Early years communication and language toolkit workshop

This workshop is for professionals only

Early Years Communication And Language Toolkit Banner (1)

This workshop is to help professionals understand how to use the early years communication and language toolkit. The toolkit is a screening tool for toddlers and preschoolers between 1 to 5 years old.

This toolkit was locally produced in Bedfordshire and Luton. The toolkit helps professionals to assess a child's speech, language and communication needs. It also provides strategies to help develop the speech, language and communication skills.

Aim of this workshop

Understand communication skills and developing communication skills
Improve your confidence in assessing speech, language and communication needs
Use the screening tool to help identify communication outcomes for children
Feel confident using strategies with children

Entry criteria

This workshop is for professionals who work in early years settings with children between 1 to 4 years old.

Please note, if you do not attend the workshop, you may be charged a penalty fee.

Booking information

These workshops are free.

If you work in Bedford Borough, email julie.comber@bedford.gov.uk

If you work in Central Bedfordshire, you will need to log into the e-learning portal Learning Central to access the workshop. Read more about Learning Central.

If you work in Luton, email flyingstart@eyalliance.org.uk

Bedford Borough

Only available to people working in Bedford Borough.

Dates: Wednesday 26 February 2025

Times: 9.30am to 11.30am

Location: Virtual

Fee: Free

To book onto this workshop, email julie.comber@bedford.gov.uk

Central Bedfordshire

Only available to people working in Central Bedfordshire

Dates: Monday 10 February 2025

Times: 1pm to 3pm

Location: Virtual

Fee: Free

If you work in Central Bedfordshire, you will need to log into the e-learning portal Learning Central to access the workshop. Read more about Learning Central.

Book on this workshop on Learning Central. Please note, this link will only work if you are logged into Learning Central.

Early years communication and language toolkit summary video

Last reviewed: 1 November, 2024

Speech, language and communication

Information and advice

Girl sitting down fiddling with her hair and smiling. She is facing a man who is smiling back at her.

0-1 Years
1-5 Years
5-11 Years
11-19 Years
SEND

Speech, language and communication advice

Communication and language skills are vital for your child’s development. These skills will affect their future life chances and relationships. It can also impact your child’s ability to learn, make friends and develop ideas and opinions.

Two girls playing telephone with tin cans and string. Background is a grey sofa. Girl in foreground listening to tin can and smiling

0-1 Years
1-5 Years
5-11 Years
11-19 Years

Attention and listening skills

The most important skills needed for communication are attention and listening skills. All other communication skills are based upon the ability to pay attention and listen.

4 girls dancing together and holding hands in a circle

0-1 Years
1-5 Years
5-11 Years
11-19 Years

Playing and social skills

Play is your child’s way of exploring and learning about the world. It can help them understand new words and learn how to communicate with others. Playing and social skills are important for your child to learn.

10 year old boy sitting in classroom at desk, looking up

0-1 Years
1-5 Years
5-11 Years
11-19 Years

Understanding language

Understanding spoken language helps children follow instructions, answer questions, understand stories and identify objects and pictures. A child’s understanding of language is usually ahead of their ability to use language.

Two young primary school girls laughing together in the playground.

0-1 Years
1-5 Years
5-11 Years
11-19 Years

Using language

Use of language is also known as ‘expressive language’. It is how your child is learning to say new words and put them together into sentences. Use of language also includes non-verbal communication like gestures.

Young girl smiling whilst pushing keys on a keyboard. A woman in the foreground is facing the girl and conducting.

0-1 Years
1-5 Years
5-11 Years
11-19 Years

Speech sounds

Speech sounds are the individual sounds we use to make words. The sounds we make when we speak are made from the voice box (larynx), mouth muscles, jaw, lips, teeth, and tongue. In English we have 46 sounds for 26 letters of the alphabet.

5-11 Years
11-19 Years

Storytelling and narrative

Learning to tell a story and sequence events are essential skills for children and teenagers to learn. It will help them understand the order of events and how to tell an engaging story. These stories can be from their imagination or repeating the events of the day.

Young boy sitting on the floor writing on a piece of paper on a coffee table. Behind him sitting on the sofa is his mother and older brother.

5-11 Years
11-19 Years

Developing language

As children grow older, their list of words they know becomes bigger and more complicated. They learn new ways to put words together into sentences. Their understanding and comprehension of spoken, non-spoken and written communication also improves.

Have your say

Please tell us about your recent experience with any of our services by answering a few simple questions. We want to hear about what you felt went well and what you think we could do differently.

Your voice makes a difference and helps us improve our services for you and other families.

Complete the survey

Looking over the shoulder of a woman writing on her lap in the living room.