The Interaction, Communication & Literacy Skills Audit

The Interaction, Communication & Literacy Skills Audit

Overview Skills

Elements

1. Developing positive and responsive adult and child interactions

1. Observe the child’s interest/ focus to encourage the child to start an interaction.

5

2. Respond verbally to the child’s topic of interest.

5

3. Respond to the child in a way that engages children in extended conversations and encourages turn-taking.

6

4. Expand on what children say.

6

5. Extend on the topic by providing information that relates or adds information to the child’s topic.

7

6. Develop vocabulary by introducing and exposing children to new and unfamiliar words.

7

1. Encourage awareness of print.

8

2. Encourage play with words.

8

3. Create a print environment.

9

1. Encourage children to listen to different stories.

10

2. Encourage children to tell their own stories.

10

3. Use questions or comments to help children understand parts of a story.

11

4. Encouraging all children in a group to participate

1. Use prompts to encourage children’s attention, interaction and participation.

12

2. Use a variety of questions that can be answered verbally and non-verbally so all children can be involved.

12

5. Being able to foster peer-to-peer interactions

1. Use verbal prompts that encourage peer to peer interaction.

13

6. Developing responsive family involvement in language and literacy

1. Use a variety of strategies for learning about family strengths and needs related to their child’s language and literacy.

14

2. Communicate positively with families about their child’s language and literacy skills.

14

3. Provide a range of strategies in which families can support their child’s language and literacy at home.

15

2. Explicit literacy instruction

3. Developing storytelling skills

2

Bankstown Community Resource Group & The University of Sydney ©2011 El-Choueifati, McCabe, Munro, Galea, & Purcell

Page

Instructions for completing this skills audit The TSA is a way of measuring the existing skills that early childhood professionals already have in supporting the interactions, communication and literacy of children. The TSA has been written based on research in early childhood education and speech pathology to reflect the skills and behaviours of early childhood workers which are effective in enhancing communication skills and literacy in young children.

How to complete the skills audit • • • •

Look at the audit, read it through and then fill it in. This can be done in one sitting or over a week. Think about what you typically do and be as honest as you can be. When thinking about your ratings of confidence and frequency, consider your skills in a range of different situations. For example with different: • Activities, e.g. book reading, routines, outdoor play • Group sizes • Children, e.g. children still learning English or children with developmental delays.

How can the TSA be used? The TSA has been used for two main reasons; 1. To support a self assessment of early childhood professionals 2. To observe the skills of early childhood professionals by a speech pathologist who provides training to early childhood professionals.

What do I do once I have finished completing the TSA? A. Use this tool for self–reflection. Go through each of the six skill areas and use these questions to guide your reflection. The process of self reflection includes three steps; appraisal, critique and planning (Raban et al., 2005; Ward & McCotter, 2004). Please complete the following sentences: Appraisal 1. The process of completing the skills audit was....

2. After completing the TSA, I learnt that I have the following skills to support language and literacy...

Critique 3. Of the six skill areas, I feel I was not as confident in...

4. Of the six skill areas, I do not use the following skills frequently...

3


5. The skills that I did not understand or felt did not apply to my practice were...

6. The challenges that make it difficult for me to use these skills in my workplace are....

Planning 7. Strategies that can help me work towards developing these skills are... Personal learning strategies:

Centre based strategies:

What do I do once I have finished completing the TSA? B. Talk to your trainer: Before beginning a training program After you have completed the TSA, this can be used as point of discussion with your trainer. Your trainer will have used the TSA to rate your skills in interactions with children or families .The trainer’s observations and your own self reflection will be used as a point for discussion. Together you can discuss the specific skills that you have and develop a plan of skill areas you would like to build on. After completing a training program Complete the TSA again at the end of the training program and discuss with your trainer what skills have changed. Develop a plan for areas you would like to continue working on. C. Talk to your manager, co-workers or mentor: Everyone within your workplace has different skills and areas to develop to support the language and literacy of children. When all team members complete the TSA, share your skills and plan ways to support each other with the skill areas you want to work on. You can use the TSA to develop new professional goals, review your skills following a professional development program or as a part of a performance appraisal with your manager.

References Raban, B., Nolan, A., Waniganayake, M., Ure, C., Deans, J., & Brown, R. (2005). Empowering practitioners to critically examine their current practice: Monash University, School of Education. Ward, J. R., & McCotter, S. S. (2004). Reflection as a visible outcome for preservice teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20(3), 243-257. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2004.02.004

4


Skill Area 1:

Developing positive and responsive adult and child interactions

1. Observe the child’s interest / focus to encourage the child to start an interaction Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

A little confident

Moderately confident

Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I

I Behaviours demonstrated

How often do you...? (Please tick)

Please rate your skill on the following statements:

Never

Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Adjust your position so that you are closer to the child’s level. Pay close attention to children to observe what they are interested in. Pay close attention to children to observe what they are communicating. Provide child with time by waiting expectantly to start an interaction. Listen to children for e.g. acknowledge verbal and non-verbal behaviours. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

2. Respond verbally to the child’s topic of interest Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I



How often do you...? (Please tick) Never

Imitate the child and add something new e.g. their actions, sounds or words. Make comments by describing the child’s or teacher’s activity. Interpret behaviours for children who do not use words, e.g. provide a word to describe or label, what the child would say if they could. Join in as a partner by building on the focus of interests without dominating. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

5


Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Skill Area 1:


3. Respond to the child in a way that engages children in extended conversations and turn-taking Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

I

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I

Behaviours demonstrated



Never

Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Use comments and questions that are related to the child’s focus or interest. Respond with enthusiasm. Wait expectantly for a response to your question or comment. Balance the number and/or length of adult to child turns. Have four or more verbal or non verbal turns on a topic with one or more children. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

4. Expand on what children say Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

I

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I

Behaviours demonstrated Please rate your skill on the following statements:


Use the child’s words and add more words to make a more complex sentence. Interpret behaviours by providing a word to describe the child’s intention. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

6


Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Skill Area 1:


5. Extend the topic by providing information that relates or adds information to the child’s topic Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I




Never

Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Give information. Explain why things happen. Explain how things happen. Talk about feelings and opinions Talk about the past and the future. Allow children to take on a pretend role and imagine. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

6. Develop vocabulary by introducing and exposing children to new and unfamiliar words Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I




Say that you have found a new word e.g. “pedestrian, that is a new word” Explain the meaning of the new word by using a simpler, more common word. Explain the meaning of the new word by showing the picture or object it refers to. Add extra words to the new words e.g. add words that: • Mean the same (e.g. large and big). • Sound similar (big and bug). • Are associated with the word (big and small). Repeat the new word often e.g. • In new sentences. • Throughout the day. • In different contexts. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

7


Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Skill Area 2:

Explicit literacy instruction

1. Encourage awareness of print Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I




Never

Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Point to printed words as you say them. Use words that relate to print, e.g. words like: read, spell, and illustrator. Talk about letter – sound connections e.g. “This letter makes the sound /t/ like T-T-Tom.” Give alphabet knowledge, e.g. mentioning a letter name or counting letters in a word. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

2. Respond verbally to the child’s topic of interest Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

I

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I



Talk about words that rhyme, e.g. “cat and hat, these words sound the same, they rhyme.” Talk about words that start with the same sounds, e.g. “star, sick , song, they all start with the same sound /s/.” Make up nonsense words e.g. “poggy and moggy, they are funny rhyming words.” Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

8


Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Skill Area 2:

Explicit literacy instruction

3. Create a print environment Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

I

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I



Add written materials to daily activities e.g. menus or maps. Encourage children to write and draw what they are saying. Say what is being written while you are writing. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

9


Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Skill Area 3:

Developing storytelling skills

1. Encourage children to listen to different stories Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

I

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I




Never

Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Tell your own real or imagined stories to the children. Read stories from a book. Allow children opportunities to listen to other children’s stories. Tell stories using different supports e.g. photos, puppets, family members. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

2. Encourage children to tell their own stories Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

I

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I



Provide all children with an opportunity to tell their own story, real or imagined. Provide a range of supports for children to tell their stories for e.g. toys, puppets, photos, drawings, dress up clothes. Make up stories with individual / groups of children. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

10


Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Skill Area 3:

Developing storytelling skills

3. Use questions or comments to help children understand parts of a story Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I




Talk about story beginnings including, the characters, place and time of the story: • With a question: “Who is the story about?” • With a comment: “The story is about a boy who goes to the zoo.” Talk about the events in the story: • With a question: “What happened when the boy lost his mum?” • With a comment: “The boy asked the gorilla to help him find his mum.” Talk about the end of the story and resolution: • With a question: “What happened at the end of the story?” • With a comment: “At the end of the story the boy found his mum waiting for him at the gates she was very happy to see him.” Encourage children to make inferences and predict what will happen in the story: • With a question:“I wonder what would happen if the lion was not in the cage?” • With a comment: “If the lion is not in the cage he will chase the people and try and eat them.” Encourage children to reflect • With a question: “What was your favourite part of the story?” • With a comment: “I think the funniest part of the story was when the boy was eating a banana and the monkey took it out of his hand when he wasn’t looking.” Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

11


Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Skill Area 4:

Encouraging all children in a group to participate

1. Observe and use prompts to encourage children’s attention, interaction and participation in a group Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

I

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I




Never

Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Set up environments that allow more than one child to be involved. Adjust a child’s position so they can see what is happening in a group activity. Give children materials or props to allow them to get involved in an activity. Suggest a role or task, so that the child can get involved in a group activity. Relate the group activity to a child’s interest. Make direct comments to a child to encourage them to respond during a group activity. Ask specific questions that the child can respond to during a group activity. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

2. Use at least four types of questions that can be answered verbally and non-verbally so all children can be involved Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

I

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I



Use at least 4 types of questions in a small group setting, for example: Do you use: • Yes and no? • Choice questions? • Who? • What? • Where? • When? • How? • Why? Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

12


Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Skill Area 5:

Fostering peer to peer interactions

1. Use verbal prompts that encourage peer to peer interaction Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

I

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I



Assign a role to children e.g. “you can be the waiter“ Restate a child’s words or action to another child e.g. “Sam said he wants pizza – when he pointed to the pizza”. Encourage children to talk to each other e.g. “Ask John if you can play with it” . Invite children to interact e.g. “Kate please set the table with Ali”. Encourage children to help each other e.g. “Ahmed can you help Grace tie her shoelaces”. Provide specific praise for being in a peer interaction e.g. “That was nice of you to help Grace tie her shoelaces”. Give a subtle hint to entice the children to interact e.g. “Sarah has green pizza for everyone, yum!” Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

13


Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Skill Area 6:

Developing responsive family involvement in language and literacy

1. Use a variety of strategies for learning about family strengths and needs related to their child’s language and literacy Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

I

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I




Never

Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Use a variety of strategies to learn about families’ strengths and needs, e.g. discussions with family members at pick up time, use surveys and individual meetings. Ask families about their goals for supporting their child’s language and literacy. Ask families about cultural experiences and their home language environment that contributes to the child’s learning of language and literacy. Ask about specific family strengths, for example; occupations, cooking experiences, holidays that can be used to contribute to the child’s learning of language and literacy. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

2. Communicate positively with families about their child’s language and literacy skills Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

I

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I



Use a range of strategies to communicate with families about their child’s language and literacy,e.g. written information, discussion at pick up time, newsletters, parent meetings and portfolios. Communicate with families about what their child does well in the centre, related to their language and literacy. Communicate with families about what their child needs help with in the centre, related to their language and literacy. Communicate with families about how their child interacts with their peers at preschool. Provide information in the families’ home language using translated materials or interpreters. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

14


Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time

Skill Area 6:

Developing responsive family involvement in language and literacy

3. Provide a range of ways in which families can be involved in supporting their child’s language and literacy at home Overall, how confident do you feel demonstrating this skill? (Please indicate by placing a line ‘I’ through the scale) Not at all confident

I

A little confident


Quite confident

Very confident

I

I

I

I



Ask families about how they would like to be involved in supporting their child’s language and literacy skills. Provide families with specific activities and topics of interests used in the centre to support language and literacy. Create conversations with families about how activities and topics of interests can be adapted to the home environment. Invite families to share resources and activities related to what their child enjoys from home e.g. activities, photos, toys and stories. Invite families to observe and join in to activities being conducted in the centre that support their child’s language and literacy development. Invite families to come into the centre and run a specific activity related to their identified strengths and interests. If necessary, provide families with information about services and professionals that can help assess and support their child’s language and literacy skills. Talk with families about the goals and strategies professionals and services use in supporting their child’s language and literacy. Please provide examples of how you demonstrate this skill in everyday activities:

15


Not often

Sometimes

Often

All the time