Anyone else doing the Every Child A Talker course

[shoshe]

Wanna share insights ????

It's just being piloted round here at the moment in certain settings - not cms - but the playgroup I recently left had been chosen to take part.

From what I had access to, it seems to be a fab concept, though somewhat longwinded in it's approach. I suspect it will be reviewed after the pilot. I've just bought 'The Early Years Communication Handbook' by Janet Cooper which is designed to be used alongside ECAT and it's full of loads of useful info and tips.

I thought some of the forms to be handed out to parents were a bit patronising and not enough guidance was given as to how practitioners were supposed to fill their forms in and provide feedback.

TBH, I think the pilots should have been done through cms who have fewer children in their care for more hours in a day rather than in playgroup/ nursery settings where the children attend less hours and the pace of the setting doesnt allow much 1-1 time to analyze development.

I would love to do ECAT if it is extended to cms.

It is being Piloted here with CM's 3 of us are doing it, Tutor came today just to drop some paperwork off, really looking forward to it.

Cm's in the West Sussex Network just started too. Had 2 briefings and a day's conference with fabby workshops so far. Handed in 1st lot of monitoring forms at half term but no feedback yet as NC on long term post-op sick leave.

Shoshe, I would highly recommend that book to you - it's cheapest on Amazon at the moment. Loads of photocopiable forms and all of the stages of language and communication.

Good luck - hope it's rolled out here soon

Yep got it here too - Pippin is our local ECAT personage type whatever they are called thingamygiger. I am interested honest

lol AtWork.
Me and D are the (sounds posh but it ain't) Lead Practitioners for minders. D covers your area but we work together and do it via the network.

I have talked to a friend who runs a pre-school and she has been LP for the last two years - she says that its really good for really getting down to the nitty gritty with communication.
Boils back down to good practice, supporting parents, sharing good practice with colleagues etc.

Unfortunately, the supervisor in our area appears to have bought childminders in as a token gesture - she just didn't bet on and D being very interested and pushing this forward - making her work!