Weekly ECaT for Foundation
We are excited to introduce the 'Every Child a Talker' initiative in our Early Years setting.
What is ECAT?
ECAT is a national project to develop the communication and language skills of children from birth to five years old and beyond. Recent research in the UK has shown that many children are entering schools and nurseries with considerable language delay. This language delay has a detrimental effect on children’s educational success, which can last all the way through their schooling and therefore affect their life chances.
Whilst we know here at Bagthorpe we have extremely supportive and engaging families, we do also appreciate how much the pandemic has effected some children, their self-esteem and confidence. Therefore we are providing an opportunity every day at school for your child to be part of small group, large group and peer discussions, carefully planned and delivered to enrich their vocabulary and support their self-esteem.
How you can help your child
- Have conversations, away from electronic devices and other distractions
- Encourage speaking in phrases and sentences
- Enjoy songs and rhymes together
- Play games which involve listening for a signal, such as 'Simon Says'
- Listen to made-up stories
- Share books together, and read them a bedtime story
- Listen to your child and take account of what they say when you reply
- Talk to your child about what they have been doing and help them remember and talk about events
A weekly ECaT sheet will be provided to give you activities to share together at home, our weekly Makaton signs and symbols and a song of the week we shall be learning in school. If you choose to do any of the activities (or those of your own!) please bring the sheet back for us to support them when talking about it in front of their peers.
September 2021 onwards - all ECaT homework can now be found on our Google Classroom page