Time to Talk programme

[MrsMartinRohde]

Anyone got experience of this?

DS (Y1, 5y 5m) has been 'selected' to do this, and it's thrown me for a loop a little bit, even though I was aware he is quiet in class and reluctant to volunteer answers, etc.

I know it's a great opportunity for him, and I'm grateful the school has identified an area he's struggling in, but he's already in a literacy support group and I worry this is taking him more and more out of his actual class and away from his usual classmates. He's doing fine with reading and maths but his writing is awful, hence the literacy support.

Thanks. :)

I hadn't heard of this before, and it seems there a several initiatives of the same, or similar, name.

On February 5th there is a Time to Talk Day, to do with mental health, so I don't know if that is the one relevant to your child.

I worked as TA and helper in primary schools for twenty-five years. Because I had never enjoyed school as a child myself, I always 'looked out' for the quieter, shy children and made things as relaxed as possible for them.

How does he feel about school? Does he admit to being worried, or unable to cope, and does he feel he is not keeping up with his peers?

Just because a child is quiet and reluctant to volunteer answers, does not necessarily mean he is 'struggling', I don't think. That is very encouraging you say he is OK with reading and maths, and MANY primary children have poor writing skills. Is he able to think of things to write, and the physical handwriting is the problem? Or does he not have ideas that he would wish to write?

In either case, I often suggest that if a tape recorder is available, or a phone that will record, that a child DICTATE his ideas to a recording. He can then hear them back, make changes if necessary, and at a later stage, write or type the text. I used this technique with less able Yr2 boys, who would not write anything when left to try for themselves, but when I typed to their dictation, they had plenty of good ideas, and they enjoyed seeing their text appearing on the screen.

Thank you. This Time to Talk is a programme that runs over several weeks. This is the blurb from the book that goes along with it (aimed at those conducting the course):

"School can be a frustrating and confusing experience for children who have not developed their communication skills. not only will access to the curriculum be difficult, so will developing co-operative skills and friendships. This book has been developed to teach and develop oral language and social interaction skills to children aged 4-6. Containing 40 sessions, designed to take place two to three times a week, the book aims to help teachers to develop the "rules" of interaction with the help of the character Ginger the Bear, who features in all the activities. Skills taught include: eye contact; taking turns; sharing; greetings; awareness of feelings; giving; following instructions; listening; paying attention; and play skills. The book should provide a useful resource for Literacy Hour and curriculum Key Stage 1."

So it's about communication skills. It worries me because we hadn't realised his actual skills are atypical. He's a real chatterbox, with a wide vocabulary, who asks questions incessantly, but he's clearly not demonstrating that at school. I did think it was to do with feeling overwhelmed in a large class (30, naturally), and being one of the youngest, but apparently he's not any different in a smaller group (there are just 12 in the literacy support group).

He's our oldest child. As DS2 (who is 3y 2m) gets older, though, in more and more ways I see how DS1's development has been different, socially, and it worries me. We had some teething troubles in YR with DS1, but socially they were more to do with his temper, though in retrospect they were probably concerned with when the other children did something he didn't like and he'd not know how to react so he'd lash out. His Y1 teacher has not indicated any problems there at all.

It's like getting blood out of a stone to get any feedback from him w/r/t school. Any questions - specific, open ended - and he says I don't know, or I've forgotten. Only if I make the question silly do I get an answer - so if I say what did you have for lunch and he says I can't remember, I say: I know, I bet I can guess - did you have...frogs legs with strawberry sauce? or was it mashed carrots with a chocolate biscuit? And then he'll laugh and tell me it was pizza. which I had known in advance because I'd checked the school menu. but this line of questioning only works when I do have an idea of what's happening.

His writing - it's the physical act of writing I think that's the main issue. Content hasn't been mentioned, and I don't know what's appropriate/expected to be produced by a 5 year old boy. Unless I sit with him and dictate each letter - "lower case a, upper case b" etc, he will default to all caps. they are learning to form the letters in the pre-cursive style and he's not found it easy.

It certainly could be a content problem. He will write little stories at home, and is still writing letters to Santa, but they are one-liners and almost unintelligible. And I really am trying to be fair to him.

I have found the correct place now, the relevant books, and Ginger the Bear puppet.

Many Yr1 children can hardly produce ANY writing, and depending on what they have been used to at home, some have never even used books until they get to school.

I will find out more about the scheme (the books seem rather expensive, and I dare say the bear is too) and come back to you sometime.

Time to talk is - IME - used to help children with social communication difficulties but also usually includes peers too. Either someone that the child with difficulties has asked to be with, or someone with good communication skills who is there to act as a peer role model, or someone who has been selected by the teacher to encourage a friendship group.

School should have told you what category your ds falls into and what they think he would gain from the group. They should be doing this as part of asking your permission by the way - even if he had a diagnosed social communication problem it isn't assumed that you will want him to do this kind of work, I've always been formally asked if my ds is a rl to join small groups like this (ds has ASD.)

If he is a chatterbox, this may be why they want him to join the group - to be a positive role model, or because it's hoped he'll spark up a friendship with another child. It can also increase confidence and his own skills.

Either way, you need to have a conversation with the class teacher (DCs don't know why they're asked to take part in this sort of thing anyway) and find out what's going on.

Thanks you. We weren't asked permission, just had a letter to say he was going to be doing it. I guess we could have refused, and I am comfortable that a welcoming door is always open for us to talk to his teachers. So that's all ok, and I think I will wait till towards half term and then ask for a catch up with his teacher. He's definitely in it because of his own challenges, though, because although he is a real chatterbox at home, he talks at you, really, and I can see how his style is really not conducive to friendships/getting along with people. So it's a skill he - for sure - needs some support with.

Thanks, Ferguson. I would appreciate any further input from you - and anyone else with experience of this, of course. :)