Nurturing Talk is a targeted, flexible 1:1 intervention programme to develop children's language and thought processes enabling them to talk effectively with other children and adults. It is designed to improve the way children with SEBD communicate, enabling them to become more confident and independent speakers, listeners and learners.
Nurturing Talk is based on the Talking Partners programme and is linked closely to the SEAL materials in both models of practice and resources available. The one day training course explores the link between communication and behaviour and aims to support practitioners to work effectively with target children. Participants will experience a range of activities from the materials and receive a copy of Nurturing Talk.
Nurturing Talk is for children with specific Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties from KS1 to KS3. Each child will have a different time scale working with the programme depending on their personal needs and developmental stage. Nurturing Talk aims to ensure the development of a communicative child who is confident and who enjoys actively learning in the classroom environment.
An experienced practitioner, e.g. teacher or Learning Mentor, who understands the complex needs of these particular vulnerable children. This adult liaises closely with each child's class teacher and parents or carers.
Education Works provides training for experienced Teaching Assistants, Support Assistants, Learning Mentors, Behaviour Mentors and Teachers who are working with these particularly vulnerable children. It also provides practitioners with skills and strategies to deliver day to day quality–first teaching in speaking and listening.
A Nurturing Talk session takes place in a dedicated teaching area and lasts for approximately 30 minutes. It is structured in a similar way to the SEAL approach for small group work and uses a wide variety of resources. It focuses on developing the child's speaking and listening skills in both a social context, e.g. sharing a snack together and academically by supporting the learning of the classroom. The groupings for the programme are flexible, depending on needs of the child each day; they could be 1-1, partner work or small group.
- Personal knowledge of child
- Nurturing Talk feedback sheet
- Progression from adult to child, child to child, to group work
- Child self-evaluation
- School based assessments
- Ongoing Boxall Profile scores
- Small Steps – Personal, Social development Behaviour Profile tool (Bradford SEBD)
All children are given a summative entry and exit test using an assessment tool from the list above. Data from these tests is used to monitor progress and inform the school and the LA about the impact of the programme. Ongoing assessments are also used to monitor daily progress and inform future planning.
1 day training
- The link between behaviour and communication
- Developing questioning skills
- Practical activities
- Assessment tools
- Planning and record keeping
Over the 1 day of training, course participants will understand the principles of Nurturing Talk, particularly around communication and behaviour, have opportunities to try the range of activities in the programme, learn how to plan activities and find resources, learn how to record pupil progress and receive the Nurturing Talk training file to start the programme.
A follow up 0.5 day visit is highly recommended to ensure quality in delivery, planning and recording of the programme.
For more information about our Speaking and Listening programmes, contact our lead Speaking and Listening consultant Clare Reed on +44 (0)7973 324335; or email
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