1. Up, up and away! Building Foundations to Literacy in the Early Years
3.3
Building Foundations to Literacy in the Early Years
Practitioners’ and Carers’ Ideas in Practice
Presenter A

2. Aims of Session To give you an overview of the resource
To familiarise you with the resource
To give you experience of using some of the tools
To give you confidence to go away and use the resource in your own setting
Presenter A
Emphasise aims and that these link to later evaluation form for comment

3. Overview of Session Introduction to the Up, up and away! resources
The CIRCLE Early Years Framework
Identifying Need/Children at Risk
Use of:
Literacy Rich Environment Tool
Understanding Behaviour Tool
Introduction to Stages Tool
Planning to Meet the Need - strategies
Parent Postcard
Next Steps
Questions
Presenter A

4. Planning to Meet the Need
The Resources!
Identifying Need
Planning to Meet the Need
Presenter A
We are showing you today our 2 resources:
Identifying Need :- does as it says and provides information and tools to help you identify children at risk for literacy; to optimise opportunity through the environment and through understanding the child’s stage and needs
Planning to Meet the Need :- contains practical ideas and strategies. Things you can do to support the child or the family
They both are also entitled Building foundations for literacy in the early years because the contents is not just about phonics and vocabulary, or pre-writing skills but about the wider learning needs of the child. Many of the children who fail with literacy do so, not because they are born with a literacy difficulty but rather because their early experiences do not leave them ready to learn and enjoy all that school offers. For these children, many factors affect their participation.

5. Aims
1. Support staff and carers to identify children who need literacy support as early as possible in order to prevent difficulties arising. 2. Provide tools to optimise literacy opportunity through the environment and adults around the child. 3. Provide tools to optimise opportunity for the child through observations made in relation to challenges to literacy and learning. 4. Provide a comprehensive framework (The CIRCLE Early Years Framework) for profiling the child’s stage of development , in relation to their environment, routines, motivation and skills.
Identifying Need
Presenter A

6. Planning to Meet the Need
Aims
1. Provide practical stage-appropriate strategies to meet literacy needs once they are identified.
2. Help staff and carers to engage with parents and share ideas for building the foundations to literacy.
3. Highlight and promote diversity in the children with whom you work.
Planning to Meet the Need
Presenter A
We consider the resources suitable for visual and hearing impaired children also.
The resources both consider children with English as an additional language.

7. The CIRCLE Early Years Framework
The Circle Early Years Framework is the basis for these resources to build the foundation for literacy in the early years
Understanding the framework is central to using the Up, up and away! resources successfully
The framework takes a holistic view of children and how to identify need and support learning and development
The framework has two complementary components:
Presenter B

8. The CIRCLE Early Years Framework
Stages of Development
The Literacy Caterpillar
Presenter B
Stages of development
The resource defines stages of development to encourage users to provide children with the appropriate learning opportunities for them, regardless of their age. These four stages are called:
Cuddlers and babblers
Movers and shakers
Social butterflies p13/14
Young explorers
Why stages......
Many children do not follow the normal course of development for a variety of reasons. Thinking of the child in relation to stage rather than age means:
We think positively about how to help them progress
We notice what they can do and what strategies suit them best rather than focusing on what they cant do
We acknowledge the pace of individual children’s learning
Our expectations are realistic
We grade activities appropriately
Opportunities for learning provided by people and the environment enhance progression through the stages.
2.The Literacy Caterpillar
The literacy caterpillar brings together four factors which support learning and development. These are Environment, Routine, Motivation and skills.
Skills are further broken down into : control of movement, language and communication, thinking and relationship skills
Many resources focus of skill development however research tells us that skill is only one factor of success in learning. The framework introduces the importance of giving equal weight to environment, routine, motivation and skills.

9. Tools to identify risk and need Blue Book (and a bit of white)
Risk and resilience Tool-page 21
Literacy Rich Environment Tool-pages 30-37
Home Literacy Tool-pages WHITE BOOK
Identifying Stages Tool-pages 51-55
Understanding Behaviour Tool-pages 56-64
Guidance on observation & Tool-page 23-26
Also developmental mile stones and warning signs-68-71
Presenter B
Risk and resilience matrix-which allows a 'quick screen' of whether a child is at risk
Observation tool-tips and framework for making observations
-Stages tool-which allows staff to identify what stage of development a child is currently at (the resource has 4 stage groups broadly grouped around four broad ages) in relation to key areas underpinning literacy development (routine, environment, motivation and skills). This gives them a map of where the gaps in their development are and directs them to specific bits of the resource that give ideas around strategies to use for support.
-Literacy environment tool-which allows staff to look at and plan improvements they would make to the environment they're providing to support literacy (this is probably the most widely used one in Edinburgh) –
Home literacy tool-which allows a parent or foster carer to carry out a similar assessment of how literacy rich the home environment they're providing is. We have also had this translated into the most common languages used in Edinburgh.
-Behaviour tool-which allows staff to assess factors that may be contributing to concerns they have around a child's behaviour (this is the most fiddly and probably the least widely used-I have a few criticisms of it!!)
Milestones-help check typical development
Warning signs-help decide when to refer on to other agencies

10. English as an Additional Language: Identifying need
Consider:
how to establish effective 2-way communication with parents/carers to inform assessment
how to enable bilingual children to show what they can do (rather than what they can’t)
EAL Service can advise on/support this and also strategies for planning to meet the need
Presenter B
CIRCLE doc works well with children learning EAL and through EAL.
Sometimes however, in order to assess a bilingual child’s learning (and plan appropriately), settings may need to consider whether they:
are successfully able to gather information from parents about their children’s development and any risk/resilience factors which may affect their learning?
(consider method of info gathering at enrolment, establishing a regular pattern of sharing daily info if collecting adult does not speak English, use of interpreting service for more detailed meetings)
are confident that their nursery setting enables children from a variety of languages/cultures to demonstrate what they can do (rather than what they can’t)?
(consider whether a child will feel ‘at home’ enough in a setting to relax, are there examples of their language/script in the setting, are adults confident to talk positively to children about their home language and culture, do resources represent experiences which are familiar to the child eg pictures, clothes, food, music, language

11. Risk and Resilience Tool
Presenter B
Let audience know that this is the first tool that we’re going to try out. Screen shot shows how it looks, tool is on page 21 of the blue book

12. Identifying Children at Risk of Failure with Literacy
Why wait?
We can identify the children who are at risk by considering the risk and resilience factors.
Activity 1 – Think of a child you work with and complete the Risk and Resilience Table (p21)...
Is the child at risk?
Presenter B
Risk factors increase the probability of failure with literacy; the greater the number and severity of risk factors, the greater the probability.
Resilience factors are protective and lead to children overcoming adverse experiences. There is an interaction between risk factors and resilience factors. Children with more resilience factors may be less affected by risk.
o If we heighten awareness of risk and resilience, we can be proactive in preventing risks and giving support to children within early years settings and at home.
o A good understanding of risk and resilience factors can help us plan support strategies and encourages a holistic approach to intervention.
o It is possible to promote and build upon resilience in all children.
o Within an area of social deprivation all children may be at risk of being within the lowest achieving learners in relation to literacy. Consider the factors affecting children in your care.
Steps to take...
o If a child is at risk in relation to literacy, take time to think about this child further. Are there concerns regarding behaviour? Is the child failing to achieve his/her developmental and literacy milestones? (see Appendix for milestones p68-71).
o If the answer is “yes” to either of these questions, you are advised to consult the Understanding Behaviour Tool (page 56-64).
o  If “no” then the child may still be at risk, however, these factors are not currently impacting on his/her development and learning. The child should be monitored closely.
o When considering risk factors it is important to refer children to social work directly with any child protection concerns, whether these are noticeably impacting on their development or not.
Can be a discussion tool for staff/ possibly with parents depending on circumstances and relationships rather than something you would actual record onto and store in a child’s record

13. CIRCLE Literacy Rich Environment Tool
Page 30
Consider strategies that are already in place and possible areas for development.
Use symbols to represent your judgement about how well you fulfil each item in the tool:
Literacy Rich Environment Tool considers of the following area:
- Selection of books and stories
Environmental print
Arrangement: display, location, book area
Encouraging writing
Planning and reflection
Adult support to participate in literacy
Frequency of literacy experience
Listening and talking
Phonological Awareness
Presenter A
Demonstrate scoring system and planning sheet, you will probably be familiar with this as has been sent out by QIOs to some settings for basis of discussion. Page in blue book, 36 let’s you summarise and reflect on your findings, planning framework on page 37-may go on to inform your SQIP

14. Literacy Rich Environment Tool
Presenter A

15. Home Literacy Tool Presenter A
Mention that this one is in the white book (pages 86-89) you might want to use this in consultation with a parent-be aware that you might need to be supportive, non-judgemental in relation to some of the questions asked.

16. Understanding Behaviour Tool
Page 58
Children may need support to learn positive ways of expressing themselves and responding.
Staff and carers need to be confident about observing, analysing and understanding behaviour, so that they can promote positive behaviour and interactions with others.
Presenter A
Some used behaviour models, such as the “ABC” approach (Antecedents, Behaviour and Consequences). However the antecedents are not always apparent and it was clear that a complementary tool would be helpful, to understand some of the reasons why a child might find a situation difficult and therefore present with a certain behaviour.
o Staff and carers can use this tool to further understand behaviour.
Thinking about:
Environment
Routine
Motivation
Skills
 Staff and carers can use this tool to further understand behaviour. Thinking about environment, routine, motivation and skills provides an alternative/complementary way to analyse the possible explanations for behaviour observed.

17. CIRCLE Observation Tool
Type of Observation:
Context:
Child’s name:
Date:
Observer:
Reason for observation:
Write in the boxes below what you plan to observe
Observation: what did you see and hear?

18. Making a plan Presenter A
Literacy rich plan is page 37, behaviour plan is page 64-blue book. All of these are optional and there to help you look at analysing the data you’ve collected.

19. Identify Stages Tool Presenter A
The identify stages tool can be used to identify the child’s stages across different areas. The profile you make directs you to strategies in Planning to Meet the Need which are most appropriate.
The tool is designed to be used quickly as a guide to lead to practical strategies and is not an exhaustive list.
It considers:
Four stages
Literacy caterpillar
This tool asks the user to consider their observations and
o Tick the box when the description matches the child or to show that the child has achieved that stage
o It is ok to tick in more than one stage for a child
o There may not be ticks in all the boxes for one stage
o In the skills section the letters (M, C, R, T) indicate which type of skill is described:
l Control of Movement (M)
l Language & Communication (C)
l Relationships (R)
l Thinking (T)
When you have ticked all descriptions that apply on the stages tool (p51-53), use the stages profile form (p54). Shade every box which corresponds with the ticks.
Each child will have a unique profile

20. Group Activity Using the Identify stages tool (page 52-54)
In your group pick a child to focus on (could be the same as for previous activity) who you think is at risk
Start with the environment section
Discuss if the child fits each statement and tick the box if they do or if they are past this
When you have completed all the boxes in this section transfer the information to the stages profile (p54)
Complete the same process the for routine and motivation sections
The skills section is broken down further into M, C, T, R, this makes filling the stages profile in slightly different.
Presenter A
When training, start with the skills section and teach people to understand what MCTR stand for and talk them through the process using a case example
Shade every box which corresponds with the ticks.
Each child will have a unique profile

21. Stages Profile and Strategy Map
Presenter A
Once you have a completed stages profile, the strategy map can be used to guide the user.
You can reassure staff and carers that it is ok to have gaps, this is a helpful indication of unmet need. 21

22. Action Plan Area Strengths Areas to develop Strategies Environment
Routine
Motivation
Skills
Presenter A
Action plan-talk through how it’s set up. When you’ve completed the stages tool and strategy map try transferring some of the information onto this plan and begin to consider some strategies that you might try with the child.

23. Planning to Meet Need White Book (and a bit of blue)
Strategies for Future Relationships BLUE
Strategies for Building Vocabulary BLUE
Section 2: Literacy at Each stage 20-23
Section 3: Strategies within stages of development 28-76
Section 4: Engaging parents as partners77-89
Presenter B
Risk and resilience matrix-which allows a 'quick screen' of whether a child is at risk
Observation tool-tips and framework for making observations
-Stages tool-which allows staff to identify what stage of development a child is currently at (the resource has 4 stage groups broadly grouped around four broad ages) in relation to key areas underpinning literacy development (routine, environment, motivation and skills). This gives them a map of where the gaps in their development are and directs them to specific bits of the resource that give ideas around strategies to use for support.
-Literacy environment tool-which allows staff to look at and plan improvements they would make to the environment they're providing to support literacy (this is probably the most widely used one in Edinburgh) –
Home literacy tool-which allows a parent or foster carer to carry out a similar assessment of how literacy rich the home environment they're providing is. We have also had this translated into the most common languages used in Edinburgh.
-Behaviour tool-which allows staff to assess factors that may be contributing to concerns they have around a child's behaviour (this is the most fiddly and probably the least widely used-I have a few criticisms of it!!)
Milestones-help check typical development
Warning signs-help decide when to refer on to other agencies

24. Strategies
Presenter B
This screen shot is pages in blue book

25. Literacy at Each Stage Presenter B
This screen short is pages in blue book
Literacy at each stage (page 21)
Play/ Toys/ Book Ideas at each stage 25

26. Strategies within Stage using the Literacy Caterpillar
Presenter B 26

27. Engage Parents (and carers) as partners
When staff/carers engage well with parents, they can positively influence the child’s experience in the early years setting and in the family’s home life.
To effectively engage parents, it is important to affirm what they already do and build on this. You can empower parents to support their child’s learning and development by considering the following:
o Developing parent skill and awareness
o Using good communication and sharing information
o Engaging parents as partners
Presenter B
Emphasis on thinking of new ways to engage hard to reach families, this could include families for whom English is an Additional Language
- lend resources
Newsletter
Notice boards
Parents involved
Joint play sessions

28. Parent Postcards Presenter B
Staff/carers can select an activity from the bubbles in the strategy section or alternatively suggest an appropriate play activity for that stage and write it in the bubble on the parent postcard.
Why use parent postcards?
o You can maximise working in partnership with parents to benefit the child.
o You can support parents to fully understand the value of play and the key role it has in their child’s development.
o Foster carers may use these cards to communicate with parents what they are currently doing to support the child and why.
o You can use these postcard templates to communicate to parents what they can be doing at home to support the child’s development.
For parents with poor literacy/poor engagement – short and simple. Pictures could be used.
The user may wish to demonstrate the activity to the parent and or include a book/toy or other resource.

29. Parent Postcards Presenter B
Staff/carers can select an activity from the bubbles in the strategy section or alternatively suggest an appropriate play activity for that stage and write it in the bubble on the parent postcard.
Why use parent postcards?
o You can maximise working in partnership with parents to benefit the child.
o You can support parents to fully understand the value of play and the key role it has in their child’s development.
o Foster carers may use these cards to communicate with parents what they are currently doing to support the child and why.
o You can use these postcard templates to communicate to parents what they can be doing at home to support the child’s development.
For parents with poor literacy/poor engagement – short and simple. Pictures could be used.
The user may wish to demonstrate the activity to the parent and or include a book/toy or other resource. 29

30. Group Activity Make a parent postcard
Consider the information that you’ve now collected using the stages profile
Refer to the action plan you began to create earlier
Which areas of the child’s development are relative strengths?
Which areas would you prioritise for support?
In the priority areas use the stages profile and page numbers to look at possible strategies in the white book
Choose one of these and further develop the idea into a parent postcard
Presenter B
Encourage participants to refer back to stages tool and action plan that they may have begun to complete. Just work on one priority area for a parent 30

31. You’re ready to try it out
Share this training and resource with staff in your setting
Start trying it out with a selected child, children or area
If you want further advice and support you could:
Get in touch with your trainers from today
Discuss it with partner agencies working in your setting e.g. Educational Psychologist, Neighbourhood Support Co-ordinator, VTSS worker, EAL worker or Speech and Language Therapist
Presenter A 31

32. Instructions for accessing Circle Resources on GLOW
Log on to GLOW which you will find on the egfl Edinburgh website
(You will need your password)
Click - GLOW Portal
Click - National Website
Click - City of Edinburgh Council and Noticeboard
Click - GLOW group map
Click - City Wide Group (orange box)
Click - Early Years
Click - Early Years Prinicipal Teachers
Click - Documents
Click – Literacy
Under Literacy heading you will find Circle Resources
Presenter A

33. Thank you and please complete the evaluation form 
Any Questions?
Thank you and please complete the evaluation form 
Presenter A
Give out Frequently Asked Questions Sheet