TEY_10_1_2020

Let's boost home learning Encouraging parents to support children’s development outside of nursery hours should be a priority for every key person, says Felicity Stephenson … A CHILD’S LANGUAGE BEGINS TO develop long before they go to school – indeed children first start to distinguish between the sounds they hear while within their mother’s womb. After birth, their language skills are shaped by what is known as the ‘home learning environment’ (HLE). This includes both the physical characteristics of the home around them and the quality of the learning support and engagement they receive from their caregivers. Studies show that the HLE is central to the development of early speech, language and communication, with everyday conversations, make-believe play and reading activities all being key contributors. The home learning environment is also related to a child’s social and emotional development as well as their verbal ability, and they continue to feel its benefits into their later teenage years. Therefore, if neglected, this can not only impact on a child’s development in the early years, but also persist until they are taking their GCSEs and A-Levels. This makes the work that early years practitioners do in encouraging a good HLE vital, and this is reflected in the requirements set out by the Early Years Statutory Framework (EYFS), which states that “[p]roviders must inform parents and/or carers of the name of the key person, and explain their role, when a child starts attending a setting. The key person must help ensure that every child’s learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs. The key person must also seek to engage and support parents and/or carers in guiding their child’s development at home.” ADDRESSING MISCONCEPTIONS Despite the evidence showing that the creation of a good home learning environment is key, there is a common misconception amongst parents that it is something only professionals can achieve. Early years practitioners know this is not the case, and those performing the key person role are in a unique position to help encourage and empower parents to create their own vibrant learning space for children. For example, a key person is able to show parents that the small everyday things they may even already be doing make a big difference to their child’s FELICITY STEPHENSON IS POLICY AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER AT PACEY. learning – and they are also able to highlight that home learning doesn’t have to be expensive, by showing them how to make the most of every opportunity to support their child’s development, no matter how small it may seem. From chatting as they change children’s nappies, to counting out apples in the supermarket or debating whether to cut sandwiches into squares or triangles for lunch, all experiences are valid. Research shows that daytime routines, trips to the park and visits to the library can all make a positive difference to children’s language development (bit.do/TEYhle ). ACCESSING SUPPORT A focus on the home learning environment has been integral to PACEY’s Together for Twos project. As part of this, we have developed an HLE resource centre on our website as well as the creation of Facebook group ‘Play to Learn’, where we share free or low-cost activities with parents. In the resource centre, parents and practitioners alike have access to our series of #smallthings short videos, which have been designed to give parents ideas and hints to help them explore ways of learning at home. Early years practitioners have been sharing these with the parents they work with and have found that the simple, practical ideas suggested reassure them they don’t have to be teachers or buy loads of resources to do this well. There are five in all, covering each of the following topics: Talking – This video informs parents that talking to their child however young they are can make a big difference. It encourages mums and dads to make the most of the opportunities they have to interact with and talk to their child, and suggests they can do this by pointing out things on the bus or by talking about what they are doing with the child, however ordinary it is. Reading – This video explains to parents why even if their child is too young to actually read a book, they can still look at stories together. Using picture books and stories with repetitive text, parents can look at and describe the pictures together as well as Those performing the key person role are in a unique position to help encourage and empower parents to create their own vibrant learning space for children. 38 Teachearlyyears.com

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