Totsy's Place

We are pleased to announce our membership of the Pre-School Learning Alliance

We are pleased to announce our membership of the Pre-School Learning Alliance. This membership ensures that we are kept up to date with the new thinking in the field of education and childcare.

The Pre‑school Learning Alliance is a leading early years membership organisation and one of the largest providers of quality childcare in England. We offer support to over 15,000 settings and impact positively on the care and education of over 800,000 young children and their families every year.

To find out more about the Pre-school Learning Alliance - click here to visit their website. 

We have been nominated for the National Award supported by What’s on 4 Little Ones!

Thank you to everyone who nominated us for the ‘What’s on 4 Little Ones’ award!

We’re are delighted to have been nominated in 5 categories!

It’s now down to the public vote and we need your support!

It only takes a minute to complete the entry – we’d love to win!

Please vote in all 5 categories  ... details below

Click on this link and a new window will open and instructions are below:

Please select Talking Tots(UK) in the following categories from the drop down menus (they're in alphabetical order):

* Best National Baby & Toddler Development Activity (newborn to 2 years)

* Best National Pre-schooler Development Activity (2 to 5 years)

* Best Local Activity for the Under 5s (SOUTH) (Amanda Smith or Nicola Byers)

* Best Local Activity for the Under 5s (WEST & WALES) (Bridget Bailey or Lisa Houghton or Tracey Park)

* Best Local Activity for the Under 5s (NORTHERN IRELAND & SCOTLAND) (Vicki Renton)


You can only submit the voting form once so please make sure that you vote in all the award categories that you would like to vote in please.

Thanks for your vote ... it really is appreciated.

Lisa & Tracey x

World Voice Day - 16th April 2013

The aim of this awareness day is to promote the importance of us all having a healthy voice!

Here are some of our top tips for looking after your voice.

Voice problems - vocal nodules & strain

 

Causes of nodules & strain

Voice strain and vocal nodules are caused by stress/abuse to the vocal cords. This can be caused by overusing the vocal cords, which may arise through excessive talking, shouting, cheering, singing, throat clearing and over using the voice in a professional capacity (e.g.. actors, teachers).
Other causes of vocal strain can include stress, over tiredness, anxiety, dehydration, incorrect pitch and poor breath support for speech.

Symptoms of nodules & strain

Hoarseness of the voice
Breathy or a scratchy quality
Reduced range of pitch
Reduced volume
Neck and/or ear pain
‘Lump in the throat’ feeling/ sensation

IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU SEE YOUR DOCTOR IF THESE SYMPTOMS PERSIST BEYOND 2 WEEKS. YOUR DOCTOR MAY THEN REFER YOU TO AN EAR, NOSE & THROAT SPECIALIST.

Treatment of nodules & strain

If you have been diagnosed with vocal strain or nodules, you will than need to consult a speech & language therapist, who will help you identify abusive vocal behaviours and will suggest ways to avoid further damage.
More rarely vocal nodules may be treated medically or surgically, but this is generally considered as a last resort.

Good Vocal Behaviour

Don’t talk if you don’t have to - resting the voice is always beneficial

Drink lots of water - especially if you know that you have to speak more

Swallow or sip water rather that throat clearing / coughing

Avoid smoky / dusty / dry environments

If in environments where you need to raise your voice over background noise, use good breath support ( ask your SLT)

Avoid shouting/ cheering/ screaming

Use appropriate loudness

Use humidifiers at home ( particularly in bed )

 

Good Breath Support for Speech

The ‘Ssssss’ Test

Take a deep breath and exhale making a Ssssss sound for as long as you can. Do this 3 times and take your best score.

Male adults should be able to sustain for at least 20 secs

Female adults should be able to sustain for at least 15 secs

 

The Counting Test

Inhale and then count to the highest number you can. Do this 3 times and take your best score.

Male adults should be able to count to at least 15

Female adults should be able to count to at least 10

 

If you can’t reach these targets - then you need to practice good breath control.

Abdominal breathing

1. Breathe all of your air out - right down - even all the residual air. Hold your breath for as long as you possibly can. When you have to take the ‘in’ breath, concentrate on the movement of you abdominal muscles. They will move upwards and outwards. This is abdominal breathing.

2. Lie on your back and place something of a slight weight over your abdominal muscles. Breathe naturally and you should see the rise and fall of the object. This is a natural position for you to use your abdominal breathing.

3. Now sit on a chair and with a relaxed posture, try to replicate this breathing. Place your hand on your abdomen and you should feel the upward and outward movement.

Using abdominal breathing

Take an abdominal breath when your conversational partner is formulating a question or taking a turn to speak. Plan in advance! Try to breath where a punctuation mark would occur. Practice this with script!

Take reflective pauses. Use your speaking time. Maintain eye contact and use pause effectively. Not only will this help you plan your breathing, it will help with delivery of speech.

 

Lisa Houghton BSc(Hons) MRCSLT HPC  & Tracey Park BSc(Hons) MRCSLT HPC
Speech & Language Therapists

Struggling to get their words out ...

Many of us settled down to watch the award winning The King's Speech last night. Struggling with fluency is frustrating and stressful.

About 5% of children experience some difficulty with their fluency at some point. Most will achieve normal fluency with or without help.

For some children it may start gradually and it may come and go. While for other children it can begin quite suddenly and happen all of the time.

Non fluency usually starts in childhood and often between the ages of 2 - 5 years.  It coincides with the learning of many new physical and language skills At this age children are learning many new words, using longer sentences and are asking lots of questions.

If you are concerned at all seek early advice from a speech & language therapist. In the meantime here are our top tips for dealing with early non fluency.

 

·       Respond to the difficulty that they are having in the same way that you would with any other difficulties that arise as they develop skills, such as learning to put shoes on. You wouldn’t just watch your child struggle with shoes … you’d help out.  Acknowledge the difficulty in a supportive way. You might refer to the non fluency as ‘bumpy talking’. You might want to acknowledge that it’s fine by saying something like “Don't worry, talking can be a bit tricky sometime. “

 

·       Try not to react negatively. Stammering is not caused by parents, but any anxiety that you have can be passed on to your child

·       Keep your sentences short and simple. Try to acknowledge something that your child has said which lets him know you that you’re listening.

 

·       Try and reduce the number of questions you ask and always give your child time to answer one question before asking another. This way, he’s less likely to feel under pressure.

 

·       Try to keep eye contact when your child is is having difficulty talking. Don't finish her sentences and try to focus on what your child is saying rather than how she’s saying it.

 

·       It can be helpful if you slow down your rate of speech when talking to your child. Don’t tell your child to slow down or take a deep breath.

If you have any questions about your child’s fluency please leave a comment or email us and we’ll get back to you.

 

Lisa & Tracey

 

The Parent Juggler....

As a parent we play so many roles, usually juggling them all at once! But how can we get the balance right?

We are the Nurturer.

We want to make everything ok for our children, to make it easier and safer. It's hard to stop that natural instinct to 'do it' or 'fix it' for our children, but by doing this, we sometimes might deprive fabulously curious and inquisitive minds that are still so open. It's a tough call.

We are the Organiser.

We all know what's it's like. Whether it be through a high tech Joggler, Post It notes or a good old fashioned calendar ... we need to plan and schedule. Life is busy with day to day demands. The problem is that sometimes it's not easy to find time to spend 1:1 time with your little one.

We are the Teacher.

At Talking Tots we truly believe that you are your child's best teacher. We have much to share with our children and lots to tell them. It's so exciting... but it's also important to remember to give your child time to respond. The power of the pause - allow your child time to respond.

These are just a few of our roles (not mentioning cook, cleaner, nurse ... we could go on).

Our point here:

. where possible and practical, allow your child to sometimes take the initiative and follow their lead

. do give a 'voice over' for your child and comment throughout the day - but do allow time for a response  of any kind

. do reward any attempts at communication

. enjoy your time together

You really can make the difference!

Thinking of becoming a Speech & Language Therapist?

There are around 10,000 practising speech & language therapists in the UK.

The NHS employs the majority of these. Other therapists work for education or charities. Some therapists work independently and treat patients privately. 

 

Speech and language therapists work closely with infants, children and adults who have various levels of speech, language and communication problems including,

 Children with:

• Language delay

• Specific language impairment

• Difficulties in producing sounds

• Hearing impairment

• Stammering

• Autism/social interaction difficulties

• Voice disorders

• Cleft palate

• Learning difficulties

• Physical disabilities

• Selective mutism

• Feeding and swallowing difficulties

 

And adults with:

• Head, neck or throat cancer

• Communication or eating and swallowing problems following neurological impairments including stroke and head injury

• Communication or eating and swallowing problems associated with degenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease

• Voice problems

• Learning difficulties

• Physical disabilities

• Stammering

• Hearing impairment

As a therapist you may work in a hospital, rehabilitation unit, health centre, school or pre-school, a client's home, day-care centre, prison or young offenders' institution. Therapists may work in several different locations during the week.

Many experienced speech & language therapists do private work and an increasing number of them see private clients only.

To practise as a speech and language therapist you must have a degree accredited by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and be a registered member of the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Undergraduate degree courses are 3 or 4 years. Theoretical subjects that are covered include neurology, anatomy, physiology, psychology, phonetics, linguistics, child development, speech pathology and therapeutic methods. Supervised placements typically take place in hospitals, schools & clinics throughout training.

If you have a degree in a subject other then speech and language therapy, you must undertake an accredited 2 year postgraduate course in order to qualify.

Job vacancies for speech and language therapists and speech and language therapy assistants are advertised in a range of places. Most trusts will advertise their vacancies on the NHS Jobs website. Some will also advertise in trade journals and on trust websites.

If all this sounds too much for your circumstances ... why not come and train as a Talking Tots franchisee and reap the rewards of watching children's language skills blossom? 

Contact us for more information and a free no obligation prospectus!

01253 735355   or headoffice@talkingtots.info

 

A Big Cheer for Talking Tots!

 

 

Give us a 'T', give us an "A'................. read below, to see what happens in our fun filled classes!!

TALKING TOTS 

T is for TIME - good communication and language development doesn't happen overnight, that's why we encourage you to come along for at least 3 or 4 consecutive classes. Think about how long it takes to ride a bike or learn a musical instrument... Try to spend a few minutes each day with your little one either reading, talking or playing a game to boost their listening and attention skills. Repetition and explanation isn't wasted time - it's how our little ones learn and develop.

A is for ALLITERATION - the use of the same sound at the start of words that appear together e.g. Charlie Chimp Chews. It's one of the things we cover in our Sparklers class (for 3 & 4 yrs) It's a great way to encourage initial sounds in a fun way. See if you can think of some at home with your little one...

L is for LISTENING - a key skill we encourage throughout Talking Tots. Good listening and attention skills make it easier for children to develop confident communication and tackle more challenging pre-literacy activities. Listening effectively can give your child a head start at school but is often a skill teachers say is lacking in the early years.

K is for KEEN -We love working with pre-schoolers as they're like little sponges, so keen to learn and discover new things. It makes our job easier and is great to see their excitement when they get an activity right, learn a new word or just get confident enough to collect their sticker! We're not naive enough to think this lasts forever (it's usually the opposite when they hit teenage years!) but as parents, grandparents and carers we think it's our responsibility to keep them keen for as long as possible.

 

I is for ILLUSTRATIONS - we have a lovely illustrator who produces all the artwork at Talking Tots. This makes our language activities even more engaging with bright colours and simple pictures. Look out for these ones in a couple of weeks when we'll be introducing word associations and categories. 

   N is for NATIONAL - Talking Tots is a national organisation, founded by paediatric speech and language therapists,with links to speech and language experts and communication charities like ICAN.

G is for GAMES - you'll find plenty of these at our Talking Tots classes. From the usual Ready, Steady, Go game (with different toys and props every week!) and Totsy's Ball to our unique language activities. Plus we've always got lots of ideas for games to try at home on our Facebook page and Totsy's blog.  

T is for for TALK - every child is different but around their first birthday you're likely to hear their first words. Around 18 months, they'll have about 20 words for common things, used every day e.g. milk, bye-bye, bus. The sound of these words will still be child like and you may need to listen carefully to hear them clearly. Even at this age a child can understand many more words than they can say so keep talking to them.

O is for OPPORTUNITY - would you like to help children communicate confidently and encourage their listening and attention skills? Are you keen to have a better work/life balance to suit your family's needs? Have you considered a Talking Tots franchise? You can find more details on our website under the 'Franchise' tab.

T is for TIDY UP TIME - at the start of classes we have 5-10mins of free play until everyone arrives and gets settled. Then it's 'TIDY UP TIME' and all the little ones put away the toys and join the circle to start class. It can take a bit of time for children to get used to putting toys away (and again at the end of each activity) but it's a great way to encourage their listening and attention skills. Plus it helps with sharing and turn-taking. After a few weeks they're quite happy to tidy up - if only it was that easy at home too!

S is for SPEECH SOUNDS - we introduce these in our Sparklers class (for 3/4 year olds). We encourage recognising sounds rather than actual letters (which tends to come later at primary school). One of our favourite games is the 'P for Pirate' and 'S for Sock' game. And our sounds may be at the start or end of words. These pre-literacy skills help prepare your little ones for school and encourage concentrated or group listening. 

 

A BIG thank you to Jen, our franchisee in Edinburgh for this post!

It's National Story Telling Week!

This week marks National Storytelling Week. It’s the 13th such annual event run by the Society for Storytelling which has Lottery Funding via Arts Council England. Storytelling is theatre in miniature. It requires eye contact, gesture, imagination and expressive language.

Narrative ability is about telling stories or describing events in a comprehensible way.

The skills involved include:

. Being able to identify the key people and actions in an event

. Starting and finishing the 'story'

. Recounting them in the order in which they occurred

 . Including key events and not including irrelevant details

Narrative skills are also dependent on specific ‘time’ vocabulary, such as yesterday, before, next etc ...
and the ability to use past, present & future tense constructions in sentences.

In our Sprinters classes we play games that help build narrative skills. We're thrilled that one of our games in now downloadable, for free, on the ICAN website. Why not download the Narrative Night & Day game and have fun together with your little one!

For more details about Talking Tots or to find a class near you ... visit www.talkingtots.info

Does the dummy suck?

Does the dummy suck?

 

Coleen Rooney has shared her son Kai's latest achievement – ditching the dummy!

Talking to Twitter, the proud mum cooed,“Yay! One week without a dummy! Gone forever now... Well done Kai.”

Research led by Clarita Barbosa, from the University of Washington, suggests that children who use dummies after three are more likely to have speech & language problems. Read about the research here

As paediatric speech & language therapists, here are our thoughts on the use of dummies.

Most babies have a strong sucking reflex and a dummy can, in many cases, help to settle a baby in the early months. So if your baby needs to suck ... it's fine. 

However, try not to let a dummy become a habit.  Use it at specific times, such as when settling baby down to sleep or when upset. Then take the dummy away.

Wait until your child needs the dummy rather than automatically giving it to them. Most importantly try to wean your baby off the dummy as soon as you can, preferably by 12 months.

However using a dummy too much or as a plug can lead to the following problems: 

Mouth breathing - your child may tend to breathe through their mouth rather than their nose which can contribute to long-term dribbling.

Speech and language problems - your child may not use the full range of tongue movements that are necessary for making all the speech sounds. If a dummy is in a lot, your child has fewer opportunities to babble and  to communicate with you.

Teeth problems - incorrect positioning of teeth so that the  top teeth at the front don't meet properly with the bottom teeth. If a dummy is dipped into sweet things, tooth decay can set in.

Here are our top tips if you child uses a dummy:

 

• Flat orthodontic teats are better than traditional cherry teats, as they are less likely to affect the shape of the still soft upper jaw.
• ALWAYS remove the dummy when your child is trying to talk/make sounds.
• Try to get rid of the dummy around 12 months or sooner.
• Choose the right time to give up and once you have decided to give up the dummy,  don't be tempted to go back.

Is it time to take charge of your life and start a new rewarding career? Consider a Talking Tots Franchise...

If you're thinking about running your own  flexible, rewarding business ... then there's no better time to ask about a Talking Tots Franchise.

Talking Tots is committed to providing fun, interactive classes to all pre-school children enabling them to communicate with confidence. Due to unprecedented national demand, we’re looking for bright, enthusiastic people to launch Talking Tots franchises around the country.


The first Talking Tots franchise launched in September 2007 and we now have lots of franchises serving a loyal customer base. Our franchisees have the advantage of being part of the UK’s fastest growing pre-school activity group.

Talking Tots provides a unique and flexible business opportunity that can fit in around the hectic demands of your own family. You don’t need formal qualifications to run a Talking Tots franchise, but you do need to be passionate about children’s communication & development.

You’ll also need to be organised, energetic and (of course) enjoy the unique challenges of working with the pre-school population!

In return, Talking Tots will provide you with full support and all the tools you need to run your business, including:

• Comprehensive pre-launch training to enable you to deliver the unique Talking Tots programme

• Detailed class programmes and manuals

• A complete Talking Tots props kit (including exclusive game cards & boards)

• Access to our online support forum

• Ongoing marketing, PR  and IT support

• Talking Tots web page & email

CONTACT US FOR A NO OBLIGATION PROSPECTUS!

Our next training is in March 2013 ... limited places remaining.

www.talkingtots.info  or  headoffice@talkingtots.info