Early Interventions
Speech, Language and Communication
Support Materials
Area of concern:
Talking - Expressive Language: 40-60 months
This will help the child to:
Extend vocabulary, especially by grouping and naming, exploring the meaning and sounds of
new words.
Activities:
• Use a familiar story with a brief amount of text such as ‘The Bear Under the Stairs’ and
ask open-ended questions about the story that will support the child to learn to interpret
the behaviour and feelings of others.
• Use the same story in a role-play situation for the child to act out parts of it and use the
language.
• Go on a ‘noticing’ walk in the setting or somewhere nearby. Ask the child to say what
they notice during the walk, try to collect objects/take photos – Talk about each item and
begin to put the items into simple groups eg: insects, birds, flowers.
• Set up a game of ‘under and over’ eg: crawl under the bench, step over the stick, wriggle
under the blanket, jump over the cushion.
• Provide opportunities for child to explore different objects and put them into groups – talk
about the groups and the reasons for the groupings, e.g. ‘What’s the same?’, ‘What’s
different?’ Play ‘odd one out’ with the objects and ask the child to explain why.
Adult Role:
• Prepare the questions that are going to be asked about the story beforehand.
• Relate the story to the child’s own experiences or feelings.
• Think about and plan the new vocabulary that will be introduced in stories, talking times
and activities.
Look, Listen and Note:
• How the child relates the story to their own experiences.
• The vocabulary the child uses.
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Early Interventions
Speech, Language and Communication
Support Materials
Area of concern:
Talking - Expressive Language: 40-60 months
This will help the child to:
Link statements and stick to a main theme or intention
Activities:
• Ask the child to help fill a bag with different objects that are of a similar theme/group such
as animals, vehicles or fruit. The child has to then choose one of the objects and without
showing it to anyone, describe what it looks like to another child or adult. The same
activity can be done using an egg box with six compartments so the number of objects
they collect is of limited number and size. This game can be played in a small group so
the child describes the hidden object and the other children guess what it is. Encourage
the child to describe the function of the object, where you would find it, what it looks like,
feels like, etc.
• Set up collaborative tasks e.g. construction, baking or story making through role-play.
Support the child to plan how they will begin and how they could involve and instruct
others. Ask the child to ‘retell’ what they did to another child or adult after they have
finished the activity.
Adult Role:
• Give the child time to decide what they want to say and how they will say it.
• Support the child by modelling the vocabulary to use if necessary.
• Provide materials/props the child needs to develop a theme.
• Take photos of tasks/activities so that children can discuss them afterwards.
• Provide opportunities for talking for a wide range of purposes e.g. to present ideas to
others as descriptions, explanations, instructions or justifications and to discuss and plan
individual or shared activities.
Look, Listen and Note:
• How the child links statements to develop stories or explanations
• The vocabulary the child uses
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Early Interventions
Speech, Language and Communication
Support Materials
Area of concern:
Talking - Expressive Language: 40-60 months
This will help the child to:
Use language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences in play situations
Activities:
• Choose a story that will stimulate talk e.g. ‘Giraffes Can’t Dance’. Talk about the story
with the child – ask questions about feelings etc and relate them to the child’s own
experiences of those feelings. Support the child to re-enact the story and show how the
giraffe would feel when being laughed at. Draw a set of picture sequence cards so the
activity can be reproduced in Small World or in the role-play area with the correct
resources e.g. masks, music, small animals, etc.
• Have a selection of puppets and props, or a chatter bag with a variety of items in it and
encourage the children to imagine and recreate roles for them. Support may be needed
with initial prompts to get the ideas flowing.
Adult Role:
• Make sure you are familiar with the story and think about the questions and prompts you
will use to encourage the child to think and talk about the story.
• Get involved in role play, give yourself a role sometimes so that you can model language
in new situations and expand the children’s language around their own experiences.
• Provide new vocabulary to expand on what the child says – when appropriate.
• Ask open-ended questions.
• Think about follow-up activities to consolidate the new vocabulary and provide the
necessary resources.
Look, Listen and Note:
• How the child contributes to discussions
• How the child relates the story content to their own experiences
• How the child develops their own ideas
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Early Interventions
Speech, Language and Communication
Support Materials
Area of concern:
Talking - Expressive Language: 40-60 months
This will help the child to:
Use talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking, ideas, feelings and events
Activities:
• Organise a visit related to the child’s particular interest (this could involve other children
too) e.g. the supermarket, the vets or the park. Take photographs of distinct features that
were seen on the way, as well as the location and objects that were seen in it. When you
get back, talk about the visit and sequence the pictures on a large pictorial representation
of the journey to the location.
• For a different activity: Have a selection of laminated photographs of features/objects–
ones that were taken at the location and a few that were not. Ask the child to select only
the photographs of the relevant objects and name them. The game can be extended by
asking the child to think of other things that were there.
• As the child becomes more familiar with the game, introduce new locations – take
suggestions from the child and be creative.
Adult Role:
• Provide the opportunities for the visits and complete the necessary paperwork.
• Support the child with taking the photographs.
Look, Listen and Note:
• How the child contributes to the activity
• How the child develops and organises their own ideas
• The vocabulary the child is learning and using
• How the child conveys their views and feelings
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Early Interventions
Speech, Language and Communication
Support Materials
Area of concern:
Talking - Expressive Language: 40-60 months
This will help the child to:
Introduce a storyline or narrative into their play
Activities:
• Use a variety of books, story sacks or story boxes to support child’s storytelling.
• Use picture sequence cards in other areas of Continuous Provision to retell, re-enact or
make up new stories e.g. Five Little Ducks in the water play, Props and dressing up items
in the role-play area for ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’, ‘Little Red Hen’, ‘Three Little
Pigs’, etc.
• Add other resources to block or construction play such as dinosaurs, animals or small
world people that will encourage child to add dialogue into their play.
• Add new and interesting items into the role play area each week to stimulate a ‘story’.
• Take photos during role play or small world play to support the children in ‘retelling’
sequences/stories afterwards.
Adult Role:
• Provide for, initiate and join in with imaginary play and role-play encouraging the child to
talk about what is happening and to act out the scenarios in character
Look, Listen and Note:
• How the child retells stories and adds their own detail
• The language the child uses to support links between events
• The way in which the child uses language in their pretend and imaginary play
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