What’s it like to take part in an early years research project?
24 May 2024
Early years professionals share their experience, from the sign-up process to the training and delivery.
Education Endowment Foundation
Learning Language and Loving It provides training for early years practitioners to promote language and early literacy. It provides practical strategies – such as encouraging extended individual and group conversations between adults and children, and modelling more sophisticated language - that can be easily woven into everyday activities that help all children build language and social skills.
We’re funding an evaluation of the project, to find out what impact the programme has on children’s language development and staff practice. We spoke to early years practitioners to find out about their experience of taking part.
Why did you sign up for the project?
We knew we could use Learning Language and Loving It in our everyday teaching and practice at the nursery, and we knew that that was something valuable to all children. It wasn't a standalone extension, and that was the main thing that I found would be useful for us.
Caroline Cunningham
Nursery teacher at Bransty Primary School.
What happened after you signed up?
When we were given the timetable for the year and all the different meetings, it did feel a little overwhelming. But once we were going through that first cycle of presenting a session, learning strategies, recording video, having a reflective session, it was manageable.
Caroline Cunningham
Nursery teacher at Bransty Primary School.
What did the training involve?
I found the structure of the course really good because it wasn't overloaded. So, I found that it was built on prior learning. I found the video reflections really good because even though it's really daunting to record a video and you get nervous about feedback, it was so helpful to be guided through your reflection. We can sometimes be fearful of observations, but these were really positive experiences because they were supported.
Rachel Alexander
Early years practitioner at Grestone Academy
How do you think the programme impacted your practice?
The videos enable you to scrutinise your practice. It's had a massively positive impact on myself and the setting, particularly how we communicate with the children.
Helen Banks Fable
Kindergarten teaching assistant at The Ridge Primary School
How do you think the programme has helped your children?
We’ve particularly been thinking about the types of language we can introduce into role play to promote peer-to-peer interactions and encourage the quietest children to get involved.
Caroline Cunningham
Nursery teacher at Bransty Primary School.
With thanks to the early years professionals who shared their experience of the project with us: Tammy Jenkins, Caroline Cunningham, Helen Banks Fable, Rachel Alexander and Sue-Evans Montgomery.
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