'Every Child a Talker'

Every Child a Talker (ECaT) is a national project to develop the language and communication of children from birth to four years of age. The project was set up after concern about the high levels of language impoverishment in the UK, and how this affects children’s progress in school and chances in life.

Michael was chosen to be the Early Language Consultant for the ECaT project in Luton. The Luton project will run for two years, and has been judged by the National Strategy to be outstanding.

In Luton we call our project ‘Every Child a Talker: Every Adult Involved’, to emphasise the importance we attach to the role of adults in helping children ‘be the best talkers they can possibly be.’

In Luton Michael works in 30 pre-school settings. The activities that we have developed together are many and varied, with an emphasis on supporting parents, developing practitioners’ knowledge, skills and confidence and making links with schools and other local organisations.

Michael supports settings through a wide range of practical activities, including staff training days, modelling communication with children through Storytime and other group activities, meetings with parents (including giving talks and leading discussion groups).

Michael specialises in working with parents, through small discussion groups, working with parents and children through sharing stories, as well as more formal parents meetings. To see a flier for a fathers' meeting and feedback from a storytelling session with fathers click here.

If you are working already in an ECaT project, or setting one up, please do get in contact to compare ideas.

Click on a button to find out about Michael's activities for ECaT in more detail

Move your mouse over the photos to see aspects of various ECaT projects in Luton