In this episode of the TTS Talking Early Years Podcast, Alice Sharp welcomes back Speech and Language Therapist, Kate Freeman to shares some of the ways that educators can identify gaps in children’s early speech development.     Throughout this episode, Kate shares:  The different types of speech, language and communication – what are they and when should we be’ worried’?  What might some of the signs look like to a practitioner, parent or carer? What techniques may support in closing those gaps?  Practical ways to get parents and carers involved in supporting developmental gaps.  📌 To shop for resources relevant to this podcast conversation, click here.   Listened and loved it? Sign-up here for exclusive follow-up content and be the first to hear about new episodes.  (The views expressed throughout this podcast are the speakers' own, and TTS does not take responsibility for the views and guidance highlighted as part of this recording.)  Please note: When referencing the speakers views, theory and work for development of your own materials, please ensure academic reference of the speaker is cited. 

In this episode of the TTS Talking Early Years Podcast, Alice Sharp is joined by Kate Freeman, Speech and Language therapist, to discuss the impact of the pandemic on children’s speech and language.  Kate explains how the word gap has become increasingly wider since the outbreak of COVID-19 due to factors such as mask-wearing, limited interaction, increased screen-time and social isolation.  Touching on her own experience, Kate shares the areas of speech and language that have been impacted the most, and what techniques can be used to rectify some of the issues and challenges that both practitioners and parents face in narrowing the word gap. 📌 To shop for resources relevant to this podcast conversation, click here.   Listened and loved it? Sign-up here for exclusive follow-up content and be the first to hear about new episodes.  (The views expressed throughout this podcast are the speakers' own, and TTS does not take responsibility for the views and guidance highlighted as part of this recording.)  Please note: When referencing the speakers views, theory and work for development of your own materials, please ensure academic reference of the speaker is cited. 

Alice is joined by Simon Airey for the final time to talk all things continuous provision, also referenced to as continuous play. Simon begins by explaining what continuous play is, why it’s so important in the Early Years, but also the benefits of taking this approach beyond the EYFS too.  Throughout the episode Simon shares best examples of continuous play and experiences that have shaped his approach to collaborative play and the impact this has on children’s learning outcomes. 📌 To shop for resources relevant to this podcast conversation, click here.   Listened and loved it? Sign-up here for exclusive follow-up content and be the first to hear about new episodes.  (The views expressed throughout this podcast are the speakers' own, and TTS does not take responsibility for the views and guidance highlighted as part of this recording.)  Please note: When referencing the speakers views, theory and work for development of your own materials, please ensure academic reference of the speaker is cited. 

In episode 7 of the TTS Talking Early Years Podcast, Alice Sharp is joined by Simon Airey to explore how a play-based approach to learning in the Early Years enriches and extends a child’s vocabulary.   Simon and Alice touch on the impact the pandemic has had on children’s language and how there is a greater need for additional support in settings across the UK and internationally. Sharing their own experiences of developing children’s language through play-based learning, Alice and Simon suggest practical and inspiring ways to support children’s language development and why tuning into the children’s own individual and additional needs is so vital when engaging children in role-play scenarios. 📌 To shop for resources relevant to this podcast conversation, click here.   Listened and loved it? Sign-up here for exclusive follow-up content and be the first to hear about new episodes.  (The views expressed throughout this podcast are the speakers' own, and TTS does not take responsibility for the views and guidance highlighted as part of this recording.)  Please note: When referencing the speakers views, theory and work for development of your own materials, please ensure academic reference of the speaker is cited. 

Alice Sharp is joined by Simon Airey, an educator with over 20 years’ experience of teaching, working in specialist provision and the EYFS. In this episode, Alice and Simon explore the language opportunities beyond the setting and how educators can tap into the children’s unique experiences to enhance language development.  Simon explains the power of forging strong relationships with all parties, right from the practitioner to the child, to the parents and carers. Reflecting on his teaching experiences, Simon shares that by developing deeper connections with all those involved, we better understand the child’s capabilities and genuine interests which in return helps shape and scaffold more meaningful learning experiences. 📌 To shop for resources relevant to this podcast conversation, click here.   Listened and loved it? Sign-up here for exclusive follow-up content and be the first to hear about new episodes.  (The views expressed throughout this podcast are the speakers' own, and TTS does not take responsibility for the views and guidance highlighted as part of this recording.)  Please note: When referencing the speakers views, theory and work for development of your own materials, please ensure academic reference of the speaker is cited.