Conversational Partnership involves having meaningful conversations WITH (not to or at) your child, engaging them as a partner in the effort, rather than a one-way street of requests and/or narration.

Tiers of Vocabulary:
Tier 1 words are those children are likely to be exposed to throughout their everyday experiences. These are generally simple words like dog, tree, ball, play, and talk.

Tier 2 words are more rich and complex. For example, words like curious, elated, exclaimed, and furious. When adults model these words for children, it helps build critical language knowledge.

Introduction of the TALK Strategy

Discussion: We discussed times of day that parents might engage their child(ren) as a conversational/communication partner (to include words, facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, parentese, open-ended questions and touch). Examples included bedtime, mealtime, travel time, and bath time. We also brainstormed possible tiers of vocabulary associated with these times of day.

Partner Practice: Parents paired up to practice conversations using tiers of vocabulary and open-ended questions.

Videos: We watched the following to observe example exchanges and the use of parentese:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdLKpxktJB4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx3WxwNPlbA

Homework: Engage in conversational/communication exchanges with children using the strategies in the session recap. Also, continue to work on vision board goals.

Here’s a recap of the information from Session 2 of our Fall Workshop. It’s not too late for you to join us for our workshops!

Session 2 Recap

Mealtime Conversation Starters: Fall Time Theme-Weather, Holidays, Clothing, Leaves, etc.

Introduction to Responsive Interactions:

Learning is like building a house. The foundation for the “House of Early Learning” is Oral Language. The bedrock for the “House of Early Learning is Responsive Interactions.

Responsive Interactions (Definition)-Developing trusting and nurturing relationships with children that are loving, joyful, engaging and playful in a culturally sensitive environment.

In small groups, we reviewed and discussed the attached responsive interaction indicators. We celebrated the ways in which we are currently responsive with our children.

A Parent Ambassador led the group in an Responsive Interactions Relay. Each team read scenarios and decided if the parent-child interaction was responsive or unresponsive. We discussed ways to make the unresponsive interactions more responsive.

Homework: Bring a family picture for the parent passport. Review the attached responsive interaction indicators and decide which one(s) you’d like to build goals around for the next 6 weeks.

 

We’re getting ready for our next set of Family Workshop Sessions starting in September! I hope you have been using those strategies and techniques that were given to you by our wonderful partner at the Atlanta Speech School. Remember to READ and TALK with your children, YOU are their first teacher and conversational partner no matter what age they are!!

R-Repeat Books
E-Engage & Enjoy
A-Ask Questions
D-Do More

T-Tune In
A-Ask Questions
L-Lift Language
K-Keep It Going

Hello families! Our Summer Family Workshop Series is wrapping up July 27, 2017! It’s been a great session and I want to congratulate all our families that made the commitment to the continued development of your children by participating in our 8 week session and look forward to celebrating your success!!

School will be starting soon so please continue to engage your children and be receptive to them! Check out this article for some back to school tips that may, not only help with first day anxiety,  but also provide another way to be your child’s conversational partner.

http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/back-to-school/back-to-school-tips-for-parents/

We’re excited to start our Winter Parent Workshop Sessions for Spread the Word!!

Come out February 16, 2017, 6:00pm-8:00pm for the Kick off at New Horizons Center, 745 Orr Street NW, in Vine City.

Join us and learn about how our workshops can help you understand child development, reading and much more.

We have lots of fun planned with music, storytelling, face painting and dinner will be provided by Chick-Fil-A with a special guest: THE CHICK-FIL-A COW!!!!

2017-flyer

Happy beginning of the 2016-2017 school year! We are so excited to start our annual family workshop series and at a brand new location. Our sessions will be held every Thursday evening from 6 PM until 8 PM at Hollis Innovation Academy in Vine City. As usual, we will provide dinner! We hope that you will “Spread the word” about this event and invite everyone you know! Remember, you must RSVP with me by Wednesday afternoons in order to participate.

Special kudos to our new parent advisory team! These families have been very instrumental in the planning of this years’ events. Thank you, from the entire STW team 🙂