Communication and Language

Communication and language are vital for young children to develop. My knowledge gained from my NVQ3 in speech, language and communication (SLC), along with other SLC courses, mean I recognise the importance of creating a language rich setting. With a correlation between skills gained between 18-24 months effecting a child's attainment at 5 years, 7 years old and indeed at GCSE level and onto further education and employment success; I look to create a setting that is supporting children's SLC with both the quality and quantity of interactions. My role is pivotal in supporting all children as they come into setting a regardless of their knowledge as they join (both children who come from a language rich home environment to those who don't, those learning English as an additional language to children from disadvantaged backgrounds).
So how do I do this?
1 Multiple approaches - I use multiple approaches to support the development of your child's communication and language. Whilst pretend play, reading story's and other activities will expose your child to a rich vocabulary and language, these activities rely on my interaction, giving your child the high quality language. I use communication and language approaches to benefit your child's learning which include:
Teaching and modelling vocabulary - I draw your child's attention to words, their meaning and features, during play, whilst giving explicit instruction and when sharing a book. This will include naming/labelling, discussing word meanings, providing synonyms, and analysing the sound and spelling features of a word. I also combine explicit instruction with implicit teaching strategies, such as recasting and extending your child's sentences.
Teaching and modelling language - I teach and model language through everyday interactions, interactive reading sessions either one to one or with a small group, and when recounting and discussing our experiences. I use a combination of verbal and physical teaching, because using pros and pictures alongside talk is a really effective teaching method. I ask open questions about stories, prompting your child to sequence stories and retell them, or join in with recurring verses. I like to relate stories to your child's experiences, which helps them to talk using different tenses. I intentionally model language to show how words are used together to form sentences (grammar) and provide opportunities for your child to apply it in their own speech (expressive language). I give corrective feedback, so if your child says a word incorrectly I say the correct form back. I support your child to connect the meaning of words within and across sentences (receptive language).
I help your child by teaching and modelling social communication skills.
2 Speech, Language and Communication assessment - You can expect your child to be screened termly using the Wellcomm assessment tool. The Wellcomm assessment tool has been developed for practitioners to assess SLC skills in early years children between 6 months and 6 years old. I screen all children termly. I will then share ideas for games to support identified next steps, on your child's Tapestry journal. I will use the game ideas in setting, and your child will enjoy trying them at home with you too, in order to gain maximum benefit from the teaching. The impact of the teaching on your child's development is assessed termly, but at shorter intervals when a specific need is identified, so that differentiation can be made, or support from external agencies can be sort.
3 Storytelling and Books - I like to promote libraries, as our local library is so important to the children in my setting. With a childminding library card allowing us to borrow lots of books, up to 50 at a time, I want to promote this wonderful free resource. Books can be expensive, and I know not all children have many at home. Our local library needs our support as much as we need theirs. Every library visit is shared on Tapestry, and then all books read over the coming weeks are also shared with home, which means I regularly send home books your child has enjoyed that day, so you can enjoy them at home too.
It's important to me to foster a love of reading that lasts a lifetime. I make sure the children see me reading everything from the side of the cereal packet at breakfast to street signs. Books are always accessable in our book nocs, and when reading them I make sure I always have eye contact, I use lots of gesture and repeated words, like drip, drip, drip so your child can anticipate and join in. I make characters come alive by using different voices, and build suspense and hold attention by slowly peeling the pages of the book over, rather than flicking through. Your child will get to know and join in with repeated sentences in regularly read books, as I leave gaps for them to fill in. I reread books often to help your child learn that story structre has characters, a plot, a setting, a beginning, middle and end to the storyline. Pointing out images in pictures, drawing attention to text or asking questions, I will engage your child to be an active participant at story time, so over time they will start to become the storyteller.
4 Signposting - You will regularly see lots of tips shared in your child's Tapestry journal to support their SLC, including links to Tiny Happy People, Hungry Little Minds, The National Literacy Trust and The Communication Trust and their resources called Listen Up which help you to support your child's listening, understanding, interaction and play; Speech and Language UK for their progress checker, The Book Trust or BCP's SLC initiative Come Talk with Me. This includes their monthly top tip poster and their themed activity packs of ideas. There is a correlation between a mum's education and their child's SLC, but the most important thing is the more time you can spend reading and talking to your child, you will be ensuring your child receives life long benefits in all areas of their personal life, relationships, and their employment opportunities. If you have concerns about your child's SLC or I have expressed a concern I might signpost you to Ready STEADI Chat - Speech Therapy Early Advice Drop Ins which are an easy access pathway to speech and language therapy for early years children locally.
5 Collaborative Working - As with all areas in your child's development, painting a holistic picture helps to support their SLC development and ensure services are made available to them in a timely manner. I ensure your child's 2 Year Progress check is complete to form part of the Integrated Review with their health visitor. My report will focus on your child's prime areas of learning including their SLC and their story sharing, language and communication. I have open lines of communication when I share care with another setting, and work with all outside agencies supporting your child. Working with the Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Service (SLT) might include following the 'Colourful Semantics' programme your child's has received from their speech and language therapist. In fact this resource is used widely in setting because it's an engaging way to help all ability children to learn how to build sentence structures.
6 English as an additional language - There are huge advantages to being bilingual and multilingual and although I'm personally only monolingual, I look to engage all children to have fun with other languages, for instance by borrowing books from the library in different languages, or by learning basic greetings in languages from around the World. I act as a role model showing that I'm interested and value all languages and cultures. Pronouncing all names correctly is important to me, so I hope you won't mind if I ask how to pronounce all names of important people in your child's life. I may ask you to write your child's name in the script you use, so that I can practice writing their name, or make up sticky labels for your child's art work. I will ask for your help to learn key words in your home language, and how to write and pronoun them. These may be used to make a key ring, with pictures alongside each word, for your child to point to as they need. Pictures with text from your child's home language may also be made into a visual timetable. I will also ask you to teach me sings, rhymes and stories in your home language to enjoy with your child. Your child will be given the time to build relationships, settle in my setting and begin to learn a new language. In the early days they may be quiet, and as their language grows they may use words from both languages in a sentence, called code switching, but I will always be there to nurture and support their journey with time, support and warmth.