Smart Talkers Pre-School Communication Groups from Small Talk SLT Ltd

I wanted some photographs that I could use which really showed the children 'at work'. Horn End Rugeley allowed us to photograph a group there. Thank you so much to Emma and staff! Sara Moseley, my favourite photographer came and coped extremely well, despite the very small space, to achieve some great shots. Here are a taster!

They show how the children concentrate, puzzle over things and generally have a good time while working on attention, listening, social interaction, auditory memory, vocabulary, understanding and expressive language skills. 


We use songs, games, puppets, stories and signing to achieve the aims.... the children just think they're having fun!

Who is the strange woman with Jack? Answers on a postcard please....................

Sara can be contacted at saramoselyphotography.co.uk  Horn End Rugeley www.hornend.co.uk

Tiny Talkers Training programme

Do you sometimes find yourself saying 'yes' then working out the practicalities later? I'm really bad at that, so when I was asked if I could  devise a training programme for 2 year olds that could be delivered mainly without taking the staff out of the nursery or pre-school, similar to the Languageland Programme that caters for 3-7yr olds, I said.......... 'Of course!'. I enlisted the the help of Helen Stretton, and we set about working out a training package with a 6 week programme.


There will be an initial training session without the children to set the scene and introduce the ideas that we're going to demonstrate. There isn't anywhere that pulls together the framework of communication and how everything fits together, so we'll start with that.We'll look at attention, listening, auditory memory, information-carrying words as well as vocabulary and other important concepts.


Each of the 6 sessions following will see the therapist run the group and discuss why she is doing an activity. The staff will be able to follow with aim/activity sheets with explanations which tie in with what they learned in the first classroom session. There will also be sheets which give more ideas, further activity suggestions and useful books to back up what has been covered. 


We have designed it so that others can use it so there is a sheet for each session for the person delivering the session to suggest exactly how to deliver it for maximum effect.
Helen is piloting it in September in Burton with a project working with staff from 2 pre-schools and a group of 2 year olds and their parents, funded by the Community and Learning Partnership. Lisa Griffiths, the Smart Talkers Franchisee from St Neots will do a second pilot in her area. The idea then is to sell it to other speech & language therapists or special needs co-ordinators so they can deliver the training in their settings. We have a  publisher who is interested already.


If you know of any settings who are wondering how they could improve their knowledge of language in 2 year olds but who don't want to spend money on staff cover, then this is for them. www.private-speech-therapy.co.uk or www.smarttalkers.org.uk

Small Talker Pre-school Communication Groups:

• ·         At least 40,000 children will have started school this September without the necessary level of speech, language and communication skills (Prof. J Wright, de Montford University, 2008)
• ·         A high percentage of these are transient difficulties which could have been prevented or dealt with pre-school. ICAN estimates 50% of the reception population fall into this category
• ·         Studies show that if a child starts school with delayed language his chances of success after school are less (Prof. J Law, City University, 2009)
• ·         At least 85% of those starting school will have poor attention and listening skills which will prevent them learning (Hill, 2010)

The Small Talker Groups were set up exactly to try to help alleviate the problems faced by the Class Teacher. We work on everything they need to be successful, effective communicators including attention, listening, vocabulary, understanding, expressive language skills and social interaction.

They are for all children but are ideal for those who really need a boost before they start school next year www.smarttalkers.org.uk

Free Smart Talkers classes in the Staffordshire Surestart Children's Centres

Smart Talkers Pre-School Communication Groups, in conjunction with SureStart, have more free classes this term:

Willows Children's Centre Tues 10.00 a.m. Tiny Talker suitable for 2 year olds

Charnwood Childrens Centre Thurs 1.30 p.m. Small Talker (3-4 years)

Shenstone Childrens Centre Tues 1.30 p.m. Small Talker

Little Aston Childrens Centre Wed 1.30 p.m. Small Talker

Springhill Childrens Centre Tues 1.30 p.m.Small Talker

Bony Hay Childrens Centre Thurs 10.00 a.m.Small Talker, 10.45 a.m.Tiny Talker

Barton-under-Needwood Fri 1.30 p.m. Small Talker

St Mary's Childrens Centre,Uttoxeter Weds 10.00 Small Talker


Stapenhill Childrens Centre Tues 1.45 pm Small Talker

We work on everything your child needs to be a confident, successful communicator using stories, puppets, games and songs. Come and join us! 


Groups are run by Nicky Wilson, Franky Shepperson, Helen Stretton and Libby Hill 


www.smarttalkers.org.uk

Our first ever competition

We want to spread the word about the Smart Talkers Pre-School groups and so we need more people to know about them. We have a prize draw for anyone to enter if they recommend the Smart Talkers Pre-School groups Facebook Page. The winner will receive a Champagne Tea-time Hamper from John Lewis. The closing date is 30th September 2010.



We also have a special  'finders fee' of £1000 if you recommend someone who becomes a franchisee.

Smart Talkers Pre-school Groups are a series of groups  to provide a fun way to stimulate children's spoken language development. Devised by qualified, experienced specialist speech & language therapists, these sessions are for all children. www.smarttalkers.org.uk Using signing, games, stories & songs, we work on everything a child needs to be a confident, successful, effective communicator including attention, listening, vocabulary, understanding and expressive language skills. We have different classes available for different age groups:
Small Talkers: especially for 3- 4 year olds to prepare them for school.
Tiny Talkers: for around 2 -3 years
Baby Talk: for around 0m - 2 years
Baby Smart Signers: 0-2 years
Toddler Smart Signers: 2-3 years
Small Talk Smart Signers: 3-4 years

So, to be in with a  chance of the hamper go to our Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1003637090&v=photos&so=0#!/pages/Smart-Talkers-Pre-School-groups/126998813993019?ref=ts and if you could spend £1000 before Christmas pass our details on to your 'likely' friends. It's a great opportunity to have fun, earn money and make a real difference!

Brief mention..........

Although the Smart Talker groups were designed for everyone, not just children with identified difficulties, we have several children with very significant problems who come along. I write the programmes so they can be tailored to each child. The others who run the groups are either Speech and Language Therapists or experienced, capable individuals with early years backgrounds. It's more important for prospective franchisees to be the right type of person than the qualifications they have. All the children make progress but some are worthy of a special mention:

Louis began to attend the Small Talker group in September 2009 with some of his nursery peers and others. He had no speech but was known to have a small repertoire of signs that he understood. However, he was so withdrawn that he did not appear to have the confidence to look at a person when they spoke to him, let alone reply. Communication was extremely difficult with foster parents and nursery staff having to guess what he wanted. Even pointing was a problem. He was reported to be a single word level for understanding but this was not evident in his performance. Mainstream schooling appeared to be ‘out of the question’. He was almost 4.

He has been attending the group weekly since and his nursery teacher has worked very hard with him. He is not recognisable as the same child: he appears, happy, confident and relaxed in the group. He takes turns and gives responses both vocally and by sign. He spontaneously points things outs and names items. Comprehension is now 2-3-word level. He initiates interaction with children and adults. He does everything I expect of the others.

It gives me a lump in my throat to see how much he enjoys the group and how he has come on…… and he’s going to mainstream school!!!' YESSSSSS! It will be tough and he'll need a great deal of support but how fantastic!