Communicating Matters

In recent years there has been an increasing awareness of the critical importance of developing children's communication and language skills and a recognition of the crucial role which language plays in supporting children's later achievement. In response to this the Department for Education and Skills commissioned the project Communicating Matters to help promote the development of communication and language for all children in the early years. The result of this is a set of training materials aimed at all practitioners working with young children in Foundation Stage early years settings.

Communicating Matters has three main aims:
1. To deepen practitioners' understanding of children's communication and language, particularly between the ages of three and five years.
2. To deepen practitioners' understanding of how their own communicative behaviour affects children's use and display of communicative behaviours.
3. To help practitioners reflect on and develop their practice to promote children's communication and language more effectively.

All early years practitioners are teachers of communication and language. Communicating Matters seeks to raise the awareness of practitioners so they become more reflective about their interaction with children, and to understand better how their own role in communication events can be improved so that they become more effective in encouraging and supporting children's development as communicators and speakers.

Communicating Matters works through practical activities which develop observation, reflection and analysis. The training consists of three modules:
1. An introduction to communication and language in early years settings.
2. The management and organisation of communication and language in early years settings by children and practitioners.
3. Exploring different pathways to communication, language and English.

More information
Communicating Matters has been produced by Sure Start and the materials are available through the Prolog publications line. The materials are being distributed through a train the trainer model. They were initially sent out to the Foundation Stage Leads, Consultants and Advisors in each Local Authority. An additional print run was made in October 2006 and as a result further trainers packs are available and will be provided to Local Authorities on request.

The materials consist of 3 Trainer Modules, 20 copies of each Task Booklet and 20 copies of the Strand Booklet. To request a copy or information about the materials contact your Local Authority Foundation Stage Team or call Prolog on 08456 022260 and quote reference number 02026-2006PCL-EN.

Please note the National Literacy Trust and Talk To Your Baby are unable to supply copies of the materials.