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Quality Interaction Developing Communication and Language Skills Originally developed by Marianne Senior Session 1: Building Relationships
Quality Interaction Developing Communication and
Language Skills
Originally developed by Marianne Senior
Session 1: Building Relationships
Building relationships Quiz!
LEL Literacy Group 2015
1. When do we begin to learn?
2. What do we mean by the term ‘hardwiring’ of the brain?
3. What impact can neglect have on brain development?
4. What do we mean by the ‘flight’, ‘fight’ or ‘freeze’ response.
5. List 3 initiatives across Glasgow which support the building of relationships.
6. What is the name of the national practice guidance for Early Learning and Childcare?
7. According to this guidance what are the 3 organisers for the under 5s curriculum?
8. What is Glasgow’s Attainment challenge?
9. What is the biggest influence on children’s learning aged birth to three?
10. By the age of 5, what is the attainment gap [in months] between children for low and high income households- For problem solving ability and for vocabulary.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Aims of the module
• To raise awareness of Scotland’s attainment challenge in ‘closing the gap’.
• To explore the role of quality interaction, attachment and nurture in building relationships and creating conditions that enable children to achieve the best possible outcomes.
• To consider children’s conversational styles and your own role as a practitioner in enabling participation and interaction.
• To discuss the stages of communication and language development and raise awareness of the reasons why some children are not achieving as well as they should.
• To reflect on some strategies which can support learners at risk of ‘missing out’.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Scotland’s Attainment Challenge: Closing the Gap
• Research demonstrates a gap in attainment between children from the most and least deprived areas.
• Our challenge is to close this gap and offer all children the best possible opportunity to achieve and leave school with the best possible choices and chances in life to meet their aspirations.
• 7 local authorities were chosen to participate in the attainment challenge because of the concentration of children living in poverty in these areas. Glasgow is one.
• There will be a strong emphasis on literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing.
• Our focus through these sessions is on developing children’s communication and language skills to their fullest potential.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Quality Interaction….. “It is crucial that every adult in a child’s life understands that by taking the time to talk to or listen to children, they’re contributing to their early language development. Simple actions such as reading, singing, playing and talking with young children can make all the difference – particularly for children living in poverty” (Ready to Read, 2015)
LEL Literacy Group 2015
How good is our ELCC?
“In our setting, we recognise that relationships lie at the heart of children’s development and lays the foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing. The promotion of wellbeing for all our children and their families underpins everything we do and is based on mutual respect, honesty and trust.”
Level 5 illustration (Very Good) - QI 3.1: Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion (Draft version)
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Building relationships: Understanding Brain development
• Every baby is born with a unique personality and an adaptable brain, which has a high degree of plasticity, and which is ready to be shaped by relationships and experiences (Balbernie, 2001).
• Babies start to learn in the womb, particularly in the last trimester. Research has also shown that external influences such as the mother’s emotional experiences during pregnancy can affect the development of the baby’s brain (O’Donnell, O’Connor and Glover, 2009).
• It is the early experiences and developing relationships that cause the connections in the brain to increase rapidly.
• Particular experiences determine which permanent connections are made in the brain and which are no longer needed. The brain begins to prune connections over the first year.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Building relationships: Understanding Brain development
• This brain development takes place through interactions with others, being active and involved, and learning through exploration and discovery.
• As babies and young children revisit and practise skills and language, they return to previous connections or pathways in the brain. Every time the pathway is revisited, it is strengthened and the link speeds up.
• Kotulak (1997) suggests that the principle ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it’ is as true for cognitive skills as it is for muscles. The result is that the strongest pathways survive, whilst those carrying no signal wither and die.
• This process is commonly known as ‘hard-wiring’ and 90% of the hard-wired connections will be complete by the age of 3.
• This process is fundamental to the critical importance of the early years as it explains and illustrates the long-lasting impact of early experiences.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Research shows…
"Very early experiences need to be rich in touch, face-to-face contact and stimulation through conversation (or reciprocating baby babble). These stimuli encourage a more richly networked brain, particularly the regions that govern social aspects of life," Rebecca Brown & Harriet Ward, (Decision Making Within a Child's Timeframe)
"Science is helping us to understand how love and nurture by caring adults is hardwired into the brains of children," Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer, (The 1001 Critical Days)
LEL Literacy Group 2015
LEL Literacy Group 2015
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Impact of neglect on brain development
Take some time now to read over the article on the impact of
a nurturing environment.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Early Intervention!
“..the brain of children is very plastic. Bad experiences can harm it. Yet, early interventions have the potential to at least partly remediate harm. This is inspiring news for the many dedicated mental health workers…” (Dr Andrea Danese, Head of the Stress & Development Lab, Kings College London)
LEL Literacy Group 2015
John Carnochan Building relationships and the early years
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair
broken men” (Frederick Douglas)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl4p6EUW1h8
Now read Being Human
Five to Thrive: The things you do every day that help your child’s growing brain
• A guide for parents and carers
• Many centres are supporting the five building blocks through work with parents (Respond, Cuddle, Relax, Play, Talk)
• Describes the 5 factors with relation to children’s brain development.
http://www.fivetothrive.org.uk/resources/
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Applying Nurture as a Whole School Approach
Nurture principles
3. Nurture is important for well-being and self esteem.
4. Language is a vital means of communication.
5. All behaviour is communication.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Extract from Applying Nurture as a Whole School Approach Appendix 3b
Observation Profile: the playroom
Staff member pays attention to body language and cues of the children and knows when
to intervene to avoid situation escalating, for example, may use humour or distraction.
NP 4 and 5
Staff are aware of their own body language and non-verbal cues and adapt these to the
situation, for example, do not invade children’s personal space, turn to the child and nod
when approached.
NP 4 and 5
Success is acknowledged and celebrated in a way that is supportive of the children, for
example, through displays, feedback, encouragement.
NP 3 and 4
Language of emotion is modelled by staff in the playroom and used with children, for
example, “I am feeling very cross today as a big loud dog kept me awake all night.”
NP 4 and 5
Nurturing relationships: Children and Families
“We know that outcomes for children are much better if the family is involved in all aspects of ELCC” (Building the Ambition, 3.3)
The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) project found that there are more intellectual gains for children in centres that encourage high levels of parent engagement in their children’s learning. The most effective settings share child-related information between parents and staff and parents are involved in decision making about their child’s learning.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Working together…..
• Read and discuss the case studies from Building the Ambition, Chesters, Woodside , St Ann’s and Fasque. What do you think makes these strategies effective?
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Chesters Nursery School – Building relationships and nurturing families
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Links to Policy: Building the Ambition
LEL Literacy Group 2015
When young children come to an ELCC setting they need a happy environment where children and adults are actively engaged with frequent smiles and laughter. The environment should be rich in opportunities to acquire language and encourage communication, inquiry learning and be involved in exciting experiences which at the same time are calm, comforting and responsive. They need the warmth of positive adult to child interaction. This includes adults who provide appropriate physical affection and who comfort children when they are upset.
Links to policy: Pre Birth to 3: GCC Curriculum Guidelines for Under Threes
• Relationships “Babies are genetically predisposed to form relationships” and need adults who are “welcoming, consistent, loving and who provide a safe, secure and familiar environment”.
• Respect Expressing genuine interest in parents and families
Valuing diversity, respecting values, ensuring fairness and equality.
• Rights of the Child UNCRC underpins national policy.
• Responsive care Responding to individual needs is “Crucial in ensuring effective and high quality provision for young children and their families”.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Links to policy: GIRFEC
“Intervening early for those children and families who need it most makes a positive difference” (Building the Ambition, 2.2)
• Wellbeing indicators: Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active,
Respected, Responsible, Included • Focus on supporting children and families in improving wellbeing. • Advocates preventative work and early intervention to support
children and families. • Education Scotland have created a self evaluation toolkit and parent
pack which you can utilise in your centre.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Links to policy: SSSC Code of Practice
• 1: As a social service worker, you must protect the rights and promote the interests of service users and carers.
• 2: As a social service worker, you must strive to establish and maintain the trust and confidence of service users and carers.
• 3: As a social service worker, you must promote the independence of service users while protecting them as far as possible from danger or harm.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Practitioners – Supporting secure attachments
• “It is paramount for practitioners to realise that the relationships they make with the parents and the relationships they make with the children and the relationships that they encourage between the parents and the children are the most important thing that they can do and to do that is very easy to say but is very difficult and needs a lot of skill. It is not something that comes easy. People need skill, they need reflective supervision and they need support and they need time.”
(Robert Balbernie, Child Psychotherapist)
LEL Literacy Group 2015
‘A father and son have the most precious conversation during an
interview by French media’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIzna7x9LWQ
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Building relationships: Working with Bookbug at HMP Shotts
• Family Time Project – developing bonds, attachment, relationships and communication between imprisoned Fathers and their children.
• “Memories can be shared, plans for the future made and plenty of cuddles given”
• Article for reading enclosed in pack.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Building relationships: Secure Attachments
• Identify and reflect on the ways in which you ensure that babies and young children feel secure when in your care.
• How could you build upon these, introduce new approaches and measure effectiveness?
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Children with a disorganised attachment style need:
• safe and predictable routines (but not overly long or low level) • Warning of Changes to routine and preparation for change or transitions. • Clear communication about why decisions are being made and how these
will affect them. • Opportunities to working together with you on a joint task e.g. game with
rules. • Responses from practitioners at their emotional level as opposed to
chronological age. • Practitioners who try to understand their feelings, listen carefully to them
and supporting them appropriately. • Practitioners to form strong relationships with parents/carers to develop
strategies for support.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Sabre Tooth Tigers & Teddy Bears The Connected baby guide to understanding attachment
“It is astounding to realise how much of our adult lives are influenced by experiences we had before we could walk, talk or consciously remember” Dr Suzanne Zeedyk
• Understanding attachment theory • Neuroscience of attachment • Attachment security • Sharing emotional states • Laughter as resilience
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Extract from HGIOELCC 3.1Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
Building Relationships: Features of Effective Interaction Practitioners should…
Talk to children and one another. Create a wide range of opportunities for children to actively engage in a
wide range of literacy experiences. Model how to make and use texts and language. Intervene to support, challenge and extend skills and knowledge e.g.
specialist vocabulary within technology, science, art… Observe carefully. Listen well consistently and value what children say. Respond appropriately. Speak clearly and use appropriate sentence structures. Know a range of stories to tell imaginatively. Explain how to use different types of books. Discuss routines and support children in establishing these. Ask a variety of questions to promote higher order thinking. Model and promote the use of writing for a purpose
Research demonstrates a clear correlation between effective adult interaction and children’s progress. Put yourself in a child’s shoes and imagine taking a walk through your nursery – what experiences
would you meet to develop relationships, communication and literacy skills?
LEL Literacy Group 2015
Tasks for next session • Utilise the ‘Building the Ambition’ self
evaluation materials for babies OR toddlers OR young children to evaluate interaction and communication across your provision.
• Consider today’s material, particularly some of the good practice case studies. Identify areas for development and plan some strategies to address these. Bring this to the next session.
LEL Literacy Group 2015
LEL Literacy Group 2015
LEL Literacy Group 2015
