Janet Cooper, speech and language therapist and leader of Stoke Speaks Out, describes how the project works to address early language problems and encourage family reading.
Stoke on Trent is famous for pottery industries, mining communities, and as the birthplace of Robbie Williams. However, recently it has made a mark on the map as one of the first areas in the country to develop a city-wide, multi-agency strategy to tackle the high incidence of language delay. Previous measures of children’s language ability on
entry to nursery in Stoke revealed that around two-thirds of children had a language delay by the age of three and a half years. This led to Stoke Speaks Out being developed in 2004.
Stoke Speaks Out aims to tackle the roots of language delay through the education of parents and practitioners and by demonstration of best practice. One of the key features is to engage with parents either directly or via practitioners who undergo the Stoke Speaks Out training programmes.
Many parents do not realise the vital role they play in their child’s development. In an annual survey conducted by Stoke Speaks Out, many parents and practitioners were uncertain about the stages of language development and about
key elements of parenting. We run awareness sessions for parents that are designed to give parents insight into the basics of language development and cover issues like dummy use, background noise, and the importance of reading and singing to your child from birth. Parents have so far given very positive feedback and are thirsty for more knowledge.
Reading to your baby is highlighted as an activity which can aid secure attachment, bonding, and the development of language skills. This is promoted through discussion at every opportunity: in antenatal sessions, on the maternity wards postnatally, via toddler groups, and at workshops in schools. The project philosophy is that it is never too soon to talk and read to your child.
Some parents in the toddler groups admit that they find the prospect of reading to their children daunting – especially if they are not confident readers themselves. To help we demonstrate a story to the group where all the parents have copies of the same book. The parents follow the story with their children and pointing out pictures. All the parents then get to take the story home. This is often accompanied by puppets and props to add a fun element and take away the ‘fear factor’ of the text. Many parents and children ask for the story to be repeated on future occasions.
Stoke Speaks Out is currently in its third year and is continuing to grow and develop,
helping to foster change at the heart of Stoke.
For more information on Stoke Speaks Out visit www.stokespeaksout.org
This case study originally appeared in Read On spring 2007.
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