadable poster available here too

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Interacting through sharing books from when babies are very young is a fantastic way to support their communication development. Talking about the pictures in the book, relating the story to the child's everyday experiences, and letting the child hear spoken words with varying rhyme and rhythm all help to build their understanding of language.

Share with parents the importance of looking at books together with their baby. There are a wide range of books for under twos that you may have in your setting and can encourage parents to share with their baby, such as touch and feel books, black and white books, books with sound, or lift the flap books.

Remember the five top tips when sharing books with babies and toddlers, as well as during other everyday activities and interactions.

These five top tips are taken from our brand new early years programme, First Words Together. Find out more here: First Words Together resources

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Five top tips for supporting communication in under twos | National Literacy Trust

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Interacting through sharing books from when babies are very young is a fantastic way to support their communication development. Talking about the pictures in the book, relating the story to the child's everyday experiences, and letting the child hear spoken words with varying rhyme and rhythm all help to build their understanding of language.

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Support for families of children with neurodevelopmental differences/ additional needs in Norfolk leaflet 

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Support for families of children with neurodevelopmental differences/ additional needs in Norfolk leaflet 

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Supporting communication and language at home

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Supporting communication and language at home

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NOA School Readiness Activity Videos (in collaboration with the Library Service and Family Learning). Top 10 free/low cost activities to support Communication and Language at home.

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NOA School Readiness Communication and Language

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50 Things to do in Norfolk with Under 5's

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50 Things to do in Norfolk with Under 5's

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Ideas for practical activities to support early language with the under 5's in Norfolk

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A safe, friendly, supported community for all things Speech & Language. Follow on social media, use & buy resources - lots to support an early and gentle approach to speech and language support.

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Team LOCSALT — Little Orchard Children, Speech & Language Therapy

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Early Years Speech & Language academy full to the brim with training, advice and support from a very passionate and experienced, award winning Speech & Language Therapist PLUS some fantastic guest experts

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How to stop asking toddlers silly questions

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How to Stop Asking Toddlers Silly Questions | Famly

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How Is My Child Doing? (justonenorfolk.nhs.uk)

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If your child attends an early years or school setting you can speak to their key worker or teacher about your concerns. They will be able to do a mini assessment to work out what is best for your child and give you some advice.

You can also call Just One Number on 0300 300 0123 to speak about your concerns. The team will be able to discuss this with you and give you some advice.

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If your child attends an early years or school setting you can speak to their key worker or teacher about your concerns. They will be able to do a mini assessment to work out what is best for your child and give you some advice.

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Famly article: Breaking the code of baby babble

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Famly article: Breaking the code of baby babble

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Dr Jenny Saffran explains why babies babble and how to make language-learning a personal, meaningful experience. It can be as simple as talking about the things that interest your babbling babies!

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Here’s how to tell your googoos from your gagas. | Famly

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Useful links and advice for families and carers, including speech and language milestones, a communications quiz and plenty of ideas for talk and play.

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Talk and play all through the day - speech and language advice for you and your child

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Norfolk Family Information Service (FIS) is part of Children's Services at Norfolk County Council. Providing free advice, guidance, support and information to families with children age 0-19 (0-25 with a disability) on childcare. FIS can signpost to other support services for issues that affect family well-being.

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Norfolk County Council Family Information Service

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Norfolk County Council Family Information Service, Norwich, Norfolk. 7,795 likes · 61 talking about this. For information about early education and childcare, please visit...

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Links to this parent/carer area with helpful videos for supporting attention and listening skills at home.

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Welcome to the Parent Portal, our award-winning speech and language support website for parents, carers and families.

At Speech and Language Link, we understand that supporting your child's language learning, alongside everything else that life demands from you, can be challenging. The Parent Portal provides ideas and advice, information and activities for developing your child's understanding, talking and listening in a way that works for all of your family.

How to use the site? Visit the development tab to help you work out what the next steps are for your child's learning and then go to the stage-appropriate activities section. You don't always need to create a special time for working on listening and talking, use our everyday activities turn many routine tasks into support activities.

Our speech and language therapists have devised support videos for you. Check out the 'Can I have your attention please?' series to help get your child in the right frame of mind for learning and access super fun games and ideas to encourage a range of language skills.

Our activities are designed to fit around normal family life and by implementing some of them every day you can make a real difference to your child's language development.

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Supporting Parents and Carers who support children with SLCN - Speech and Language resources, information and activities

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Tiny Happy People - Your words build their world

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Tiny Happy People - Your words build their world

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Child development and parenting advice.

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Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child's language skills. Explore our simple activities and play ideas and find out about babies and toddlers' amazing early development.

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Children’s language development and parenting advice - BBC Tiny Happy People

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A chatty child is a happy child, so Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child’s communication skills through simple interaction and play.

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ICAN resources for parents, including FAQs, milestone resources and a link to a free enquiry service.

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Welcome to I CAN's Talking Point for parents

This gives parents/carers the information they need to help children develop their speech, language and communication skills.

If a child has difficulty understanding language or speaking, they may struggle in nursery or school. If the problem persists they might require support, but with the right help, they can develop the skills they need.

I CAN has developed a range of resources and factsheets to help children with speech, language and communication needs.

Got a question you'd like to discuss with an I CAN speech and language advisor? Book a call with our free enquiry service.

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Welcome to I CAN's Talking Point for parents This gives parents/carers the information they need to help children develop their speech, language and communication skills. If a child has difficulty understanding language or speaking, they may struggle in nursery or school.

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Home learning - talk and play every day 

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Home learning - talk and play every day 

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Links to wonderful home learning ideas, using simple inexpensive resources, to support early language development.

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Find out what home learning is, and how parents can improve their child's learning between the ages of 0-5s. Ideas for fun activities that you can do together at home.

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Frequently asked questions and answers - Speech and Language development 

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Frequently asked questions and answers - Speech and Language development 

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If you could ask a Speech and Language Therapist anything about your child’s development, what would you ask?  This page links to a list of questions asked by parents and answers from Speech and Language Therapists.

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We asked this question over on our Instagram page and received an overwhelming amount of responses, which we have answered below.

All of the answers were provided by Speech and Language Therapists Janet Cooper and Monal Gajjar.

It's completely natural to worry about your child's language development and we hope the answers below help with your queries and ease your worries.

The easiest sounds for children to learn are the lips together sounds like 'p', 'b' and 'm.'

These might be followed by sounds made with your tongue at the front of the mouth like 'n', 's', 't' and 'd.'

Sounds that are further back in the mouth, 'k' and 'g', or need more complicated movements like 'ch', 'j' and 'sh', often come much later on.

First, when you're playing together or sharing books together, try not to ask questions. When we ask 'what's that?', children can feel tested, so it's more helpful just to point to and name things. Or even better, see what your child is most interested in and name that.

When you're tuned in to the words your child most wants to say, then learn the Makaton signs for those things, and use them regularly. Makaton signs are also great to use when singing songs, which helps develop early communication skills.

Lastly, have fun playing with animal noises, transport noises, making sounds like 'mmm', 'yuck!' with pretend food. Lots of sound play helps develop early words in a fun way!

All of the research actually suggests the opposite, that using baby sign language, or other signing systems, such as Makaton, actually helps children learn to talk.

The signs give children something visual, and physical, to link to the word. This helps them remember it more easily.

We often use gestures to help us remember the word we're thinking of (when it's on the tip of our tongue), and children do the same!

Always say the words when you do the signs with your child, and they will also do the same. Get signing!

When children are first born their brain is not fully developed. Every experience helps make new brain connections that will shape the way they develop. They need lots of opportunities to practise and learn skills both for walking and talking.

If your child has started making progress in both at the same time, they have probably made these early brain connections through the opportunities you have provided. Carry on offering them experiences to keep this up.

This is very commonly experienced by parents who have a second child. Firstly, because they have an older child to compare the second child with, but also more commonly we often see the younger sibling getting fewer opportunities to use their communication skills.

We would suggest you set aside some time every day with your younger child, where they can have your undivided attention and don't have to compete to speak.

During this time, follow their lead and comment on what they're doing. Play games where they can be in charge, for example when blowing bubbles, you are only allowed to blow the bubbles when they say 'go'.

If they say words that are not clear, the best way to help is to repeat what they have said using the right words and sounds. There is no need to ask them to say it again.

Also, remember every child develops differently and this is ok.

Using dummies occasionally in the first year is unlikely to cause any long term impact on speech, but if dummy use persists or if it is used a lot it can affect the way the sounds at the front of the mouth, like 't' and 'd', are made. Children will often swap these for back sounds like 'k' and 'g'.

Children who use dummies (and bottles) a lot after 12 months may also be more 'dribbly', have more chance of getting ear infections which will affect speech and may have slushy speech - particularly the 's' sound. Best to use it only if it is really needed and aim to be gone by one.

Find out more about when babies should lose the dummy and how do I wean them off it .

Screen time has its place but it needs to be balanced with real-life opportunities and experiences.

Make sure your child is getting lots of active time and the chance to interact positively with real people face to face. There are lots of activities on this website that will keep them occupied if you need some inspiration!

Janet provides lots of advice on dealing with screen time in this article .

Dribbling is usually linked to an open mouth posture and can be for a range of reasons.

It might be through regular use of dummies and bottles. If so try to remove them completely in the next few weeks. It may be due to mouth breathing through having a blocked nose, enlarged tonsils, cold or infection. If this is the case and it is persisting seek advice from your GP.

It may also be where the teeth don't meet properly and this leaves a gap for the dribble to come out of. Your dentist will be able to advise on this.

In the meantime try to encourage them to gently wipe their chin if it gets wet to avoid soreness and encourage them to close their lips if they're holding their mouth open.

Lots of children repeat sounds or hesitate over their speech while they are learning to talk and this can be part of a normal 'non-fluent' phase.

Usually, this improves as they become better at talking and can think of the sentences they want to say. Keep calm, try not to bombard them with questions and slow your own rate of talking down a little to show you are listening and interested in what they are saying.

Keep an eye on how this develops and if it persists into school age you might want to seek advice from your local Speech and Language Therapy service.

We've got a whole guide on helping your child with their stammer right here .

Selective mutism is anxiety around talking. Very often children are capable of talking but go into a 'fight or flight' feeling when in a speaking environment outside their trusted circle. This can often lead to total silence and the more pressure you put on them to talk, the more anxiety builds up.

The main thing is to build trust and confidence and put no pressure on speaking. Do as much as you can to help them feel relaxed and give them opportunities to join in non-verbally (without needing to speak).

You might want to gradually introduce new people outside of the family circle into games and situations where there is no pressure on speaking.

In short - no! We would generally only consider working on a lisp if the child is so aware of it that it affects their confidence, or if it causes their clarity of speech to be affected.

Did you know, the 's' sound is one of the later sounds that children learn to use - so how old they are when considering whether to try to correct a lisp is also a factor.

If you are still concerned, here's a quick tip to teach them how to make the 's' sound: Sit in front of the mirror with your child and show them all the different parts of the mouth that we use to make sounds - lips, tongue, top teeth, bottom teeth, top of the mouth, back of the mouth.

Tell them: "There is a very special sound that likes you to smile when you say it. Keep the tip of your tongue behind your top teeth, smile and make the sound. Remember, to say this special sound we don't want to see Mr tongue. He has to stay hidden behind our teeth".

Tongue ties present differently in each child. Not all children with tongue ties have speech difficulties.

Generally, if your child has had or is having difficulty with feeding due to their tongue-tie, then intervention to release the tie would be advised. Your health visitor or GP will be able to guide you with this.

In many cases, as children grow with their tongue ties, their mouths very easily adapt and they have no problem with speech sounds.

We do need to use the tip of our tongue to make certain speech sounds, like 't', 'd', 's' 'sh' 'th' 'l' - so if your child is not able to make these sounds, and you are sure they should be at the age they are, have a look to see if they are having difficulty raising their tongue tip to make these sounds.

You may also notice that they have difficulty chewing or eating certain types of food, find it hard to lick an ice cream and can be messy eaters. If this is the case, ask to be referred to an SLT so they can take a look and provide the right advice.

If you are following all of these bits of advice and your child is still not progressing, you may need a referral to a speech and language therapist. Most speech and language therapy departments can be accessed via your local NHS service. You can often make the referral yourself, but it is always good to check first with your child's health professional, GP or nursery practitioner.

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We answered your questions on speech and language development

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What is language development? What are language development milestones for babies and toddlers? Find answers to some questions you might have about your child's language and communication development. From dealing with stammers and lisps to baby sign language. We have all the answers here.

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Public Health England, Best start in speech, language and communication: supporting evidence

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Public Health England, Best start in speech, language and communication: supporting evidence