Learning Through Talk in the Early Years

Liz Sharp has been a Literacy Co-ordinator and Leading Literacy Teacher (demonstrating lessons for other teachers in her area). She is now a Literacy Consultant and freelance illustrator.

`This book is aimed at class teachers of Reception to Year 3 seeking ideas to develop their pupils′ speaking and listening skills. The author describes each activity in an easy-to-follow format with links to the relevant curriculum targets... This book may be helpful to both new teachers and those who are more experienced with the curriculum for older pupils... The most valuable part of the book is the commentary from the author′s own teaching experience. This provides some useful insights, such as the fact that the flow of children′s ideas was improved while they had a discussion while engaged in drawing. The book is easy to read. It… provide[s] a practical guide to some tried and tested speaking and listening activities which may be useful for the beginning Foundation or Key Stage 1 teacher′ - Special!

• How to use this BookActivities around Songs, Poetry and RhymesHome Corners and Talk AreasDrama, Role-Play and MimeStory Boxes, Story Bags and Story-TellingDebating and QuestioningPictures and Picture BooksCircle Time and Talk Games