TTS Talking Early Years

In this episode, Mark Loveday is joined by Michael Surr to discuss what a Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) does and how their role is very much planning rather than delivering the provision.  Michael discusses the role everybody has to play in supporting all children and focuses on the importance of collaboration as well as the effective role teaching assistants have to play.  Practitio...

Mark Loveday is joined again by Michael Surr to talk about SEN in Primary Settings. In this episode, the pair talk about understanding SEN support and funding challenges as well as provision management.  Mark and Michael talk about the importance of labels versus needs and teacher training, including support for new teachers.   Practitioners may be interested in learning how to balance SEN needs a...

Mark Loveday is joined by Michael Surr, Head of Education at nasen. In this episode, Michael breaks down SEND categories and different needs, as well as strategies for inclusive teaching and transition.  The pair look at common classroom challenges and highlight the importance of evaluating strengths of each child to understand how to deliver effective education.  Practitioners can get tips for wh...

Mark Loveday is joined by Emma Jordan for a final episode, to discuss the importance that play has on the language development of children. The episode highlights what high quality play really is and how crucial it can be in supporting the development of communication skills.  Emma and Mark talk about why play should not be taken away too early, keeping the distractions of screens away and letting...

In this episode, Mark Loveday is joined by Emma Jordan to discuss how technology impacts communication in children, exploring ways which parents and practitioners can use it to help support child development.  Emma and Mark talk about the importance of visual learning and sequencing when transitioning from early years to primary, and how this can be used to help support those children who are less...

Mark Loveday is joined again by Emma Jordan to discuss the understanding around social communication skills. Emma highlights the challenges that practitioners face and offers insights about actions to take.  Emma and Mark talk about the role of play in language development and practitioners can learn how to support support children in primary years. Emma also touches on pre-teaching language skill...

Mark Loveday is joined by Emma Jordan, a specialist speech and language therapist and co-service lead for the children's speech and language therapy service in Worcestershire.  In this episode, Emma explains the role of early intervention in education and identifying speech and language needs early. Emma also highlights the impact of communication on social and emotional health.  Practitioners can...

Mark Loveday is joined by Beccie Hawes for a final episode, to focus on building inclusive environments for children with autism. Beccie discusses how crucial it is to support children at the earliest opportunity and the role of “inclusive by design” in a classroom setting.  The episode highlights asking children what they really need, rather than making assumptions as adults, and finding out what...

In this episode, host Mark Loveday is joined by Beccie Hawes to talk about the boundaries of social interaction in autistic children. They discuss the assumption that children must have friends where in fact that they may prefer being alone to self-regulate and be comfortable as observers.  Mark and Beccie discuss collaborate play based approaches so children can interact in their natural way whil...

Mark Loveday is joined again by Beccie Hawes to discuss communication challenges in young children with autism and how they might struggle with recognising social cues and fast paced environments.   Mark and Beccie discuss verbal and non-verbal children and highlight that they process and communicate in different ways, as well as providing meaningful communication attempts to different children. ...

Mark Loveday is joined by Beccie Hawes to discuss what is autism, how does it manifest itself in children and how many forms of the condition there are.  In this episode, Beccie explains her role at CADMAS and their role in supporting SEN children, as well as giving real-life examples of how autism can show-up in everyday life situations.  Practitioners can learn more about thinking more broadly a...

Mark Loveday is joined by Arran Smith for a final episode, to focus on inclusive environments for SPLD children. Mark talks about how he has rolled out support in his own educational setting and the role of upskilling staff to deliver an effective education to SPLD children.  The episode highlights Arran’s view of inclusive environments and offers considerations as to whether a classroom is kitted...

In this episode, host Mark Loveday is joined by Arran Smith to discuss how SPLD children view the world around them and how this should be championed as a strength. Arran talks about understanding an individual’s differences and strengths and developing skills.  Mark and Arran discuss examinations and coursework, noting that the education system as it is, is not a one size fits all approach to ped...

Mark Loveday is joined again by Arran Smith to discuss the crucial role of assistive technology such as apps, software and tools to support children. They discuss technology enabling children to break down barriers and be part of a more inclusive environment.  Arran questions why assistive technology was rolled out to children during the pandemic to improve their learning but then rolled back foll...

Mark Loveday is joined by Arran Smith to discuss specific learning challenges (SPLDs) and the associated diagnostic labels, focussing on how to better support pupils.  In this episode, Arran explains how multi-sensory structured teaching supports processing information and aiding learning, as well as the importance of early diagnosis.  Practitioners can learn more about whole-brain learning and no...

Mark Loveday is joined by Dale Pickles for a final episode, to focus on understanding and supporting neurodiverse learners. The episode highlights the importance of emotional regulation and working memory, as well as multisensory learning and engagement.  Practitioners will learn top tips for supporting neurodiverse pupils, by being more aware of the importance of focus in pupils and supporting em...

In this episode, host Mark Loveday is joined by Dale Pickles to help practitioners understand hyperactivity and impulsivity. Dale also discusses Inattention in ADHD and the classroom implications associated with this.  Mark and Dale discuss the co-occurrence of ADHD with other conditions, before rounding off the conversation on how to support pupils with ADHD in their learning setting.  📌 To shop...

Mark Loveday is joined again by Dale Pickles to discuss executive functioning. Dale highlights the challenges with executive functioning in education and explains how practitioners can understand it better.  Dale and Mark talk about task management and planning, self-regulation and co-regulation, before concluding on Dale’s own framework for supporting executive functioning.  📌 To shop for resour...

Mark Loveday is joined by Dale Pickles, Managing Director of B Squared – assessment software for pupil tracking, evidence of learning and SEND CPD training – and host of the SENDcast podcast.   In this episode, Dale explains the terminology and differences between ADD and ADHD, inattentiveness in the classroom, misdiagnosis and overlooked needs.  Practitioners can learn more about the impact of ne...

Ruth Lue-Quee is joined for a final episode in this series by Professor David Daley, to discuss reinforcing positive behaviour in Early Years Settings. David talks about the importance of labelled praise and letting the child know exactly what they have done well, so this reenforces their behaviours in the future.  Ruth and David discuss “earshotting” - giving more praise to a child by communicati...

In this episode, host Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Professor David Daley to discuss supporting a child’s behaviour before escalation arises, and investing time to put processes in place that will support self-regulation.  The discussion can help practitioners understand how to best calm down a child whose behaviour may be escalating, and David emphasises the importance of being prepared and acting q...

Ruth Lue-Quee is joined again by Professor David Daley, to discuss proactive behaviour strategies in Early Years Settings.   David talks about the importance of creating predictable environments for learning and shares tips for how to help SEN children be comfortable with timings and their environment.  Practitioners will learn about individual strategies for supporting behaviour and supporting SE...

Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Professor David Daley, a trained psychologist and Head of Applied Psychological Practice at Nottingham Trent University, to discuss understanding different behaviours in learning.   In this first episode, David shares valuable insights for practitioners working with children with SEN, discussing how a child’s behaviour can be affected by their surroundings – both visuall...

Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Anna Speke for a final episode, to focus on how to overcome challenges when collaborating with others. The episode highlights common challenges faced when collaborating in the early years and how to navigate differences in professional opinions.  Anna and Ruth round of the episode - and this series – by highlighting the role of leadership in collaboration and managing di...

In this episode, host Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Anna Speke to discuss understanding and working with external agencies for SEN support. Ruth and Anna discuss the services available and what SEN children may require help with.  The discussion can help practitioners navigate the referral process and establish best practice with external agencies, to foster collaboration. Anna also explains how nase...