Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners

Every Child a Talker: Guidance for early language lead practitioners

Second instalment: Spring 2009

Second instalment: Spring 2009

First published in 2009 Ref: 00044-2009DOM-EN Disclaimer The Department for Children, Schools and Families wishes to make it clear that the Department and its agents accept no responsibility for the actual content of any materials suggested as information sources in this publication, whether these are in the form of printed publications or on a website. In these materials icons, logos, software products and websites are used for contextual and practical reasons. Their use should not be interpreted as an endorsement of particular companies or their products. The websites referred to in these materials existed at the time of going to print. Please check all website references carefully to see if they have changed and substitute other references where appropriate. HERTFORD 01-2009 OFFSET LTD The National Strategies | Early Years 1 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

Examples of language-focused activities In the following pages of this guidance you will find some examples of specific language activities that will support language learning. These examples are appropriate for use in adult-led activities with small groups of children, most of whom will be three years of age or over. The activities are designed around the four themes of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and are intended to complement the rich language provision that has now been established in your setting.

Why do specific activities? Every Child a Talker (ECAT) settings will already be providing a range of activities and experiences that will enhance children’s language skills. However, you may well have noticed through your observation and monitoring that some children choose not to access these opportunities and some activities do not provide children with enough exposure to adult language that supports their developing language skills. For example, adult language that focuses on controlling behaviour or organising activities is associated with restricted and less complex language use by the children. Importantly, relatively large doses of high-quality language input are required to accelerate language development in early years settings. Good oral language input is particularly important for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is therefore important to ensure that all children have regular access to experiences where the focus is planned specifically to develop their oral language. The activities described on the following pages fulfil that purpose. They should be enjoyable and age-appropriate and include games, story activities and discussions. The most important thing is the nature of the adult’s talk. Talk should be child- centred (about what a child is doing), semantically contingent (repeating the content of what the child has said) and embedded in familiar interactive routines or scripts. Your early language consultant (ELC) will help you to plan and organise these activities so that they provide the maximum benefit to the children who need it most. At the end of this section there are some examples of dialogic book reading. This is a way of sharing books which really helps children to develop their language, particularly to learn new vocabulary and to support language for thinking. Two books have been selected and in the examples you will see how to use them to implement dialogic book reading. Your ELC will help you to develop dialogic book reading in your setting, using the books you already have and which the children really will enjoy.

The National Strategies | Early Years 3 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

listening to others and sharing ideas to listening tasks negotiating with others play cooperative practising turn-taking with peers and adults. the ability converse to developing

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t t Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning Develop children’s own ideas and build on their imaginations. ideas and build on their imaginations. own children’s Develop Provide props and costumes linked to particular themes and interests. particular linked to and costumes props themes and interests. Provide Role-play provides opportunities to extend children’s experiences and vocabulary, and and vocabulary, experiences Role-play opportunities provides extend children’s to Creating the language-learning environment – Role-play the language-learning Creating environment Rotate the themes regularly to keep in tune with children’s interests and enthusiasms. interests keep in tune with children’s to the themes regularly Rotate to develop their use of imagination and the ability to translate ideas into oral language. oral ideas into and the ability translate to their use of imagination develop to

Choose a theme that is inspired by the children’s interests, the time of year or a current event. event. or a current the time of year interests, the children’s by is inspired Choose a theme that Why? Why? Before you introduce the themes, read stories related to them and provide acting-out them and provide to opportunities related stories read the themes, introduce you Before supported by an adult participating in the role-play. You can facilitate play by joining in and modelling by play can facilitate You supported an adult participating by in the role-play. request items from another child. These activities can take place indoors and outdoors, for example going to a farm or going camping. going to example for activitiesThese indoors and outdoors, can take place another child. from items request appropriate language and story scripts. Allow the children to use the props to be creative. Support language development by listening, Support listening, by language development be creative. to use the props to language and story the children Allow appropriate scripts. asking open-ended questions, recasting and expanding utterances, providing contrastive feedback to children and redirecting a child to a child to and redirecting children to feedback contrastive providing asking utterances, and expanding open-ended recasting questions, contributes to activities to contributes engages in problem-solving imaginary scenarios creates ideas. their own develops

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The National Strategies | Early Years 5 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

When do you go shopping? ’ When do you listening and valuing contributions and valuing listening extending descriptions making experiences links between ideas and explanations. developing

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t What do you think she’ll do next? ’, think she’ll What do you ‘ children describe each picture. describe each picture. children Enabling Environments them to talk to each other as well as to the puppet. as to each other as well talk to them to Learning and Development and Development Learning

Narrative talk provides children with the skills to recount events and draw links between dierent dierent links between and draw events with the skills children recount to talk provides Narrative Creating the language-learning environment – What’s happening? What’s – the language-learningCreating environment Why? their own personal narratives. Oral narratives provide children with the tools to develop written narratives. written develop to with the tools children provide narratives Oral personal narratives. their own activities. As children develop their vocabularies and extend the sentences they produce, they begin to create create to they begin they produce, and extend the sentences their vocabularies develop children activities. As As you show the rst picture, ask the children: ‘ What’, is happening here? ask the children: the rst picture, show you As ‘ You can support the description by asking questions and developing links between the children’s own experiences and the pictures. experiences own can support asking the description the children’s by links between questions and developing You the doctor. Choose pictures that can be linked together to tell a story – three pictures is a good starting number. In small groups let the In small groups a story tell pictures to is a good starting can be linked together Choose pictures– three that number. the doctor. It might seem a little dicult at rst, but once the children are used to the task, conversation will ow more easily and you can encourage can encourage easily and you more will ow the task, used to conversation are the children It but once rst, seem a little dicult at might provides descriptions of their views of events descriptions of their views provides events links between explains stories retells support language to develops events links between builds an understanding of the needs listeners. For example, you might choose three pictures about going to the shops: leaving the house with a bag, being at the shop and then paying. being at the house with a bag, the shops: leaving pictures about going to choose three might you example, For a second hidden for later – so there is a reason to retell the story. Make sure that you encourage all children to take part to all children in the conversation. encourage you that Make sure the story. retell to is a reason – so there later hidden for a second Collect a series of pictures that represent activities and experiences that are familiar for the children, for example going to the shops, visiting the shops, going to example for the children, familiar for activities are that and experiences Collect a series represent of pictures that The activity can also be made into a game by introducing puppets or stued animals. One puppet could be introduced at the beginning and the beginning at be introduced One puppet could animals. puppets or stued activity introducing The a game by can also be made into

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The National Strategies | Early Years 7 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

listening to children’s ideas and suggestions children’s to listening time and opportunitiesproviding discuss characteristics to discussing similarities and di erences.

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t non-ction writing. Can the others guess what the objects the others guess what Can are? Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning Expository talk is the use of language to describe, explain or provide information. It involves It information. involves Expository or provide explain describe, talk is the use of language to

Fill a bag with di erent interesting toys such as animals, vehicles or fruit. Get the children to to Get or fruit. the children vehicles such as animals, toys interesting a bag with di erent Fill Creating the language-learning environment – What does it What look the language-learninglike? Creating – environment Why? precise use of language and is important for children’s development of factual language, and later for for of factual and later language, development use of language and is important children’s precise for help you and let them decide which sets of objects they would like to collect. Keep to the same class of collect. and let them decide which sets of objects Keep to like to help you they would objects. In small groups give each child an opportunity give objects. In pick an object small groups to the out of the bag and describe it to ask them to nd six objects to put in the compartments. Then they close the lid and describe their choices to the rest of the group. the rest to they close the lid and describe their choices Then nd six objectsask them to put in the compartments. to group. When each child has an object, ask the children for as many di erences and similarities objects. two as they can think of between di erences as many each child has an object,for When ask the children group. describes an object listing characteristics and features alike or di erent things are two how explains problems. solutions to provides You can facilitate by asking open-ended questions and highlighting contrasts. A variation on the game is to give each child an egg box and each child an egg box give asking on the game is to A variation by can facilitate open-ended contrasts. questions and highlighting You

who is valued and listened to: and listened who is valued A Unique Child t t t

The National Strategies | Early Years 9 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

listening to others and sharing ideas to listening taking turns games cooperatively playing and feelings. views respecting di erent

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t Action and object games Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning to describe how di erent weather makes them feel inside. makes them feel weather di erent describe how to Creating the language-learning environment – the language-learningCreating environment

These games o er opportunities to develop vocabulary, support children’s ability describe activities to support opportunities vocabulary, children’s games o er develop These to . in picture form object words the targeted Introduce responses. and extend the children’s sca old to and action words, you can develop vocabulary to support children’s interests. Provide additional prompts additional prompts Provide interests. vocabulary support can develop to you children’s and action words, and events and express their feelings, and provide the basis for developing later reading comprehension. comprehension. reading later developing the basis for and provide their feelings, and express and events Using games such as ‘Simon Says’, and activities, for example about the weather, to introduce object words object words introduce to about the weather, example and activities, for ‘Simon Says’, games such as Using Why? for the game or activity. For example, teaching words for for words teaching example, For asking perform actionsthe game or activity. by to the children for relevant introduced are Action words ’. Then show the children pictures of body parts the children show Then and ask them to knees’. and toes shoulders, ‘ Head, body parts such as with a song, can begin ’, and then show children pictures of di erent types of weather types of weather pictures of di erent children and then show pouring ’, it’s raining, ‘ It’s can start you with a song such as about the weather, contributes to activities to contributes ideas develops engages in problem-solving understands and learns new vocabulary. identify these. You can then get the children to wiggle their noses, point to their toes and wave their arms. If you are developing vocabulary developing Ifare their arms. you and wave their toes to point wiggle their noses, to can then get the children You these. identify and ask them to identify these and pick the one that best describes the day’s weather. You can then develop ‘feeling’ words with the children with the children words ‘feeling’ can then develop You weather. best describes these and pick the one that day’s identify and ask them to

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The National Strategies | Early Years 11 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

listening to others and sharing ideas to listening practising turn-taking games cooperatively playing and feelings. views respecting di erent

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t to the rest of the group. the rest to The obstacle course The Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning Creating the language-learning environment – the language-learningCreating environment

These games o er opportunities to develop vocabulary, support children’s ability describe activities to support opportunities vocabulary, children’s games o er develop These to This activity can be used to reinforce the concepts of over, under, in, through, around and beside around in, through, under, of over, the concepts activityThis reinforce can be used to and events and express their feelings, and provide the basis for developing reading comprehension. reading developing the basis for and provide their feelings, and express and events step in the hula hoop). To begin with, make the directions join in! short begin to and simple be prepared To in the hula hoop). step the design may be linked to a favourite story. You could make it more exciting by turning it into a bear hunt, turning it into by exciting make it more could You story. a favourite be linked to may the design while practising gross motor skills and following directions. Use a large open room, or preferably go outdoors. go outdoors. or preferably open room, a large Use directions. skills motor while practising and following gross Why? As children get familiar with the activity, sequences can be extended or reversed. Some children might like to give the instructions give like to might Some children can be extended or reversed. sequences get familiar with the activity, children As or even a dinosaur hunt! As a group, go over the rst sequence of directions (e.g. crawl under the table, then jump over the cushion, then jump over under the table, crawl of directions (e.g. the rst sequence go over a group, As a dinosaur hunt! or even Prepare the space with objects that are safe for children to go over, under and around. Let the children design the course themselves; the course design the children Let under and around. go over, to children for safe with objects the space are that Prepare contributes to activities to contributes ideas their own develops engages in problem-solving understands and learns new vocabulary.

who is valued and listened to: and listened who is valued A Unique Child t t t t

The National Strategies | Early Years 13 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

listening to others and sharing ideas to listening practising turn-taking games cooperatively playing and feelings. views respecting di erent

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning introduce new locations, take suggestions from the children and be creative! the children take suggestions from new locations, introduce

objects. Use the setting’s digital camera to document the visits, including the journey there. including the journey there. the visits, document to camera digital the setting’s objects. Use Prepare a large picture of the location – you can use any place which contains lots of di erent which contains place can use any – you picture of the location a large Prepare Creating the language-learning environment – Naming games the language-learningCreating environment These games o er opportunities to develop vocabulary, support children’s ability describe activities to support opportunities vocabulary, children’s games o er develop These to and events and express their feelings, and provide the basis for developing reading comprehension. reading developing the basis for and provide their feelings, and express and events Organise a visit related to the children’s particular interests, for example to the supermarket, the vet or the park. the supermarket, the vet to example for particular interests, the children’s to a visit related Organise Why? Laminate the pictures and put some reusable sticky name the objects the pictures and put some reusable to pads on the back. Laminate that the children Ask belong in the specic location and then to stick the objects on the location. The game can be followed up by asking up by game can be followed The stick the objects and then to belong in the specic location on the location. Then, for each location collect pictures and photos of seven objects that would be found there and ve that would not. not. would that and ve there be found objects collect would each location of seven picturesthat and photos for Then, children to think of other things that can be found in the location. As the children become more familiar with the game, more become the children As in the location. can be found think of other things that to children contributes to activities to contributes ideas their own develops engages in problem-solving understands and learns new vocabulary.

who is valued and listened to: and listened who is valued A Unique Child t t t t

The National Strategies | Early Years 15 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

listening to and sharing ideas to listening building self-esteem taking turns games cooperatively playing and feelings. views respecting di erent

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t t Enabling Environments book or posters for the whole group to share. to the whole group for book or posters Learning and Development and Development Learning their descriptions and for other children to pose their own questions. questions. pose their own to other children their descriptions and for Creating the language-learning environment – Who am I? Who – the language-learningCreating environment

to describe key points they want others to know about themselves, their likes and their dislikes. their likes and dislikes. know others to about themselves, describethey want key points to Expository talk is the use of language to describe, explain or provide information. It involves precise use precise It information. involves Expository or provide explain describe, talk is the use of language to Ask the children, mums and dads to bring in family pictures or photographs to share with their group. with their group. share to bring in family pictures mums and dads to or photographs the children, Ask Sharing activities about family as well as themselves allows children to develop their individual identity and develop to children allows Sharing activities as themselves about family as well of language and is important for children’s development of factual language and later for non-ction of factual for writing. language and later development of language and is important children’s for Why? Each child describes their family members and the activities that they do together. Give children plenty of time to think about plenty of time to children Give Each child describes their family members and the activities they do together. that photos of their favourite things and family members. Adults can scribe their descriptions and the photos can be made up into a can scribe can be made up into their descriptions and the photos Adults things and family members. of their favourite photos This activity can be developed by allowing children to take the photos themselves. Provide disposable cameras for them to take them to for disposable cameras Provide themselves. take the photos to children activity allowing This by can be developed describes people and families, talkingdescribes people and families, about similarities and di erences unique personal characteristics. identies

who is valued and listened to: and listened who is valued A Unique Child t t

The National Strategies | Early Years 17 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

listening to and valuing contributions and valuing to listening extending descriptions making experiences links between ideas and explanations. developing

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning narratives. Oral narratives underpin later development of written narratives. narratives. of written development underpin later narratives Oral narratives. Creating the language-learning environment – Story the language-learning talk Creating environment

Narrative talk provides children with the skills to recount events and draw links between dierent dierent links between and draw events with the skills children recount to talk provides Narrative using three or more containers that t inside each other. On each container place pictures from a book pictures from place On each container t inside each other. that containers or more using three Make story sacks which include props and objects related to children’s favourite stories. Make up a game stories. favourite Make children’s story to and objects sacks which include props related Why? activities. As children develop their vocabularies and extend the sentences they produce, they begin to create create to they begin they produce, and extend the sentences their vocabularies develop children activities. As or song that you are going to share. You could use small-world toys or objects instead. As you tell the story tell you or sing As or objects instead. toys use small-world could You share. going to are you or song that animals. Then let the children remove each one as they name the animal. Children can then take turns leading the activity Children each one as they name the animal. themselves. remove let the children Then animals. children enjoy recalling the information themselves. For example, if you use the nursery rhyme ‘There was an old lady who swallowed a ‘There an old lady who swallowed was use the nursery if you example, rhyme For themselves. the information recalling enjoy children the song, remove the containers one by one, according to the image on each. When you are nished, they all nest back together, and the they all nest back together, nished, are you When the image on each. to according one, one by the containers remove the song, spider’, you can have a container for each animal the old lady swallows. Put one container on top of the other as the old lady swallows the of the other as old lady swallows on top one container Put each animal the old lady swallows. for a container can have you spider’, understands the sequence of a storyunderstands the sequence or song details adding their own stories retells support language to develops events links between builds an understanding of the needs listeners.

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The National Strategies | Early Years 19 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

sharing experiences of others the feelings into gaining insight of others the behaviour interpret learning to with others and empathising to listening with peers and adults. the ability converse to developing

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t t 1. Prepare! Before you start you the activityBefore Enabling Environments Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning

To acknowledge and extend children’s experiences and their develop vocabulary acknowledge and extend children’s To Creating the language-learning environment – Dialogic the language-learning book talk activityCreating environment Why? Why? book talk, to acknowledge and extend children’s experience, and develop their vocabulary. and develop experience, book and acknowledge extend talk, to children’s Make sure you are very are familiar with the story. you Make sure think and talk about the story. to children encourage will use to about the kindsThink you of questions and prompts say. Remember the golden rules: ask open-ended children what and expand questions; recast the story lives. their own to relate be able to might in which children about the ways Think and talking in reading about the story. about the new vocabulary will introduce Think you that this vocabulary. activities consolidate to about follow-up Think Choose a picture book that will appeal to the group of children. If you want to read the whole story, make sure the written text the written is brief: make sure the whole story, read to Ifwant of children. you the group will appeal to Choose a picture book that to discussion to contributes experience their own to the story content relates ideas. their own develops The next few pages give two examples of ways in which you might use a picture in which you book in dialogic of ways The nextexamples two pages give few the main objective is to get the children talking. The rst example book is a suitable length for reading and talking the whole story. reading through book is a suitable length for rst example The talking. get the children the main objective is to

t t t t t t

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The National Strategies | Early Years 21 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t t ‘What was the bear doing in William’s dream?’ ‘What the bear doing in William’s was Enabling Environments Enabling Environments ‘Why the bear some food?’ give decide to did William Learning and Development and Development Learning ‘Why was there a bad smell coming from under the stairs?’ ‘Why from a bad smell coming there was ‘I wonder why William thought he’d seen a bear under the stairs?’ he’d thought William why ‘I wonder 2. Ask open-ended2. Ask questions about the story. (Prompt if necessary with: ‘What(Prompt did he think a hungry do?’ ) bear could Helen Cooper, The Bear Under the Stairs (2008) © Picture Corgi of Random House. Used with kind of RandomUsed permission. House. Corgi Bear (2008) © Picture Under the Stairs The Helen Cooper, First example of dialogic book talk: of dialogic Bear example The Under the Stairs. First

(Prompt if necessary with: ‘What(Prompt a bear?’ ) see under the stairs? Why did he think it was did he really Creating the language-learning environment – Dialogic the language-learning book talk activityCreating environment tells the story of William, who is scared because he imagines there is a bear living under there because he imagines who is scared William, the story Bear The Under the Stairs tells of To acknowledge and extend children’s experiences and their develop vocabulary acknowledge and extend children’s To Why? the stairs, and how William’s mum helps him overcome this fear. Open-ended questions about the story include: might this fear. mum helps him overcome William’s and how the stairs, to discussion to contributes experience their own to the story content relates ideas. their own develops

who is valued and listened to: and listened who is valued A Unique Child t t t

The National Strategies | Early Years 23 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t t

Prompts might include: might Prompts ‘When I was little, I was scared of ...’ scared ‘When I was little, I was ‘I wonder if you’re scared of bears, like William?’ like of bears, scared if you’re ‘I wonder Enabling Environments Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning and whether or not these fears are real or imaginary. real are and whether or not these fears 3. Relate the story to the children’s experiences. the story the children’s 3. Relate to Helen Cooper, The Bear Under the Stairs (2008) © Picture Corgi of Random House. Used with kind of RandomUsed permission. House. Corgi Bear (2008) © Picture Under the Stairs The Helen Cooper, First example of dialogic book talk: of dialogic Bear example The Under the Stairs. First lends itself to acknowledgement and discussion of children’s acknowledgement Bear The Under the Stairs lends itself to and discussion of children’s

To acknowledge and extend children’s experiences and their develop vocabulary acknowledge and extend children’s To own fears and worries, in the reassuring context of William overcoming his fear of the imagined bear. of the imagined his fear overcoming William of context in the reassuring and worries, fears own Creating the language-learning environment – Dialogic the language-learning book talk activityCreating environment This in itself might be enough to start children volunteering what they are (or what they used to be) scared of, of, be) scared they used to (or what they are what start be enough to in itself might volunteering This children Why? Why? ) of.’ be scared nothing to really learn there’s can we It William, is important ( ‘Like note end this discussion on a reassuring to If not, a useful strategy to encourage children to volunteer their own fears is to relate to your own childhood, for example: example: for childhood, own your to relate is to fears their own volunteer to children encourage to If a useful strategy not, to discussion to contributes experience their own to the story content relates ideas. their own develops

who is valued and listened to: and listened who is valued A Unique Child t t t

The National Strategies | Early Years 25 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

that build and supportthat communication: Positive Relationships Positive t t t t t , haddock ). lair , hazelnuts (e.g. The Bear The Under the Stairs is rich in verbs Enabling Environments Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning 4. Extend the children’s vocabulary. 4. Extend the children’s ). , slammed threw , noticed , wondered worried scared, (e.g. It also contains some nouns that children might not know might It children some nouns that also contains You can also use it to explore children’s understanding of ‘under’ and ‘near’. and ‘under’ understanding of children’s explore can also use it to You Helen Cooper, The Bear Under the Stairs (2008) © Picture Corgi of Random House. Used with kind of RandomUsed permission. House. Corgi Bear (2008) © Picture Under the Stairs The Helen Cooper, First example of dialogic book talk: of dialogic Bear example The Under the Stairs First

Creating the language-learning environment – Dialogic the language-learning book talk activityCreating environment To acknowledge and extend children’s experiences and their develop vocabulary acknowledge and extend children’s To Why? to discussion to contributes experience their own to the story content relates ideas. their own develops

who is valued and listened to: and listened who is valued A Unique Child t t t

The National Strategies | Early Years 27 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t t Talk about what each child notices. about what Talk Enabling Environments Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning Get children to tell what they notice during the walk they notice what tell to Get children (e.g. a bird singing, a worm in the mud, a pretty ower, a police siren). a police ower, a pretty in the mud, a worm singing, a bird (e.g. Helen Cooper, The Bear Under the Stairs (2008) © Picture Corgi of Random House. Used with kind of RandomUsed permission. House. Corgi Bear (2008) © Picture Under the Stairs The Helen Cooper, First example of dialogic book talk: of dialogic Bear example The Under the Stairs. First Consolidate understanding and use of some of the vocabulary introduced in the book: understanding and use of some the vocabulary introduced Consolidate 5. Design follow-up activities to consolidate new vocabulary. new activities consolidate to 5. Design follow-up Set up a game of ‘under and over’ with spoken instructions. with spoken and over’ ‘under Set up a game of

Go on a ‘noticing’ walk in the setting’s garden or nearby park. or nearby garden in the setting’s walk ‘noticing’ Go on a To acknowledge and extend children’s experiences and their develop vocabulary acknowledge and extend children’s To , ‘wriggle under the blanket’ . the stick’ the cushion’ , ‘jump over over , ‘step under the bench’ ‘crawl example, For Creating the language-learning environment – Dialogic the language-learning book talk activityCreating environment Why? Why? to discussion to contributes experience their own to the story content relates ideas. their own develops

who is valued and listened to: and listened who is valued A Unique Child t t t

The National Strategies | Early Years 29 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t t

1. Prepare! Enabling Environments Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning Your pre-session preparation is the same whatever length of book you choose: length of book you is the same whatever pre-session preparation Your Gira es Can’t Dance. Dance. Can’t book talk: of dialogic Second example Gira es

in a single session: this does not matter! The important thing is to use the book to stimulate talk. importantThe stimulate use the book to thing is to in a single session: this does not matter! To acknowledge and extend children’s experiences and their develop vocabulary acknowledge and extend children’s To more written text than you are likely to be able to read read be able to likely to are text written than you more of a book with Dance is an example Can’t Gira es Creating the language-learning environment – Dialogic the language-learning book talk activityCreating environment Why? Why? Make sure you are very are familiar with the story. you Make sure think and talk about the story. to children encourage will use to about the kindsThink you of questions and prompts say. Remember the golden rules: ask open-ended children what and expand questions; recast the story lives. their own to relate be able to might in which children about the ways Think and talking in reading about the story. about the new vocabulary will introduce Think you that this vocabulary. activities consolidate to about follow-up Think to discussion to contributes experience their own to the story content relates ideas. their own develops

t t t t t t

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The National Strategies | Early Years 31 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t t Enabling Environments Enabling Environments ‘Why couldn’t Gerald run around very run around well?’ Gerald ‘Why couldn’t Learning and Development and Development Learning ‘Which bit of Gerald’s moon dance do you like best?’ like do you moon dance ‘Which bit of Gerald’s ‘What happened when it was Gerald’s turn to dance?’ turn to ‘What Gerald’s happened when it was Open-ended include: might questions arising during the reading ‘Why feel sad at the start did Gerald of the Jungle Dance?’ 2. Ask open-ended2. Ask questions about the story. ‘How did the other animals feel when they saw Gerald’s moon dance?’ did the other animals feel when they saw Gerald’s ‘How Gira es Can’t Dance. Dance. Can’t book talk: of dialogic Second example Gira es Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees, Gira es Can’t Dance (2001) © Purple Enterprises Limited. Used with kind Used permission. Limited. Enterprises (2001) © Purple Dance Can’t Gira es and Guy Parker-Rees, Giles Andreae

To acknowledge and extend children’s experiences and their develop vocabulary acknowledge and extend children’s To Creating the language-learning environment – Dialogic the language-learning book talk activityCreating environment Why? Why? tells the story of Gerald the gira e, and how the other animals laughed at his dancing. As Gerald sadly As his dancing. the other animals laughed at and how the story Dance tells of Gerald the gira e, Can’t Gira es notices how beautiful the moon is, a cricket encourages him to dance to the tune of the moon. All the animals admire his dancing. the animals admire the tune of moon. All to dance him to a cricket encourages beautiful the moon is, how notices to discussion to contributes experience their own to the story content relates ideas. their own develops

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The National Strategies | Early Years 33 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t t Prompts might include: might Prompts ‘Who with?’ dance do you ‘How did you learn to dance?’ learn to did you ‘How Enabling Environments Enabling Environments ‘What unkind do when peopleyou?’ are to do you Learning and Development and Development Learning ‘The animals really enjoyed dancing, didn’t they? When do you dance?’ they? When do you didn’t ‘The dancing, enjoyed animals really 3. Relate the story to the children’s experiences. the story the children’s 3. Relate to Gira es Can’t Dance. Dance. Can’t book talk: of dialogic Second example Gira es Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees, Gira es Can’t Dance (2001) © Purple Enterprises Limited. Used with kind Used permission. Limited. Enterprises (2001) © Purple Dance Can’t Gira es and Guy Parker-Rees, Giles Andreae

‘I wonder if your mummy would let you dance to the tune of the moon, like Gerald – what do you think?’ – what do you Gerald the tune of moon, like to dance let you would mummy if your ‘I wonder To acknowledge and extend children’s experiences and their develop vocabulary acknowledge and extend children’s To Creating the language-learning environment – Dialogic the language-learning book talk activityCreating environment ‘The other animals were not very kind to Gerald at rst, were they? What would you have done to make him feel happier?’ make done to have ‘The you they? What would not very at rst, were kind other animals were Gerald to Why? Why? of being left out, and to discussion of ways of behaving of behaving and of being left discussion of ways and to out, of di erence acknowledgement Dance lends itself to of feelings Can’t Gira es to discussion to contributes experience their own to the story content relates ideas. their own develops that show we value each individual. It also lends itself to discussion of music and dancing, which might lead in to family festivities and parties. family festivities lead in to which might It each individual. discussion of music and dancing, value also lends itself to we show that

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The National Strategies | Early Years 35 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t t and unusual verbs It is also rich in adjectives and names of di erent dances dances and names of di erent Enabling Environments Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning 4. Extend the children’s vocabulary. 4. Extend the children’s waltzing, rock’n’roll, tango, cha-cha, tango, ). Scottish reel rock’n’roll, waltzing, (e.g. ) cricket baboons, chimps, rhinos, warthogs, lions, gira e, (e.g. introduces and illustrates names of wild animals and illustrates Dance introduces Can’t Gira es Gira es Can’t Dance. Dance. Can’t book talk: of dialogic Second example Gira es Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees, Gira es Can’t Dance (2001) © Purple Enterprises Limited. Used with kind Used permission. Limited. Enterprises (2001) © Purple Dance Can’t Gira es and Guy Parker-Rees, Giles Andreae

To acknowledge and extend children’s experiences and their develop vocabulary acknowledge and extend children’s To Explore the children’s understanding of these: you could mime the actions or ask the children to mime them. mime the actions to could or ask the children understanding of these: you the children’s Explore Creating the language-learning environment – Dialogic the language-learning book talk activityCreating environment long, slim, bandy, thin, elegant, bold, splendid, clumsy, silly, sad, alone, beautiful, swaying, lovely, amazing, wonderful amazing, ) lovely, swaying, beautiful, alone, sad, silly, clumsy, splendid, thin, elegant, bold, slim, bandy, long, (e.g. Why? Why? ) entranced boogied, swishing, swaying, shuing, imagine, coughed, whispered, crept, up, froze prance, buckled, munching, (e.g. to discussion to contributes experience their own to the story content relates ideas. their own develops

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The National Strategies | Early Years 37 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

that build and supportthat communication: Positive Relationships Positive t t t t t Set up a Jungle Dance game. Set up a Jungle Dance Enabling Environments Enabling Environments own demonstration if necessary): demonstration own performing, so that they too have to use the names. to have performing, they too so that Learning and Development and Development Learning Help the children to make masks of the wild animals in story. to Help the children Giraes Can’t Dance Can’t book talk: of dialogic Second example Giraes Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees, Gira es Can’t Dance (2001) © Purple Enterprises Limited. Used with kind Used permission. Limited. Enterprises (2001) © Purple Dance Can’t Gira es and Guy Parker-Rees, Giles Andreae

5. Design follow-up activities to consolidate new vocabulary. new activities consolidate to 5. Design follow-up Play an adjective and verb game (prompt the children with your with your the children game (prompt an adjective and verb Play ‘Show me your sad face.’ ‘Show me what being silly looks like.’ ‘Show me what being clumsy looks like.’ ‘Show me what being silly looks like.’ ‘Show sad face.’ me your ‘Show (Demonstrate by drawing yourself up to your full height.) your up to yourself drawing by (Demonstrate tall.’ look when you’re you me how ‘Show ‘Let’s do some swaying.’ ‘Now let’s do some shu ing.’ ‘Can we do some prancing?’ ‘And some munching?’ ‘And do some prancing?’ we ‘Can do some shu ing.’ let’s ‘Now do some swaying.’ ‘Let’s During this activity, repeatedly use the animal names and encourage the children to name the masks. to the children use the animal names and encourage repeatedly During this activity, Keep referring to the dances by name, and encourage the children to guess which dances other children are are other children guess which dances to the children and encourage name, by the dances to Keep referring Creating the language-learning environment – Dialogic the language-learning book talk activityCreating environment To acknowledge and extend children’s experiences and their develop vocabulary acknowledge and extend children’s To Why? Encourage the children to dress up in the masks and try out (under your expert guidance!) the di erent dances in the story. in the story. up in the masks and try dances dress expert to out (under your the children the di erent guidance!) Encourage to discussion to contributes experience their own to the story content relates ideas. their own develops

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The National Strategies | Early Years 39 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

Planning sessions for parents with their children This section of the guidance offers some ideas and activities which will assist you in providing sessions for children and parents together, to help support language development both in the home and in the setting. This type of session will provide you with very special opportunities to talk about a child’s language development with parents – mothers as well as fathers. The information that you gain from the sessions will give you a much better insight into the child’s developing language abilities. You can use the sessions to illustrate the sorts of communicative behaviours which you have been adopting within the setting, and also to talk about how the children have been learning and benefiting from the Every Child a Talker (ECAT) programme. It is a time for you to talk to parents and carers about how they can use similar approaches and do the same sorts of activities at home to extend and build upon their child’s learning.

Which parents, which children? Think first about which parents and children you want to invite to a session. Activities on offer in the session will depend to some extent on the age of the children, so it might be sensible to start with parents of children in certain age groups. The materials that follow provide information about the typical language and communication behaviours of babies and children in four age groups: young babies up to about 6 months, older babies between about 6 and 18 months, toddlers between about 18 and 30 months, and children older than 30 months. These age groupings reflect the changing language abilities and needs of children as they develop. You will also find some suggested activities that provide opportunities for interacting with babies and children in each age group in ways that will promote the development of their language and communication. Over time, you will want to make sure that parents of all children are invited to sessions appropriate to them and their children.

What kind of session, and when? You want the session to be fun, to draw parents and carers in and help further develop the positive relationships between setting staff and families. Think about what would be ‘fun’ for the families you are inviting. Which of these ‘fun’ sessions are you best able or most confident to put on? When would be the best time to hold the session? That is, when would the families you’re inviting be most likely to be able to take part: during the day, in the evening, or at the weekend? As well as being fun and good for relationships, the session will be designed to help parents develop their ability to communicate with their children in other contexts, in ways that encourage and stimulate language development. Suggestions as to how you might organise the sessions are given in the activities outlined on the four activity pages which follow. These pages give information and suggestions for interacting with children in the four age groups outlined above. Whoever the session is for, and whenever it takes place, make sure there are enough practitioners available to support the session and also to support the various language needs of the different families; this is a golden opportunity to get to know your families really well. Make sure that every practitioner present understands the importance of being positive, supportive, encouraging and non-judgemental in all their interactions with families.

Make sure everyone is comfortable Provide a comfortable environment: comfortable chairs, refreshments for children and parents, opportunities to chat with each other and with you about their lives – their children, football, the cold wet weather – any and every day-to-day conversation. You must take into account how you will make the sessions inclusive, particularly for parents whose first language is not English. You will need to consider how you will make the sessions accessible to them, for example, by providing information in other languages. Make sure there are lots of suitable playthings for the children, and organise these so that children can play within sight and sound of their parents. When everyone is at ease, introduce the child development element of the session. You want the families to take away certain important ideas from the session. These are given on the activity page for each age group, under ‘Learning and Development’, ‘A Unique Child’ and ‘Positive Relationships’.

And with fathers in mind… You may already have noticed that fathers in your community are taking much more responsibility for their children’s care than previously. According to research published by the Equal Opportunities Commission, they now do one third of parental childcare in dual income families. So it is vitally important that the sessions you provide for parents don’t just appeal to mothers but also take into account the particular needs of fathers. Research has shown that the early involvement of fathers has important long-term benefits, but unfortunately early years settings are not always the most hospitable and welcoming of places for fathers. This may be because the workforce is almost entirely female, and staff may feel apprehensive about engaging fathers. Another reason might be that fathers cannot attend quite simply because they are working during the session times. Or perhaps they are less willing to come forward to take an active role in the life of the early years setting. Whatever the reason, there is much that you can do to make sure that what you offer for parents is inviting to fathers as well as mothers. First of all, you can make the invitations directly to fathers, by personally addressing a letter, or by phone, or better still, in person. Make sure that you have the correct contact details for fathers. Then, when they arrive, make a special point of greeting them and making them feel welcome. Look around your environment – are there positive role models in pictures and books that show dads and children?

At a practical level, have you designated toilet facilities for men? If your setting only has one adult toilet, then designate it as unisex. Make sure that dads can easily access the baby-changing facilities as well. During the sessions, think about the games that dads will enjoy playing with their children, such as football and playing cards – these are great ways to get talking. Take stock of the dressing-up clothes in your role-play area and consider whether there are things that dads will appreciate, such as football strips and superhero outfits. Remember that bringing dads in does require some extra thought and forward planning but the consequences will be of real benefit to the children.

A session for families with young babies (up to about 6 months) These are likely to be the families most in need of pampering – sleepless nights take their toll! If they are new to parenting, they are also likely to be especially in need of reassurance that they are doing a good job, and you can provide this reassurance by talking about their baby with them. You might decide to stimulate discussion that elicits the ideas presented under ‘Learning and Development’, ‘A Unique Child’ and ‘Positive Relationships’ for this age group by showing video clips of interactions between young babies and their carers. Video clips have the advantage of allowing you to pause the action at any point, which makes it easier to encourage the group to examine questions such as the following: • What did the baby do? Does your baby do that? • How did the adult respond to the baby? Do you do that? What else do you do? • How did the adult know what the baby wanted/felt like? What clues does your baby give you? • Why did the adult talk to the baby? Do you talk to your baby? • Can babies understand when we talk to them? (Not at first, but if we don’t talk to them they never will!) • If they can’t understand, why do we talk to them? (To develop turn-taking and eye contact, and to provide examples of speech sounds and intonation patterns for the baby to absorb.) • What helps a baby understand when we talk to them? (Talking about what they’re looking at/doing/ playing with at that moment.) This session will take place while parents are holding their babies or are in close proximity to and contact with them. This offers opportunities, if you feel this is appropriate, to comment positively on parent–child interactions as they occur, offering reassurance and support in a non-patronising way. Finish the session with a general discussion about learning to follow your baby’s lead, learning to interpret your baby’s behaviour and intentions, and finding time to play, have fun with and talk to your baby.

A session for families with older babies (about 6–18 months) Again, you can use video clips showing babies of this age interacting with objects and people to stimulate discussion that elicits the ideas presented under ‘Learning and Development’, ‘A Unique Child’ and ‘Positive Relationships’ for this age group. Practitioners might each volunteer to engage in play with a child while families watch the interaction. However you decide to stimulate discussion, encourage the group to examine questions such as: • What did the child do to get the adult’s attention? How does your child engage your attention? • How did the adult get the child to attend to what they were doing? What do you do to engage your child’s attention in what you’re doing? • What do you think the child meant when they said ‘da’? How easy is it to work out what your child means? How do you do this – do you look at what they’re doing/looking at, and guess? How do you know if your guess is right or wrong? What do you do if it’s wrong? • If your child says ‘da’ and you think they mean ‘dog’, what do you say? (Yes, it’s a dog! Dog.) What are you doing for the child when you say that? (Showing the child that you understand them, valuing their attempts to communicate with you, modelling the word for them.) Keep this short and expect it to be punctuated by children seeking and gaining the attention of their parents in various ways. Use these interruptions positively: comment on what the child is doing, and how well the adult responds. You might also use interruptions to discuss how we feel when we are engaged in something else and our children seek to engage our attention, and how to deal with feelings of frustration and irritation at being interrupted! Follow this with a parent–child play session, using the toys and books you have provided. Ask the parents to join in with what their child is currently doing, and talk together about the child’s current object of attention. During the play session, staff can join in with a family group and model talk that names and comments on the object the child is attending to, attempts to interpret what the child is trying to say and provides a commentary on what the child is doing. The golden rule for play is: follow the child’s lead and make it fun. When the child begins to tire, don’t try to sustain their attention but allow them to choose and explore other objects.

A session for families with toddlers (about 18–30 months) It would be helpful in this session to have available video clips you made earlier of children and adults in the setting engaging in activities that are normally available, encouraging children to talk during these activities and responding to what children say by recasting and expanding the children’s utterances. You should also have clips of practitioners narrating the child’s activity (e.g. You’re filling the bucket with sand. And now you’re trying to turn it over – Oh! The sand fell out.) You can then use these clips to stimulate discussion to elicit the ideas presented under ‘Learning and Development’, ‘A Unique Child’ and ‘Positive Relationships’ for this age group. Start by watching and discussing some of the video clips while the children play close by (or watch with their parents, if they want to). Encourage the group to examine the following: • What was the child interested in or doing during a clip? How does the adult know that was the object of interest? • How did the adult value what the child was interested in or doing? (By asking questions about it; by providing a running commentary on it.) • How do you show your child that what they’re doing is important and interesting to you? • What kinds of questions did the adult ask? (‘How’ questions and ‘Why’ questions, which encourage more than a one-word response; ‘What’, ‘Where’ and ‘Who’ questions, which encourage naming responses.)

• What kinds of questions do you use with your child? • If a child answered with a single word, what did the adult do? (Acknowledged the child’s response; built on this by expanding it into a phrase or sentence.) • How did the adult encourage all the children to participate in the activity? And in the conversation? You can end the session by encouraging families to join in with their children in some of the activities they’ve just watched, and practise talking with their children in the ways you’ve just discussed.

A session for families with older children (about 30 months and above) This session is probably one of the easiest, because now you can organise for family group activities, taking account of the context of the families and communities with whom you work. You could hold a cooking party, where families make biscuits or cakes (perhaps to be shared and eaten later). You could hold a construction party, where families make junk models of dinosaurs, or castles, or robots. You could have a games evening, where families play simple board games or do jigsaws together. Use the seasons of the year to support outdoor activities so, for example, in the autumn you can collect leaves and talk about what you are doing and the different shapes and colours of the leaves. Any joint activity that offers rich opportunities for verbal communication will do. If this is the first time you have organised sessions like this, you might decide to videotape some of the interactions that take place, to use to stimulate discussion in subsequent sessions. You can build in to the group activities most of the ideas presented under ‘Learning and Development’, ‘A Unique Child’ and ‘Positive Relationships’ for this age group. For example, if you provide a choice of recipes and ingredients, the cooking activity offers opportunities for the family to discuss what they would like to make, what they need to make it, what they need to do first, and so on. It also offers opportunities for parents to comment on what is happening (You’re stirring up the mixture) and, while the resulting cakes or biscuits are cooking in the oven, opportunities to encourage the child to describe how they made them. Once cooking is complete, junk models finished and games won or lost, bring the families together to talk about what they enjoyed about participating in the activities, and about how they feel the activity and accompanying conversation might have been helpful to their child’s language development. You will need to have collected examples of particularly fruitful interchanges to bring in to these discussions, to reinforce what you want parents to take away with them. The discussion should end with parents being encouraged to think about how they can foster their child’s language development by bringing conversation into the normal daily routines of the family.

The National Strategies | Early Years 45 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

watching and listening watching at early attempts the baby’s to responding communicating and touch. gestures using facial expressions,

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t Let’s get you some milk ’. get you ‘ Let’s Enabling Environments Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning Early interaction depends on following the baby’s lead. the baby’s Early depends on following interaction interests, for example, sounds, gestures, facial expressions and body movements. facial expressions gestures, sounds, example, for interests, This helps your baby begin to understand that language is used for communication. communication. language is used for understand that to begin baby helps your This is awake. Talk to your baby and interpret their signals. When your baby cries, interpret interpret cries, baby your When their signals. and interpret baby your to Talk is awake. This means talking to. This attending about the object, is currently person or action baby your

Creating the language-learning environment – Young babies Young – the language-learningCreating environment ’ and link what you do with a description, saying do with a description, saying you and link what be hungry must ‘ Oh, you ’ saying: their behaviour, Babies communicate from birth. They use many di erent ways to communicate their wishes and communicate to ways di erent use many They birth. from Babies communicate Parents and carers respond to signals and communications by watching and listening when the baby and listening watching by and communications signals to respond and carers Parents maintains eye contact eye maintains gazes another’s follows people and objects. on di erent the ability focus to develops

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The National Strategies | Early Years 47 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

parents and carers supporting children’s rst attempts to rst attempts supporting and carers parents children’s use words the child’s interpret to and watching listening patiently meaning not taught’. ‘caught are words understanding that

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t your baby might prefer board books. books. board prefer might baby your Sit with your baby in a quiet comfortable space. in a quiet comfortable space. baby Sit with your Learning and Development and Development Learning These can be toys or safe-to-handle can be toys household objects. These Let your baby hold the book and turn the pages if they wish. baby your Let Turn the pages one at time, stopping to comment on the pictures. on the pictures. comment to stopping time, the pages one at Turn Provide children with many opportunities and talk about objects. with many explore children to Provide and wishes, and begin to understand the language that is addressed to them. to is addressed understand the language that to and begin and wishes, Babies have short attention spans so stop when the baby begins to get restless. get restless. to begins short when the baby spans so stop Babies have attention Enabling Environments with available adults with available Enabling Environments Creating the language-learning environment – Older the language-learningbabies Creating environment

Make sure your baby is not tired or hungry: is not tired baby your Make sure and attention. it is important get their interest to During this stage, babies learn to understand and say single words to communicate their needs communicate to single words understand and say babies learn to During this stage, You can also use books to play with your baby. Start with cloth books, and by about the age of 9 months Start about the age of 9 months and by with cloth books, baby. with your play can also use books to You follows the adult’s lead in attending to objects to lead in attending the adult’s follows understands their rst words their rst words says with language play to begins gain and sustain to using sounds and words enjoys others. from attention

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The National Strategies | Early Years 49 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

valuing your child’s interests and choices and choices interests child’s your valuing being together and enjoy love you showing explanations. their ideas and giving developing

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t ’ (as you pick up these articles). (as you ’ trainers stripy Enabling Environments Learning and Development and Development Learning words to make sentences describing their experiences and feelings. describing their experiences make sentences to words Creating the language-learning environment – Toddlers – the language-learningCreating environment

During this stage, vocabulary increases by leaps and bounds and children begin to combine combine to begin leaps and bounds children vocabularyDuring by this stage, increases share simple story and picture books with your child. Choose a book that matches your child’s interests. Settle down in a Settle down interests. child’s your matches simple story Choose a book that share child. and picture books with your comfortable place and take time reading the story and talking about the pictures. Encourage your child to contribute to the to the story contribute child to and take time reading comfortable place your and talking Encourage about the pictures. language by describing what you do as you carry out your daily routines, for example, washing up, making dinner, tidying up. tidying up. making dinner, up, washing example, for carry do as you daily routines, describingyou what language by out your Adults help children connect words with objects and actions by talking through what is happening. You can support your child’s can support child’s your You with objects connectand actions talking words is happening. help children by what Adults through ’. You can You ’. it go fast! Make on the carpet. car pushing the red ‘ You’re example: for child is doing as they play, your what can narrate You ’ – questions that encourage your child to talk. child to your encourage – questions that ‘ What will happen next?’ and ’ why… ‘ I wonder asking by questions like: conversation and your blue dress your wear ? Let’s today wear going to ‘ What you are example: for child, can also plan with your You provides descriptions of their views of events descriptions of their views provides events of links between explanations provides stories retells support language to develops events links between understand the needs of listeners. to begins

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The National Strategies | Early Years 51 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

valuing your child’s interests and choices and choices interests child’s your valuing together beginning and enjoy love you showing explanations their ideas and giving developing their questions time and again. answering

that build and supportthat by: communication Positive Relationships Positive t t t t Enabling Environments Children from about 30 months from Children Learning and Development and Development Learning Creating the language-learning environment – the language-learningCreating environment Now your child is becoming independent and using language to ask lots of questions. and using language to independent child is becoming your Now Children also enjoy simple board games, which help develop vocabulary which help develop and turn-taking. games, simple board also enjoy Children

Most children will be trying to speak in sentences but these may not sound like adult sentences. not sound like adult sentences. will be trying but these may Most children speak in sentences to Make the most of opportunities to chat with your child – in the car, walking to the park or at the meal table. walking the parkmeal table. or at to Make the most of opportunities child – in the car, with your chat to the items on their list wins. Several variants of this game can be made up, developing vocabulary in dierent areas. vocabulary developing in dierent of this game can be made up, variants Several on their list wins. the items At this age children begin to play cooperative games. Games provide a wonderful Games provide games. opportunity language. developing cooperative play for to begin this age children At you take turns to pick a card. If the picture matches one on your illustrated shopping list, you keep it. The rst one to get all rst one to The keep it. you shopping list, illustrated If one on your the picture matches pick a card. take turns to you Games that children this age enjoy include the shopping list game: picture cards of food items are placed upside down and upside down placed are items of food include the shopping list game: picture cards this age enjoy Games children that Sharing books together can be a source of much enjoyment. Let your child choose a book, either at home or in the library. Be prepared to to Be prepared child choose a book, your home or in the library. either at Let of much enjoyment. can be a source Sharing books together provides descriptions of their views of events descriptions of their views provides events of links between explanations provides stories retells support language to develops events links between understand the needs of listeners. to begins you can laugh about the ways in which parents may seem too busy to listen to their children. to listen busy to seem too may in which parents can laugh about the ways you Bernard Not Now, when reading example, For read the same favourite book over and over again. When you are sharing the book, draw links to your child’s own experiences and feelings. and feelings. experiences own child’s your sharing the book, links to are draw you When again. and over book over the same favourite read

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The National Strategies | Early Years 53 Every Child a Talker: Guidance for Early Language Lead Practitioners Spring 2009

Acknowledgements Helen Cooper, The Bear Under the Stairs (2008) © Picture Corgi of Random House. Used with kind permission. Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees, Giraffes Can’t Dance (2001) © Purple Enterprises Limited. Used with kind permission.

Audience: Early Language Lead Practitioners Date of issue: 01-2009 Ref: 00044-2009DOM-EN

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