“The development of children’s spoken language underpins all seven areas of learning and development. Children’s back-and-forth interactions from an early age form the foundations for language and cognitive development. The number and quality of the conversations they have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial. By commenting on what children are interested in or doing, and echoing back what they say with new vocabulary added, practitioners will build children's language effectively. Reading frequently to children, and engaging them actively in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems, and then providing them with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts, will give children the opportunity to thrive. Through conversation, story-telling and role play, where children share their ideas with support and modelling from their teacher, and sensitive questioning that invites them to elaborate, children become comfortable using a rich range of vocabulary and language structures.” EYFS Statutory Framework 2021
INTENT: We want our children in nursery & pre-school to be confident communicators, able to talk about their feelings and activities. We want them to be able to hold a conversation, to retell stories and rhymes and to sing songs. Throughout EYFS, we want to to guide our children towards becoming life-long learners who can realise their full potential.
IMPLEMENTATION: Quality interactions with adults and peers are key to building on the children’s communication skills. Using ambitious vocabulary, alongside quality story texts, will develop the language. This happens in daily routines, small group storytelling time and through the children’s play. We use the ECAT toolkit as a resource to support those who are developmentally ‘not there yet’. As the children progress within the phase, they talk with adults and peers about new experiences, making links to previous learning and communicate to deepen existing friendships and language. During their reception year, children continue to meet new vocabulary through story times, key whole class texts and through their day-to-day learning and play. In addition to RWI (Read Write Inc.) phonics teaching, we also use the NELI (Nuffield Early Language Intervention) programme as additional language support for appropriate learners.
|
|
Adult led activities/Continuous Provision/linked stories (this will be added to as the year progresses)
|
|
Pre-school and nursery
|
Reception
|
|
Autumn 1
|
- Daily routines
- Settling in stories
- Building relationship with key person
- Quality interactions with staff: back-and-forth verbal interactions, staff introducing ambitious vocabulary
- See Literacy educational programme for choice of story text and related activities
- We use the ECAT toolkit as a resource to support those who are developmentally ‘not there yet’ as well as EarlyTalkBoost as a developmentally appropriate intervention tool.
|
- Story mapping The 3 Little Pigs and retelling using modelled text
- Innovating stories with new characters – retelling story
- Inventing own story
- Picture News discussion
|
|
Autumn 2
|
- Following on from baseline assessment – groups formed for EarlyTalkboost Intervention with referrals made for SALT (Speech and Language Therapy.
- Christmas performance (singing)
- Quality interactions with staff: back-and-forth verbal interactions, staff introducing ambitious vocabulary
- See Literacy educational programme for choice of story text and related activities
|
- Onomatopoeia – firework description
- Retell the Christmas story- small world
- School Christmas production
- Picture News discussion
|
|
Spring
1
|
- New language will develop from new experiences and quality story text
- Quality interactions with staff: back-and-forth verbal interactions, staff introducing ambitious vocabulary
- SALT/Interventions: reviewed 6 weekly to ensure impact is good
- See Literacy educational programme for choice of story text and related activities
- See Knowledge of the World educational programmes for celebrations /festivals/topical ideas we will be following
|
- Story map and retell Blue Penguin in own words
- Draw and retell penguin non-fiction report
- Picture News discussion
|
|
Spring
2
|
- New language will develop from new experiences and quality story text
- Quality interactions with staff: back-and-forth verbal interactions, staff introducing ambitious vocabulary
- SALT/Interventions: reviewed 6 weekly to ensure impact is good
- See Literacy educational programme for choice of story text and related activities
- See Knowledge of the World educational programmes for celebrations /festivals/topical ideas we will be following
|
- Listen to description of Bog Baby- EAD making activity
- Talk about own pets and their care (non-fiction)
- Picture News discussion
|
|
Summer 1
|
- New language will develop from new experiences and quality story text
- Quality interactions with staff: back-and-forth verbal interactions, staff introducing ambitious vocabulary
- SALT/Interventions: reviewed 6 weekly to ensure impact is good
- See Literacy educational programme for choice of story text and related activities
- See Knowledge of the World educational programmes for celebrations /festivals/topical ideas we will be following
|
- Story map Supertato and retell - innovate vegetables
- Picture News discussion
|
|
Summer 2
|
- New language will develop from new experiences and quality story text
- Quality interactions with staff: back-and-forth verbal interactions, staff introducing ambitious vocabulary
- SALT/Interventions: reviewed 6 weekly to ensure impact is good
- See Literacy educational programme for choice of story text and related activities
- See Knowledge of the World educational programmes for celebrations /festivals/topical ideas we will be following
|
- The World Around Us- including people who help us
- Picture News discussion
|
IMPACT: We will monitor the impact to ensure children are ‘on track’ in the developmental age band 3 -4 years, are clear communicators, have extended their vocabulary and can clearly express their thoughts. Children in Reception will be confident to talk to adults and peers about their experiences, ideas and feelings using new and embedded vocabulary.
