Communication and language development is crucial because it builds the foundation for all learning, supporting literacy, social skills, and long-term academic/career success, especially for disadvantaged children. The Tiny Talkers training pathway equips practitioners with the confidence and skills to create language-rich environments through rich interactions, stories, and play, which boosts vocabulary, understanding, speaking and confidence for all children.

The Tiny Talkers training pathway offers different levels of training depending on your experience and role. It is expected that all practitioners working with children aged 0 to 5 will undertake the Tiny Talkers Universal Training as this offers a foundation level of study which will support practitioners to engage in high quality interactions, using a range of bespoke communication and language strategies.

For those with a lead role in supporting communication and language such as the settings SENCo or Language Lead, the pathway offers more in depth training from the Speech and Language specialists Elkan, some being accredited at Level 3 and Level 4.

The Universal training focuses on understanding and identifying communication and language needs, with an emphasis on raising awareness of what typical development in speech, language and communication looks like in the early years. It also looks at strategies to support children where delay is identified, and ideas to develop language rich, and communication friendly environments.

The Universal Training takes just over an hour to complete, and it is a prerequisite that you complete this before accessing any of the other Tiny Talkers training offer.

You can access the Universal Training below. –

If you are an Early Years Professional working within Rotherham and have completed this training, please use the link below to provide your details. We will then arrange for your certificate to be generated.

https://forms.office.com/e/r54JGJJAkW

We kindly ask all participants to complete a Training Evaluation on completion of the course. The Training Evaluation can be accessed here: https://forms.office.com/e/f7Hh7wdZ3z

This pre-recorded tutorial explains how to deliver and implement the Tiny Talkers Booster Group Intervention Programme.

PLEASE NOTE – If you have not already completed the Tiny Talkers Universal Training, it would be beneficial for you to complete this before accessing the Tiny Talkers Booster Group Intervention tutorial. LINK BACK TO UNIVERSAL

If you are an Early Years Professional working within Rotherham and you have completed this tutorial, please email your name, name of setting and date training completed to: eytraining@rotherham.gov.uk

We will then arrange for your Tiny Talkers Booster Group Intervention Pack to be sent out to you.

The Tiny Talkers Enhanced Training is aimed at practitioners working across the 0-5 sector in schools, Early Years settings and Childminder settings, who have a lead role in supporting children’s speech, language, and communication development. This training should be completed after accessing the Tiny Talkers Universal Training offer. LINK BACK TO UNIVERSAL

The Tiny Talkers Enhanced training is delivered on Microsoft Teams over 3 x 2.5 hour sessions, and will deepen practitioner’s understanding of children’s speech, language, and communication needs. The course offers highly effective and practical strategies which can be easily implemented into everyday practice and will improve practitioner confidence and the quality of interactions, contributing to narrowing of the achievement gap and ultimately improving life chances. Once registered on the course you will receive a FREE copy of Elklan’s ‘Language Builders for 3-5’s’ worth £30

For further information or to book a place on the training please contact EYTraining@rotherham.gov.uk.

The Tiny Talkers Enhanced Plus Training offer consists of 10 x 2 hour sessions delivered over ten weeks. The training has been developed by Elklan, a company who provide high quality training in Speech, Language and Communication for Education professionals. The training is accredited and is aimed specifically at those working with children aged 3-5 years. This practical training course should only be attended after the Tiny Talkers Universal and Enhanced courses have been completed and aims to:

• Build your confidence and skills to support the communication and language development of ALL children aged 3-5s years but especially those with speech and language difficulties.
• Give you practical advice and strategies to support parents and families with whom you work.
• Provide settings with a highly skilled workforce to help narrow the gap and improve the life chances of young children.
• Give you an externally verified and accredited level 2 or 3 award.

The course uses interactive teaching methods, practical activities, videos, and group discussion to engage learners.

For further information or to book a place on the training please contact EYTraining@rotherham.gov.uk

The Tiny Talkers Let’s Talk with Under 5’s is a practical course designed for Early Years Practitioners and Childminders. Written by speech and language therapists, these 7 x 2 hour sessions will enable you to learn how to enhance and develop your children’s understanding and talking. The course provides strategies and activities that can be used with children in the early year’s environment and at home. This course is offered to you with the option to gain accreditation at Level 1 and aims:

• To give you practical ideas to help develop and enhance your child’s ability to listen, understand, and speak.
• To learn why some children find it challenging to understand what is said to them and to talk.
• To help you develop your child’s talking so s/he is ready for school.
• To share ideas with others.

Once registered on the course you will receive a FREE copy of Elklan’s ‘Let’s Talk with Under 5’s’ Handbook worth £15

Tiny Talkers Speech and Language Support for 0-3’s is a practical, evidence-based course which gives early years practitioners the tools to identify and support communication from birth to age three, laying strong foundations for language, learning, and emotional development.

Through undertaking this course, you’ll gain a deep understanding of how babies and toddlers communicate, how adult interaction shapes their language growth, and how everyday routines can become powerful opportunities for connection and learning.

The course consists of 10 x 2 hour sessions delivered over ten weeks. The course is accredited at either Level 2 or Level 3 through completion of a series of online Learning Logs which are marked by the course leader.

The course is FREE to attend and once registered you will receive a FREE copy of Elklan’s ‘Language Builders for 0-3’s’ which is worth £30

Please note, this course is targeted at practitioners working with children aged 0-3 however much of the content aligns with the Tiny Talkers Enhanced Plus training. This course is therefore not recommended for those who have completed the Tiny Talkers Enhanced Plus training previously.