
TTS Talking Early Years
COMING SOON: Series 6 - SEN in the Early Years đź‘€
Welcome to the TTS Talking Early Years Podcast. Each week, we’ll be joined by guest experts, early years practitioners, and our in-house educational experts as we discuss everything Early Years!
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We’ll be sharing practical guidance and inspiration for your settings, signposting you to relevant resources, and providing exclusive supporting content that will help you inspire the next generation of learners. Our bitesize episodes are the perfect addition to your morning routine or evening downtime, so grab yourself a cup of tea and get comfortable as we unlock the potential for learning in the Early Years.
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Latest episodes

Jan 23, 2025 • 18min
Episode20 | Reinforcing positive behaviour with Professor David Daley
Ruth Lue-Quee is joined for a final episode in this series by Professor David Daley, to discuss reinforcing positive behaviour in Early Years Settings. David talks about the importance of labelled praise and letting the child know exactly what they have done well, so this reenforces their behaviours in the future.
Ruth and David discuss “earshotting” - giving more praise to a child by communicating good behaviours to peers and other educators in front of the child. Reward charts and how best to implement them are discussed, as well as the evolution of this tool into everyday adult life.
Practitioners will learn that reinforcement techniques and rewards shouldn’t be feared, and how neuroscience has shown that young people can become self-motivated to do more by themselves with the support of praise and reward.
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(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.

Jan 16, 2025 • 16min
Episode 19 | De-escalation and crisis management with Professor David Daley
In this episode, host Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Professor David Daley to discuss supporting a child’s behaviour before escalation arises, and investing time to put processes in place that will support self-regulation.
The discussion can help practitioners understand how to best calm down a child whose behaviour may be escalating, and David emphasises the importance of being prepared and acting quickly. Calm down spots, designated calming kit trays and communication methods are mentioned as options to help support behaviour.
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(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.

Jan 9, 2025 • 17min
Episode 18 | Proactive Behaviour Strategies with Professor David Daley
Ruth Lue-Quee is joined again by Professor David Daley, to discuss proactive behaviour strategies in Early Years Settings.
David talks about the importance of creating predictable environments for learning and shares tips for how to help SEN children be comfortable with timings and their environment.
Practitioners will learn about individual strategies for supporting behaviour and supporting SEN children’s need to move around to focus better, as well as how to give them permission to regulate their own concentration.
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(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.

Jan 2, 2025 • 21min
Episode 17 | Understanding Behaviour in SEN Settings with Professor David Daley
Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Professor David Daley, a trained psychologist and Head of Applied Psychological Practice at Nottingham Trent University, to discuss understanding different behaviours in learning.
In this first episode, David shares valuable insights for practitioners working with children with SEN, discussing how a child’s behaviour can be affected by their surroundings – both visually and to touch.
This episode ultimately encourages practitioners to consider their learning environments and being curious to spot patterns that will help support children, citing the ABC model of behaviour to focus on antecedent, behaviour, and consequence.
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(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.

Dec 26, 2024 • 16min
Episode 16 | Overcoming Challenges in Collaborative Teams with Anna Speke
Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Anna Speke for a final episode, to focus on how to overcome challenges when collaborating with others. The episode highlights common challenges faced when collaborating in the early years and how to navigate differences in professional opinions.
Anna and Ruth round of the episode - and this series – by highlighting the role of leadership in collaboration and managing disagreements among team members. Practitioners will learn tips that can help them communicate and collaborate better with others in early years SEN settings.
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(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.

Dec 19, 2024 • 17min
Episode 15 | Working with External Agencies with Anna Speke
In this episode, host Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Anna Speke to discuss understanding and working with external agencies for SEN support. Ruth and Anna discuss the services available and what SEN children may require help with.
The discussion can help practitioners navigate the referral process and establish best practice with external agencies, to foster collaboration. Anna also explains how nasen, the charity she works for, can support educators and children.
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(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.

Dec 12, 2024 • 17min
Episode 14 | Building relationships with Parents and Carers, with Anna Speke
Ruth Lue-Quee is joined again by Anna Speke, to discuss building relationships with parents and carers to support SEN pupils. Anna introduces early years and inclusion, before explaining how to involve parents and carers, rather than just inform them.
Anna and Ruth then discuss strategies for effective communication, including forging good relationships at the point of meeting of meeting a parent or carer – an example is simply calling them by their preferred name in front of their child. Practitioners may also learn how to understand the parent or carers’ own personal circumstances, to understand their home dynamic better.
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(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.

Dec 5, 2024 • 16min
Episode 13 | Strengthening SEN Support Internally with Anna Speke
Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Anna Speke, Early Years Education Officer at nasen, to discuss how to collaborate with different groups of people in order to support SEN pupils. In this first episode, Anna explains that everybody plays a role in supporting SEN children and she explains how to collaborate effectively for positive outcomes.
Anna shares valuable insights for practitioners working with children with SEN, discussing effective communication and boundaries in teams. This episode ultimately encourages practitioners to identify their own responsibilities in supporting SEN children and working with others to facilitate good outcomes in educational settings.
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(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.

Nov 28, 2024 • 17min
Episode 12 | Managing Clutter and Visual Overload with Shardi Vaziri
Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Shardi Vaziri for a final episode, to focus on a clutter-free and visually calming environment. The episode highlights the importance a tidy environment can have on children’s behaviour, helping them not to become distracted by a messy workspace, or being overwhelmed by not knowing where equipment is.
Shardi shares insights into how to look at a classroom with fresh eyes and offering practitioners tips to making the small changes that could make a big difference to children who may struggle with overstimulation. By focussing on the look and feel of your classroom, you can ensure children know where to focus their attention and feel included when coming into class to learn.
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(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.

Nov 21, 2024 • 16min
Episode 11 | Inclusive Outdoor Learning Spaces with Shardi Vaziri
In this episode, host Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Shardi Vaziri to discuss building strategies to create an inclusive outdoor environment. Shardi discusses the difference between indoor and outdoor learning, citing the need to consider the skills that need to be developed in each setting.
Ruth and Shardi discuss the development of gross motor skills within an outdoor setting, as well as considering the area like a classroom with defined areas and equipment. The conversation touches on the change in environment, which will affect a child’s learning, and the need for children to get outside and learn new skills. This episode offers practical strategies and insights for early years practitioners who are looking to learn more about outdoor environments, with a view of making small tweaks to benefit their young learners.
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(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.