Communication and Language

Autumn Term Activities:

Lots of listening games such as 'STOP' and 'Let's do'.

Listening to others and remembering things about them, e.g. what does Mr Henson do?

Practising good looking and listening skills through games and repetition.

Following simple instructions-games and every day activities. (Use of visuals as well as verbal and non-verbal.)

Story time daily.

• 30-50 months Reception Listens to stories with increasing attention and recall.

• 40-60+ months Reception Two-Channelled attention – can listen and do for short span.

• E. L. Goal Listening and attention Children listen attentively in a range of situations. They listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with relevant comments, questions or actions. They give their attention to what others say and respond appropriately, while engaged in another activity.

• ELG skills Reception Listen to stories.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Listen attentively with sustained concentration to follow a story without pictures or props.

Spring Term Activities:

Story time

Tapestry show and tell

Kagan games

Following instruction games

• Listening

• 30-50 months Reception Listens to stories with increasing attention and recall.

• 30-50 months Reception Joins in with repeated refrains and anticipates key events and phrases in rhymes and stories.

• 40-60+ months Reception Two-channelled attention – can listen and do for short span.#

• 40-60+ months Reception Maintains attention, concentrates and sits quietly during appropriate activity.

• ELG skills Reception Respond to what they hear with relevant actions.

• ELG skills Reception Listen to stories.

• ELG skills Reception Give their attention to what others say.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Listen to instructions and follow them accurately, asking for clarification if necessary.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Listen in a larger group.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Listen attentively with sustained concentration to follow a story without pictures or props.

Summer Term

• 30-50 months Reception Focusing attention – still listen or do, but can shift own attention.

• 40-60+ months Reception Two-channelled attention – can listen and do for short span.

• E. L. Goal Listening and attention Children listen attentively in a range of situations. They listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with relevant comments, questions or actions. They give their attention to what others say and respond appropriately, while engaged in another activity.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Listen to instructions and follow them accurately, asking for clarification if necessary.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Listen in a larger group.

• ELG skills Reception Listen attentively in a range of situations.

Autumn Term Activities:

Staff to model vocabulary and sentence format throughout every day.

Following simple instructions through games and everyday activities.

Tidy time-positional language focus.

Use of visuals in areas at tidy time to show how area should look.

Introduce visual timetable.

• 30-50 months Reception Responds to simple instructions.

• 30-50 months Reception Beginning to understand ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions.

• 40-60+ months Reception Responds to instructions involving a two-part sequence.

• 40-60+ months Reception Listens and responds to ideas expressed by others in conversation or discussion.

• E. L. Goal Understanding Children follow instructions involving several ideas or actions. They answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about their experiences and in response to stories or events.

• ELG skills Reception Follow instructions involving several ideas or actions.

• ELG skills Reception Answer ‘how’ questions about their experiences and in response to stories.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Carry out instructions which contain several parts in a sequence.

Spring Term

• 30-50 months Reception Responds to simple instructions.

• 40-60+ months Reception Responds to instructions involving a two-part sequence.

• ELG skills Reception Follow instructions involving several ideas or actions.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Carry out instructions which contain several parts in a sequence.

Summer Term

• 30-50 months Reception Responds to simple instructions.

• 30-50 months Reception Beginning to understand ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions.

• 40-60+ months Reception Responds to instructions involving a two-part sequence.

• 40-60+ months Reception Listens and responds to ideas expressed by others in conversation or discussion.

• E. L. Goal Understanding Children follow instructions involving several ideas or actions. They answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about their experiences and in response to stories or events.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Carry out instructions which contain several parts in a sequence.

• ELG skills Reception Answer ‘why’ questions about their experiences and in response to events.

• ELG skills Reception Follow instructions involving several ideas or actions.

Autumn Term Activities:

Introduce a weekly Show and Tell session.

Introduce daily Snack and Chat time.

Staff to give attention to children when speaking.

Staff to note non-verbal alongside verbal communication.

Staff to repeat and extend children's sentences.

Staff to use the Speaking Hand (question to comment ratio) when conversing with children.

• 30-50 months Reception Builds up vocabulary that reflects the breadth of their experiences.

• 30-50 months Reception Beginning to use more complex sentences to link thoughts.

• 30-50 months Reception Questions why things happen and gives explanations.

• 40-60+ months Reception Uses talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking, ideas, feelings and events.

• 40-60+ months Reception Links statements and sticks to a main theme or intention.

• E. L. Goal Speaking Children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners’ needs. They use past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events that have happened or are to happen in the future. They develop their own narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events.

• ELG skills Reception Develop their own explanations by connecting ideas or events.

• ELG skills Reception Express themselves effectively.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Recount experiences and imagine possibilities, often connecting ideas.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Use a range of vocabulary in imaginative ways to add information, express ideas or to explain or justify actions or events.

Spring Term

• 30-50 months Reception Beginning to use more complex sentences to link thoughts.

• 30-50 months Reception Uses talk to connect ideas, explain what is happening and anticipate what might happen next, recall and relive past experiences.

• 30-50 months Reception Can retell a simple past event in correct order.

• 40-60+ months Reception Links statements and sticks to a main theme or intention.

• 40-60+ months Reception Uses talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking, ideas, feelings and events.

• 40-60+ months Reception Uses language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences in play situations.

• ELG skills Reception Show an awareness of listeners’ needs.

• ELG skills Reception Develop their own explanations by connecting ideas or events.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Use a range of vocabulary in imaginative ways to add information, express ideas or to explain or justify actions or events.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Recount experiences and imagine possibilities, often connecting ideas.

Summer Term

• 30-50 months Reception Uses a range of tenses.

• 30-50 months Reception Builds up vocabulary that reflects the breadth of their experiences.

• 40-60+ months Reception Uses talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking, ideas, feelings and events.

• 40-60+ months Reception Links statements and sticks to a main theme or intention.

• E. L. Goal Speaking Children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners’ needs. They use past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events that have happened or are to happen in the future. They develop their own narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Recount experiences and imagine possibilities, often connecting ideas.

• Exceeding ELG Reception Use a range of vocabulary in imaginative ways to add information, express ideas or to explain or justify actions or events.

• ELG skills Reception Use past tense.

• ELG skills Reception Express themselves effectively.