In session 2018-19, staff at Denny Early Learning and Childcare Centre took part in valuable professional learning provided by Eveline Chan, trainee Education Psychologist with Falkirk Children’s Services Educational Psychology team. As head of centre, Gill Torrance instigated this liaison for colleagues to support their development of foundational literacy through play with their 3-5 year old children.
Eveline worked with staff on one in-service day and 4 workshops at the end of the working day. These workshops gave staff an opportunity to develop their knowledge of theory around the various aspects of literacy and included a range of activities which helped them reflect deeply on their existing practice. The early years officers captured existing literacy practice which was working well, and also identified areas for development. They recognised how this new work also helped them build in the principles of 5 to Thrive and elements of nurture training. They then decided to create a Practice Guideline booklet to capture their learning, and this has become a highly practical tool which helps staff reflect in and on their practice.
Julie Milne is one of the early years officers who took advantage of this professional learning, and feels it has impacted powerfully on her understanding about foundational literacy:
Click on the image of Julie’s reflections to listen to the Vox Pop created by Gill, Julie & Fiona Gorrie, trainee Education Psychologist.
The Practice Guide has been issued to all staff working in the 3-5 room, to help them use the theories and knowledge they have acquired within their everyday practice. Staff worked together to create a list of ways in which they routinely develop phonological awareness, concept of print, fine motor skills and oral language through play. Click here to see the Practice Guidelines with its lists of ways in which staff feel this happens.
Gill observed that: “It was evident that staff confidence was raised after the workshops. Eveline captured everyone’s imagination, and had the data which inspired staff to develop their understanding and capacity.”
Here are a selection of quotes from staff members involved:
“If anything I would say we feel more confident as you have more knowledge”
” I think it gave you more of an insight into what the children were learning.”
Staff shared their development work at an open event for other early years practitioners, and Gill also presented to colleagues in the ELCC Manager’s Forum. The photos below show a slide which captures the workshop content and feedback from colleagues attending the open event.
Gill, Julie and colleagues are currently exploring ways to gather data about the impact of this work on children. They have created new observation and tracking tools and are in the early stages of gathering evidence of progress in each area of literacy. Initial observations of oral story telling demonstrate high levels of engagement by children and Julie noted that “Today a group of boys were transfixed by a scary story – for ten minutes. It was a spur of the moment opportunity to establish how much their active listening and engagement had progressed”. Julie has just begun to explore the tracking of phonological awareness – watch this space to see how this develops.
