Demonstration Training

The cost of cover for staff who are training is often a reason for NOT sending staff. We, therefore, offer demonstration training where we come into your nursery or school and deliver language groups to show staff how to incorporate essential components into circle-time sessions. We demonstrate using your own children. We have Languageland and Teeny Talkers to enable us to do this from 2 years to KS1. Staff are then empowered to be able to run their own sessions.

Teeny Talkers (6 weeks)

Written by 2 specialist Speech and language therapists, Helen Dunn and Libby Hill, it was pilotted in Burton upon Trent at Lansdowne Nursery Department in 2010. They have continued to carry this out to help spread the word.

Staff observe activities which encourage speech, language and communication development for two year olds with follow up ideas.

Languageland (6 weeks)

Developed over seven years through funding by Newcastle-Under-Lyme NHS PCT and Staffordshire LEA, Languageland provides a complete training package to support nursery and class teachers in adjusting their teaching practice through demonstrated language lessons, and to achieve collaborative practice.

• Activities can be integrated into Circle Time or timetabled as a ‘stand-alone’ lesson, and target: -

• • General interaction/social skills
• • Good listening
• • Sound awareness skills
• • Vocabulary
• • Comprehension
• • Narrative skills

Languageland has been used extensively throughout Staffordshire LEA and has achieved excellent outcomes (see RCSLT Bulletin May 2003 ‘Let’s go to Languageland’ Angela Wright).

Age Levels: Nursery – Reception – KS1; 3years – 7years

Curriculum Targets: Early Years Foundation Stage; Speaking, Listening; Letters and Sounds.