Tots Talking

Tots Talking

What is Tots Talking?

The Tots Talking programme was designed and developed by Speech and Language UK with a group of parents of 2-year-old children. The aim of Tots Talking is to improve the talking and understanding of words in two-year-olds. It does this by sharing information with parents and carers and encouraging them to use the types of language and behaviours which research shows support children’s talking and understanding of words. Parents are shown examples of turn-taking, sharing the child’s interest and adding on to children’s comments.  

Tots Talking has eight sessions that run once a week, with small groups of 6–8 parents and carers of two-year-olds at risk of speech and language challenges. Each session lasts for one hour. 

Tots Talking is an interactive programme and is available for delivery online or face-to-face. It is supported by the Tots Talking app that parents and carers can use on their phone. The app gives them information and reminders and encourages them to practise what they’ve learned at home with their child. 

The programme is supported by the Tots Talking app that parents can use on their phone. The app gives information and reminders to help parents’ learning and encourage them to practise what they’ve learned at home with their child.

If you want to see how simple changes in parental behaviour can affect a child’s speech and language, check out the following videos that form part of the course (they have 2 different ways of approaching an everyday task).

How does it work?

The weekly sessions are run by early years practitioners who have completed the Tots Talking Facilitator Training.

The facilitator will decide on the best time to run Tots Talking each week. The group runs without the children attending so you may need to arrange for crèche facilities.

Children may come in for the last 5 minutes so parents can show them what they have made but this is optional.

What is included?

  • Facilitator guide to help run the sessions
  • Access to the Tots Talking App (iOS and Android) 
  • Support from Speech and Language UK

Who is Tots Talking for?

Tots Talking is aimed at parents and caregivers of 2-year-old children who are not using contingent language with them.  

Parents who may benefit from the intervention are those who don’t say very much to their children or don’t respond verbally to children’s interactions with them (although they may respond in other ways). It is not aimed at parents of children with SEND.

Costs

The resources cost £150 per setting plus the cost of training. Please get in touch with Speech and Language UK so that we can help find suitable trainers in your region. 

Next steps

Please contact Speech and Language UK on info@speechandlanguage.org.uk or 020 7843 2510 for more information. You can then purchase the Intervention Pack directly on our online shop

Basket

There are no items in your basket - why not visit our shop?