Elklan: Training to support children's language and learning

Empowering early years practitioners: Enhancing speech, language, and communication skillsIn the ever-changing landscape of early years education, creating strong speech, language, and communication skills is vitally important. Elklan, a leader in this area, offers comprehensive training and accreditation to empower early years practitioners to enhance these essential skills among children.

Speech and Language Support coursesElklan’s ‘Speech and Language Support’ courses are designed to equip practitioners with practical strategies to support children’s communication development. These courses explore the complexities of speech and language acquisition, providing tools to identify and support children with Speech, Language, and Communication Needs (SLCN). Participants gain Level 3 accreditation, reflecting a high standard of professional development.

Communication Friendly Settings (CFS) AwardThe Communication Friendly Settings programme is Elklan’s fastest-growing training initiative, yielding significant impacts on both staff and children within early years environments. The process begins with select staff completing Elklan’s acclaimed 10-week Speech and Language Support course. These Lead Communication Practitioners (LCPs) then cascade core messages and strategies to the entire staff through five bite-sized sessions called Communication Counts. Elklan provides comprehensive support throughout this process, including mentoring from an experienced Elklan Tutor. Upon successful completion, the setting is accredited as ‘Communication Friendly,’ creating an environment that enhances and develops children’s communication skills.

Elklan’s ‘Let's Talk’ courses are tailored for parents and practitioners, focusing on practical strategies to support young children’s communication development at home. This course empowers parents and carers to create enriching language environments, facilitating better outcomes in children’s speech and language skills.

Benefits and outcomesMoreover, settings that achieved Communication Friendly Status reported improvements in children’s attainment. For instance, St Thomas’s C of E School observed that after implementing Elklan strategies, more children achieved higher levels in writing, with notable progress among boys.

Elklan’s training programmes have demonstrated significant positive outcomes. The ‘Talking Matters’ initiative, independently evaluated by the University of Sheffield, revealed that children receiving Elklan support progressed by an average of seven months in language development, compared to two months in control groups. Practitioners reported increased confidence and a broader range of strategies to support children’s communication needs.

ConclusionElklan’s evidence-based training equips early years practitioners with the skills to create communication-rich environments, leading to enhanced language development and improved educational outcomes for children. By investing in Elklan’s programmes, early years settings can ensure they provide the best support for children’s speech, language, and communication needs, laying a solid foundation for their future learning and wellbeing.

Contact Charlie McLachlan, Elklan Director of Marketing & Business Development,charlie@elklan.co.ukwww.elklan.co.ukwww.elklan.co.uk/Training/Practitioners