What is Launchpad for Language?

• Speech and Language Therapy Service

• Working with school and parents to help language in nursery and reception

What are we going to do today?

Turn to the person next to you…

• What do you like best about story time with your child?

The Research…

• Reading aloud to children promotes language and literacy skills

• Children’s books contain 50% more rare words than prime time TV

• Positive effects of early reading continue throughout school

Why do we share stories?Learning words

Predicting

Understanding time

Feelings/emotions

Develops imagination

Learning story structures (order of events)

Sharing excitement

Listening skills

Memory

Your top tips for story-time!

• Pause when you finish reading a page

• AND pause when you open a new page

• What could your child do in those moments?

Top Tip 1: ‘The pause between the pages’

• Your child might need to look at the pictures for longer

• They might comment on a picture

• They might notice something new

• They might ask a question

• They might start a conversation about the characters

• It allows OPPORTUNITIES for your child to COMMUNICATE

Top Tip 1: ‘The pause between the pages’

Top Tip 1: ‘The pause between the pages’

• What does it mean to give your words COLOUR when you read?

Top Tip 2: ‘Colour your words’

• Make your voice expressive, interesting, varied, colourful

• Highlight key words

• Help create intrigue, fascination, excitement

• Your child will REALLY want to listen, copy and join in!

Top Tip 2: ‘Colour your words’

• Do you need to read all the words?

• Read the other words slowly, pause, repeat…

• Your child will be more likely to link your words to the pictures and learn

Top Tip 3: Slow and steady

• Try not to ask too many questions (e.g. ‘what’s that?’, ‘what’s he doing?’)

• Instead, wait for your child to come up with their own observations and ideas

Top Tip 4: Be careful with questions!

•We learn through doing, not just through listening; different senses keep the child interested and improve listening and memory

• The cover of the book

• The pictures

• EACH OTHER!

• Toys and objects?

• The words

• Songs (relating to the ideas in the story)

• Sound effects (e.g. animal noises; rattles, shouts)

• Rhyming words

• First sounds of words

•Talk about how things feel…• Rough/smooth

• Hot/cold

• Soft/hard

• Wet/dry

• Heavy/light

• Slimy/slippery

• Talk about how things taste…•Sweet/sour/salty

•Delicious/tasty/yummy

•Horrible/yuk

•Safe/healthy

•Unsafe/not healthy

• Act out the story actions, e.g.• Sit/ stand• Jump• Dance• Feet kick/step/march• Hands clap/wave/ wiggle in the air• Hiding under a cushion/ a sky cloth

• Clapping and drumming along with the rhythms

Retelling stories

• Retell familiar stories in play using toys

• Gives children pretend play ideas

• Extends their pretend play

• Helps the child with narrative and storytelling

• Helps the child be creative and imaginative… by changing and extending the story in their own way!

Retelling stories:

Let’s Make Story Props!

When you get home

1. Look at books with your child

2. Use your story props

3. Think about how to make your books multisensory!

To find out more…

Web: http://gethackneytalking.co.uk/

Twitter: @HackneyTalk Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/gethackneytalking/

Please talk to your class teacher if you have any concerns about your child’s Speech, Language & Communication