Quality Interactions in the Early Years

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Clifford Burns
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1 TACTYC Annual Conference Birth to Eight Matters! Seeking Seamlessness Continuity? Integration? Creativity? 5 th November, Cardiff 2005 Quality Interactions in the Early Years Professor Iram Siraj-Blatchford

2 Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years, quality interactions include: Sustained shared thinking: An episode in which two or more individuals work together in an intellectual way to solve a problem, clarify a concept, evaluate activities, extend a narrative etc. Both parties must contribute to the thinking and it must develop and extend. Siraj-Blatchford et al., REPEY, DfES 2002

solve a problem, clarify a concept, evaluate activities, extend a narrative etc.

3 Percentage of pedagogical interactions (cognitive and monitoring) in settings varying in effectiveness % of 'teaching' interactions Good Excellent Sustained shared thinking Instruction Monitoring

effectiveness % of 'teaching' interactions 60 40 20

4 Percentage of high cognitive challenge activities within each initiation category in each setting type 60 Percentage Good Excellent Child initiated Child but adult Adult initiated

each setting type 60 Percentage 40 20 0 Good

5 ECERS-R and ECERS-E means by manager qualification 6 ECERS-R / E score Level 2 Level 3 / 4 Level 5 ECERS-R ECERS-E

6 5 Relationship between Quality and Manager Qualification: EPPE evidence ECERS-E score Literacy Mathematics Science and environment Diversity Level 2 Level 3 / 4 Level 5 Source: Taggart, B. et al., (2000)

7 ECERS-R Factors and Manager Qualifications 6 5 ECERS-E score 'Activities and facilities' factor 'Communication and supervision' factor Level 2 Level 3 / 4 Level 5 Source: Taggart, B. et al., (2000)

8 ECERS-R and Manager Qualifications ECERS-R score Language reasoning Activities Interaction Programme structure Level 2 Level 3 / 4 Level 5 Parents and staff Source: Taggart, B. et al., (2000)

9 Early Education Project How do we support children s sustained shared thinking? They may include the adult: tuning in: listening carefully to what is being said, observing body language and what the child is doing showing genuine interest: giving your whole attention, maintaining eye contact, affirming, smiling, nodding respecting children s own decisions and choices inviting children to elaborate: I really want to know more about this

what the child is doing showing genuine interest: giving your whole attention, maintaining eye contact,

10 How do we support children s sustained shared thinking (2) inviting children to elaborate: I really want to know more about this re-capping: So you think that offering your own experience: I like to listen to music when I cook supper at home clarifying ideas: Right Darren, so you think that this stone will melt if I boil it in water?

offering your own experience: I like to listen to music when I cook supper at home

11 How do we support children s sustained shared thinking (3) suggesting: You might like to try doing it this way reminding: Don t forget that you said that this stone will melt if I boil it using encouragement to further thinking: You have really thought hard about where to put this door in the palace but where on earth will you put the windows? offering an alternative viewpoint: Maybe Goldilocks wasn t naughty when she ate the porridge speculating: Do you think the three bears would have liked Goldilocks to come to live with them as their friend?

put this door in the palace but where on earth will you put the windows?

12 How do we support children s sustained shared thinking (4) reciprocating: Thank goodness that you were wearing wellington boots when you jumped in those puddles Kwame. Look at my feet they are soaking wet asking open questions: How did you? Why does this..? What happens next? What do you think? modelling thinking: I have to think hard about what I do this evening. I need to take my dog to the vet s because he has a sore foot, take my library books back to the library and buy some food for dinner tonight. But I just won t have time to do all of these things

What do you think? modelling thinking: I have to think hard about what I do this evening.

13 Example 1: Private Day Nursery - Under-3s Unit Babita, the nursery manager works with other staff and four babies and toddlers. There is a warm and affectionate climate in the room. The environment is planned carefully to offer varied sensory experiences and adults are always on hand to support and respond to the babies and toddlers. Babita interacts with Nicholas aged 15 months.

The environment is planned carefully to offer varied sensory experiences and adults are always

14 Example 3: Registered childminder Daria is working with three children, two to three years of age, all of whom she has cared for since they were babies. The children stay with her for an extended day. Daria s priority is to provide a flexible programme and follow the children s interests. She offers a rich range of experiences and play is free-flow indoors and outdoors. Daria responds to the children s request to search for tadpoles in her garden pond.

Daria s priority is to provide a flexible programme and follow the children s interests.

15 The role of the teacher: ECERS R, informal interactions Adult child interactions, Brierley Nursery School

16 The role of the teacher: Enquiry Questions 7 Positive questioning I don t know, what do you think? That s an interesting idea. I like what you have done there what Have you seen what X has done why I wondered why you had I ve never thought about that before You ve really made me think What would happen if we did

I like what you have done there what Have you seen what X has done why I

17 The role of the teacher: Enquiry Questions 8 Making sense words I think I imagine I like I wonder I agree I disagree I don t like

18 TACTYC Annual Conference YES, Birth to Eight Matters! and Training matters! Support matters! Quality Interactions in the Early Years Matter For further information about EPPE/REPEY visit the EPPE website at:

Quality Interactions in the Early Years Matter i.

The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project : Findings from the Pre-school Period Summary of findings What is EPPE?

The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project : Findings from the Pre-school Period Summary of findings Kathy Sylva+, Edward Melhuish#, Pam Sammons*, Iram Siraj-Blatchford*, Brenda Taggart*