BRIEFING ON COMMUNICATING MATTERS

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BRIEFING ON COMMUNICATING MATTERS August
07 Presenter Rosemary Rees
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The Context

• Sure Start publication developed by Professor
  Nigel Hall
• (Manchester Metropolitan University)
• Multi-agency development / Multi-agency delivery
• Supports Sure Start Public Service Agreement
  targets
• Links to Local Authority plans including
  Children and
• Young Peoples Plan and cluster plans
• Links to the outcomes of the Rose Review on the
  
• teaching of reading
• No specific funding allocated nationally for
• dissemination within Local Authorities

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Aims

• To deepen practitioners understanding of
  childrens communication and language,
  particularly between the ages of 3 and 5
• To deepen practitioners understanding of how
  their own communicative behaviour impacts on
  childrens use and display of communicative
  behaviours
• To help practitioners reflect on and develop
  their practice to promote childrens
  communication and language more effectively

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Additional aim where delivered to schools and
settings together

• To help practitioners network and share good
  practice and to facilitate transition and
  continuity

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The Materials

• Three training modules each two-day
• training course with variable time
• between two days during which
• participants undertake a reflective task in
• their own setting
• Training materials for Local Authority
• Staff
• Can be accredited as one module of a 3
• module CPD qualification (CACHE -
• level 3) other accreditation options are
• being considered

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• Module 1 An introduction to
• Communication and Language in
• Early Years Settings
• Module 2 Management and
• Organisation of Communication and
• Language in Early Years Settings by
• Children and Practitioners
• Module 3 Exploring Different
• Pathways to Communication, Language
• and English

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The Strands of Communication and Language

• Knowing and using sounds and signs
• Knowing and using words
• Structuring language
• Making language work

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KEY STRATEGIC PARTNERS

• Speech and Language Therapy Managers
• through C I Steering Group
• Adult Education - are reviewing parenting
• courses in light of Communicating Matters
• Library Service - are reviewing training of
  Early
• Years staff in light of Communicating Matters
• Advisory Service, LEOs, Specialist Teaching
• Service, MCAS, Educational Psychology, Joint
  
• Commissioning Service, Partnership with
• Parents

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Strategic Communicating Matters Group - ongoing

• To develop the LA Strategic Plan for
  Communicating Matters and oversee implementation
• co-chaired by Colleen Marin and Rosemary Rees
  
• Other Services represented
• Speech Language Therapists
• Joint Commissioning Officers
• Minority Ethnic Bilingual Achievement
• Specialist Teaching Service
• Libraries
• Adult Education

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TRIAL PROJECT of MODULE 1 (AUTUMN 2006)
CLUSTER PROVIDERS Thanet 2 Margaret Murray
(Education) Claire Haywood (SL) Swale
Urban Julia Gouldson (Education) Helen
Waymouth (SL) Swanley Rosie Hitchings
(Education) Claire Swarbrick
(SL) Participants - aim was for five pairs of
practitioners from reception classes and five
pairs from settings.
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EVALUATION
1. Impact on Participants - ASK form at end of
day 1 - Detailed evaluation at end of Day 2
(available from Sandra) - Longer term
follow-up through AEPs in trial
clusters visiting provisions
(Information available September 2007) 2. Impact
on Providers - Provider questionnaire (available
from Sandra)
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MODULE 1
Examples of the Materials Task (based on video
clips)
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WAYS FORWARD

• 3 modules rolled out from January 2007 in LPSA
  2 areas
• Remind settings of county wide training
  available through ASK
• Cluster and support staff to initiate discussion
  with LEO
• Cluster staff to link with Early Years
  colleagues (consider ECERS data)
• Consider including Communicating Matters in
  Cluster Development Plan