Interacting or Interfering? Improving Interactions in the Early Years

Julie Fisher is an independent Early Years Adviser and visiting Professor of early childhood education at Oxford Brookes University. Prior to this she held the post of Early Years Adviser in Oxfordshire for 11 years. Before moving to Oxfordshire, Julie was lecturer in early childhood education at the University of Reading. She has taught children from 3 to 12 years and has been headteacher of two urban, multi-cultural schools. Julie has been chair of the Early Years Curriculum Group and the National Association of Inspectors, Advisers and Consultants Early Childhood Group. She was the first elected chair of the national Early Childhood Forum. She is now national vice-chair of the British Association for Early Childhood Education. Julie is author of a number of articles on early childhood education as well as her books ‘Starting from the Child’ and ‘The Foundations of Learning’ (Open University Press).

• 1 The importance of interactions for young children’s learning Introduction Different definitions of ‘effectiveness’ Interactions in the home Why interaction matters Why interactions matter to children entering school Why interactions matter to practitioners Summary 2 Interacting with babies and toddlers Introduction The foundations of interactionThe development of interactions Summary 3 Knowing the child well Introduction Focus on babies and toddlers What practitioners need to learn about children The importance of the Key Persons Approach The impact of knowing children well Talking to someone and not everyone Analysing your own practice Transcripts: knowing the child well Transcripts 3:1; 3:2 Summary 4 Environments conducive to conversation Introduction Focus on babies and toddlersEmotional space Physical space Analysing your own practiceTranscripts 4:1; 4:2 Summary 5 Tuning in to the child Introduction Focus on babies and toddlers The child as a learner Strategies for tuning in to children Working out what a child is thinking is more valuable than looking at what they are doing Deciding when and whether to interact can be the difference between interacting and interfering Analysing your own practice Transcripts 5:1; 5:2 Summary 6 Who leads the learning? Introduction Focus on babies and toddlersThe benefits of learning alongside an adult and learning independently Independent learning is not abandoned learning Interactions in adult-led, adult-initiated and child-led contexts The purpose of an interaction The balance between adult-led and child-led learning Who leads the learning? Analysing your own practice Transcripts 6:1 to 6:4 Summary 7 Sustaining effective interactions Introduction Focus on babies and toddlersInitiating conversations Sustaining interactions Consolidating, extending and provoking thinking Analysing your own practice Body language Analysing your own practiceTone of voice Transcripts 7:1 to 7:7Analysing your own practice  Summary 8 Interacting with children who might not want to interact Introduction Focus on babies and toddlers Reluctant talkers Children with autism Children with English as an additional language (Eal) Signing as a form of communication Analysing your own practice Transcripts 8:1; 8:2 Summary 9 Questions that work and questions that don’tIntroduction Focus on babies and toddlersWhy do we ask questions? Who asks the questions? Transcripts 9:1 to 9:6 Different types of questions Using questioning as control Children’s answers Questions that work and questions that don’t Alternatives to questioning Analysing my own practiceTranscripts 9:5 to 9:6 Summary 10 The attributes of effective practitioners Introduction Focus on babies and toddlers The attributes of effectiveness The importance of reciprocity Interacting not interfering Analysing your own practice Transcript 10:1 Summary