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How we can generate high quality Early Years learning environments across the city to help narrow the gap for our most
vulnerable children
Presented by: Jan Stevens ELC/SLT
Communication & Language Rich Learning Environments
How did that make you feel? Was the activity successful? What made it difficult for you? How could things have been improved?
Feedback
Why Are You Here?
To enable you to create & maintain a Language Rich Learning Environment to be able to support ALL children in high quality universal provision
AgendaEvidence BaseSharing the audit tools currently available in Southampton
for Schools & Early Years staff What makes an effective language-rich learning
environment?Physical spacePlanning vocabularyQuality interactions between adults & children
Evidence Base Around 10% of all children have SLCN which may be specific or
complex & long-term (ICAN Talk Series Issue 2 2006)
Up to 50% of children from areas of social-economic deprivation start school with transient language difficulties which may impact on their learning in school if not addressed (Bercow Review 2007)
Low income children lag behind their high income counterparts at school entry by 16 months in vocabulary. The gap in language is much larger than gaps in other cognitive skills (Waldfogel & Washbrook 2010)
After controlling for a range of other factors, children who had normal non-verbal skills but poor vocabulary at age 5, are at age 34 almost twice as likely to have mental health problems or to be unemployed than children who had normally developing language at 5 (Law et al 2010)
Large numbers of children in Southampton have had poor early experiences of communication/positive relationships with caring adults/models of language use
Early language learning is contingent on experiences which adults provide …
Children who have early language experiences in homes/settings where the quantity & quality of language use is poor are highly likely to have
impoverished vocabulary developmentThese children are more likely to struggle with literacy
skills in school
The Situation in Southampton
Does Your Learning Environment …??
1. Encourage independence & self-confidence?2. Support children in planning & making choices?3. Ensure that language learning opportunities are relevant to the children because
they occur in meaningful contexts?4. Provide opportunities to develop Shared Sustained Thinking episodes between
adult/child?5. Offer opportunities for children to interact with others or be alone?6. Encourage a balance between action & calm, noise & quiet?7. Celebrate through documentation & display, the learning that is taking place?
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRITICALLY OBSERVED THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THE CHILDREN SPEND TIME IN?
[OFSTED EARLY YEARS INSPECTION HANDBOOK]
Elizabeth Jarman Communication Friendly Spaces
www.elizabethjarmanltd.co.uk
An APPROACH that can be used to benefit children in all key stages & to support transition into KS1 & KS 2
Considers impact of PHYSICAL & EMOTIONAL environment on communication & language skills
Audit ToolkitCommunication Supporting Classrooms Observation
Checklist (CSC) – available to download from: www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk
ECaT Environmental Audits: Enabling Environment/ Learning & Development/ Positive Relationships
Locally developed ECERs/ITERs/FCCERs checklists
o EYFS mapping for ECERs/ITERs/FCCERs helps to identify specific targets
Communication Supporting Classrooms
This tool considers 3 parameters:
Physical Environment
Structured/Planned Language Learning Opportunities
Adult Interaction Styles
Physical SpaceTaken from: Communication Friendly Spaces – Elizabeth Jarman
Noise Lighting Colour Clutter Texture
ECaT Audit Tool: Enabling Environments CSC Observation Tool: Language Learning Environment (Parameter 1)
Structured Language Learning Opportunities
Holistic approach: combination of individual/small group work/whole class reinforcement: importance of opportunities for GENERALISATION
Planning vocabulary: books/topics/themes/early words for EAL
Dialogic book sharing: strategy that turns story sharing into a language learning opportunity by planning vocabulary & open-ended questions (Small-scale research project in Sussex)
ECaT Audit Tools: Learning & Development & Positive Relationships CSC Observation Tool: Language Learning Opportunities (Parameter 2)
Impoverished early experiences: language/activities/ interactions: Why talk to babies?
Vocabulary learning should be ACTIVE planned process supported by exposure to modelling by adults & generous use of visual supportOften children may need to hear new words 200 times to
generate a clear accurate template before then saying wordAdults need to differentiate vocabulary chosen to match current
skill levels of all children (EAL children)Planning process should facilitate adults to reflect on own
language & choice of wordsEncourages planning of groups/activities to support
generalisation
Why Plan Vocabulary?
Each group has specific topic
Plan for a specific activity on this topic
Identify WHICH 10 words you want YOUR children to learn
Vocabulary Activity
Sort words into these categories:
CORE
KEY
EXTENSION
Refer to Language for Literacy Word Web(Nutbrown & Hannon 2011)
Working on Vocabulary
Language Learning InteractionsHow do adults in the setting talk with children?Do all adults consistently use ALL Top Tips for Talking
with ALL children?Are adults able to adapt their own interaction style to suit
the communication & language levels of individual children?
How do adults use questions when interacting with children in their setting/classroom?
ECaT Audit Tool: Positive Relationships CSC Observation Tool: Language Learning Interactions (Parameter 3)
Thinking about InteractionsInteractions can be verbal or non-verbalMeaningful interactions should be at least 4
turnsInteractions should be well-supported by
signs/gesturesGood quality interactions depend on wide
range of adult interaction styles/strategies
DVD Clip 1: StickingDVD Clip 2: Blocks
Watch both clipsComplete observation tally chart for each clip
What do you notice?
Observation Activity
10 Top Tips for Adults1. Adult uses child’s name to draw attention2. Adult gets down to child’s physical level3. Adult uses some natural gestures & signing4. Adult uses some real objects, photos,
symbols to teach new words5. Adult uses slow pace during conversations6. Adult pauses expectantly & frequently during
conversations7. Adult confirms understanding of child’s
intentions8. Adult imitates what child says (more or less
= recasting)9. Adult comments on what child is doing10. Adult extends on what child has said adding
extra information
How can you achieve high quality interactions consistently?
ECaT Positive Relationships Audit: looks principally at QUANTITY of meaningful adult/child interactions (also ECERs checklists)
Communication Supporting Classrooms Checklist (3rd parameter): looks at QUALITY of adult interactions (also ECERs checklists)
Remember it’s the ADULTS who can make changes to their interaction styles not the children
ECaT in preschool settings: termly Clubs/twilight training/whole staff Universal level Phase 2/whole staff introduction to signing/catch-up sessions
From September: roll-out of Narrative groups in settings [evidence-based intervention]
Universal level whole staff training for FS teamsUniversal level training for Foster Carers/Child
Minders (termly Clubs for Child Minders too)
How are we supporting High Quality Universal provision Across Southampton?
Narrowing the Gap: Strand specific % AT RISK OF DELAY from total cohort tracked 2014-2015
November 2014 June 15
Listening & Attention
23% 18%
Social Communication Skills
29% 24%
Understanding 23 % 21%
Talking 31% 28%
Good Level of Development
Results:
2013:
National = 51%
Southampton = 50%
2014:
National = 60.3%
Southampton = 61.8%
2015:
National = 66.2%
Southampton = 66%
WEST CLUSTER2013:
55.4%2014: 65.1%2015: 65.5%
NORTH CLUSTER2013:
53.4%2014: 63.7%2015: 69.6%
SOUTH CLUSTER2013: 47.5%2014: 60.4%2015: 62.7%
EAST CLUSTER2013: 47.5%2014: 57.7%2015: 66%
Narrowing the Gap: EYFSP Results 2013-2015
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