With real examples and case studies from the author′s own experience, this book explores how children learn to communicate using language, how they use language to learn and the role of adults in the process.
With real examples and case studies from the author′s own experience, this book explores how children learn to communicate using language, how they use language to learn and the role of adults in the process.
Children learn to talk through interaction including involvement in many thousands of conversations with adults and other children. These conversations provide the framework for exploring relationships, understanding the world, and learning - in its widest sense. This book explores how children learn to communicate using language, how they use language to learn and the role of adults in the process. It examines how adults can support children to learn by involving them in positive interactions, meaningful conversation and by helping them play, explore and talk with each other.
The book includes:
Informed by the author's own experience working with young children, families and practitioners, and from his involvement in the England-wide Every Child a Talker (ECaT) project, it links key research findings with successful practice to inspire practitioners to develop skills when talking with children, influence how adults plan for talk in settings and gain insight into how language develops in the home.
“This really is a book about talking and learning withyoung children. A refreshing awareness of early learning and language as a partnership between young children and adults permeates the text. Every chapter is shaped by conversations and exploratory talk and the key message for all practitioners is that such detailed conversations and opportunities for Sustained Shared Thinking (SST) can take place in busy early years settings. It is all a matter of priorities!”
This really is a book about talking and learning with young children. A refreshing awareness of early learning and language as a partnership between young children and adults permeates the text.
Every chapter is shaped by conversations and exploratory talk and the key message for all practitioners is that such detailed conversations and opportunities for Sustained Shared Thinking (SST) can take place in busy early years settings.
It is all a matter of priorities!
-- Marian WhiteheadThe author’s wide experience of working with young children and his fascination with their development shines brightly throughout this book. Michael brings together research findings, theoretical understanding, and authentic examples of practice to provide a treasury of information about how adults can best support young children’s communication using language. The many practical examples make clear how to recognise the potential in everyday events to develop detailed conversations with children.
-- Marion DowlingFrom the very start, Talking and Learning with Young Children has a positive message: ‘It is fun to talk, for the sake of talking’ and has a focus on joint learning between adults and children, rather than adults hijacking the conversation... As you would expect from such an experienced observer of children and raconteur, there are plenty of beautifully written examples of children’s interactions, in fact there are examples and case studies on almost every page. In addition, there is a very useful glossary at the end of the book... I think this is a book you could read just for the sheer joy of it – you don’t need to be doing a course or studying language development. It would certainly be a very valuable addition to the staff room or network group and for starting reflective conversations in staff meetings.
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I think this book is great, especially as it gives out such positive messages about talking and encompasses children from all sorts of backgrounds. I am planning to order some copies for the library and am thinking about how to incorporate it into our teaching.
-- Dr Carolyn LettsThis easy to read book, aimed at early years practitioners, is clearly structured and links theory to practice well. After each discussion, which includes records of conversations with individual children and groups of children, there are practical tasks for the reader to carry out, as well as opportunities to reflect on the topic of the chapter.
Overall this is an accessible read which challenges the reader to apply what has been learnt in each chapter. It will provide some theory to those new to the area of speech, language and communication development and will be particularly useful for early years practitioners working in small or larger group settings.
-- Kate FreemanMichael Jones has worked as a speech and language therapist, as a teacher in primary and special schools and as an advisory teacher for children with speech and language difficulties. He led the Every Child a Talker (ECaT) project in three areas of the UK.Michael currently provides training internationally and publishes widely on the subject of early language development.
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