TTS Talking Early Years

In this engaging discussion, Michael Surr, Head of Education at NASEN and former primary teacher, delves into the complexities of special educational needs. He highlights the different SEND categories, emphasizing a strengths-based approach for effective education. Listeners learn valuable strategies for inclusive teaching and how to navigate the tricky transition from primary to secondary schooling. Michael also stresses the importance of building collaborative communities with parents, aiming for a holistic educational experience that supports every child's unique journey.

Emma Jordan, a seasoned speech and language therapist with over 30 years in the NHS, shares her insights on the vital role of play in children's language development. She stresses the importance of high-quality play and adult involvement in fostering communication skills. Emma highlights the need to limit screen time and encourages letting children lead their play experiences. She also offers budget-friendly activities that can be implemented at home and in learning settings, enriching children's imaginative exploration and social interactions.

Emma Jordan, a speech and language therapist and joint service lead for Worcestershire's Children's Service, shares her expertise on technology's role in enhancing children's communication. She discusses the power of visual learning and sequencing during the transition from early years to primary school. Emma delves into effective strategies for using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) tools to support children with special educational needs and highlights the importance of creating distraction-free environments to foster language development.

Mark Loveday is joined again by Emma Jordan to discuss the understanding around social communication skills. Emma highlights the challenges that practitioners face and offers insights about actions to take.  Emma and Mark talk about the role of play in language development and practitioners can learn how to support support children in primary years. Emma also touches on pre-teaching language skills and resources to support practitioners.   📌 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.

Mark Loveday is joined by Emma Jordan, a specialist speech and language therapist and co-service lead for the children's speech and language therapy service in Worcestershire.  In this episode, Emma explains the role of early intervention in education and identifying speech and language needs early. Emma also highlights the impact of communication on social and emotional health.  Practitioners can learn more about the tools for early identification of communication needs, being aware of children’s hearing capabilities and creating effective learning environments.   📌 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. 

Mark Loveday is joined by Beccie Hawes for a final episode, to focus on building inclusive environments for children with autism. Beccie discusses how crucial it is to support children at the earliest opportunity and the role of “inclusive by design” in a classroom setting.  The episode highlights asking children what they really need, rather than making assumptions as adults, and finding out what are non-negotiables to make every learner comfortable in their learning. Practitioners will learn about different ways to equip a room and make sure that choice is available to help foster independence, offering a “buffet of sensory tools rather than a menu”.   Teachers will understand that the way they teach rather than what they teach is equally as important. Beccie gives a real-life example of a teacher being brave and changing up a lesson that was going wrong, and how they fixed it, as well as what small things might put autistic children off in a classroom.  📌 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, host Mark Loveday is joined by Beccie Hawes to talk about the boundaries of social interaction in autistic children. They discuss the assumption that children must have friends where in fact that they may prefer being alone to self-regulate and be comfortable as observers.  Mark and Beccie discuss collaborate play based approaches so children can interact in their natural way whilst interacting in meaningful, real-life situations. Beccie gives an example of how she teaches “reading the room” and giving a child the space to step back and assess their environment via a more therapeutic approach.   Practitioners can learn how “wondering aloud makes the invisible visible” and “what do do if”, to help offer tailored approaches to autistic children, whilst finding ways to get them to engage with the world around them.  📌 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.

Mark Loveday is joined again by Beccie Hawes to discuss communication challenges in young children with autism and how they might struggle with recognising social cues and fast paced environments.   Mark and Beccie discuss verbal and non-verbal children and highlight that they process and communicate in different ways, as well as providing meaningful communication attempts to different children.  Practitioners can learn more about providing structure and creating routines to foster effective communication, as well as the roles of Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices.  📌 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.

Mark Loveday is joined by Beccie Hawes to discuss what is autism, how does it manifest itself in children and how many forms of the condition there are.  In this episode, Beccie explains her role at CADMAS and their role in supporting SEN children, as well as giving real-life examples of how autism can show-up in everyday life situations.  Practitioners can learn more about thinking more broadly about neurodiversity and the importance of highlighting the needs of a child, rather than using a label as a one-size-fits-all approach. There is also advice for parents considering seeking diagnosis for their child and misconceptions.  📌 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. 

Mark Loveday is joined by Arran Smith for a final episode, to focus on inclusive environments for SPLD children. Mark talks about how he has rolled out support in his own educational setting and the role of upskilling staff to deliver an effective education to SPLD children.  The episode highlights Arran’s view of inclusive environments and offers considerations as to whether a classroom is kitted out effectively and has the look and feel for SPLD children to feel comfortable in. Arran also touches on how less is more when it comes to creating an inclusive environment and not being afraid to ask questions to improve the overall provision.   Practitioners will learn about tools for supporting children, such as illuminated mark making writing boards and sensory tents, as well as the role of supportive agencies that could offer external support.  📌 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.