1.
Dr Julian Grenier
grenier@outlook.com
@juliangrenier
How can we help
children to succeed
against the odds?

2.
Today’s
keynote
The word gap
What can we do about “gaps” in the early
years?
Self-regulation – does it matter?
Repertoire
We can make a difference for
disadvantaged children

3.
Today’s
keynote
The word gap
What can we do about “gaps” in the early
years?
Self-regulation – does it matter?
Repertoire
We can make a difference for
disadvantaged children

4.
It’s not just words
EXPERIENCES CONVERSATIONS

5.
• Video from www.sirenfilms.co.uk:
• Tristan walking down the street

6.
It’s not
just
words
• The number of ‘conversational turns’
parents have with children aged 18-24
months is a stronger predictor of
verbal comprehension and vocabulary
10 years later than the total number of
words spoken, even after controlling
for socioeconomic status.
• http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/c
ontent/142/4/e20174276

7.
Balancing: sometimes we must wait.
Other times, we must take the initiative so that children get interested and then
we can pay attention together

8.
Today’s
keynote
The word gap
What can we do about “gaps” in the early
years?
Self-regulation – does it matter?
Repertoire
We can make a difference for
disadvantaged children

9.
Child
development
and learning
through play

10.
• Video from www.sirenfilms.co.uk:
• Skye – natural materials

11.
Planning
for play
• Time and space
• Fascinating materials
• Rich first-hand experiences

12.
Are we available
for play and
conversation?

13.
Rich experiences and
building on children’s
interests
• Lots of trips out
• Widening children’s and
families’ horizons
• Noticing and developing
children’s interests – not just
repetition of low-level play or
activity
• Think about grouping and
inclusion

14.
Play is important
“There is good evidence that
being involved in imaginative play
either with an adult, or with other
children, is advantageous in terms
of young children’s language
development.”
David Whitebread, University of Cambridge

15.
Interactive
book-reading
Using books to encourage
conversation and help children
to increase their vocabulary

16.
• Video from www.sirenfilms.co.uk:
• Heidi looks at a book about thunder

17.
Developing a love of books?

18.
Today’s
keynote
The word gap
What can we do about “gaps” in the early
years?
Self-regulation – does it matter?
Repertoire
We can make a difference for
disadvantaged children

19.
Executive function and self-regulation skills
are the mental processes that enable us to plan,
focus attention, remember instructions, and
juggle multiple tasks successfully. Just as an air
traffic control system at a busy airport safely
manages the arrivals and departures of many
aircraft on multiple runways, the brain needs
this skill set to filter distractions, prioritize tasks,
set and achieve goals, and control impulses.

20.
Executive function
and self-regulation
skills depend on
three types of brain
function: working
memory, mental
flexibility, and self-
control.

21.
• Working memory governs our ability to
retain and manipulate distinct pieces of
information over short periods of time.
• Mental flexibility helps us to sustain or shift
attention in response to different demands or
to apply different rules in different settings.
• Self-control enables us to set priorities and
resist impulsive actions or responses.

22.
• Children aren’t born with these skills—they
are born with the potential to develop them.
• Growth-promoting environments provide
children with “scaffolding”
• That helps them practise necessary skills before
they must perform them alone. Adults can
facilitate the development of a child’s executive
function skills by establishing routines, modelling
social behaviour, and creating and maintaining
supportive, reliable relationships

23.
What can we do?
• Pretend play helps children to
develop their understanding of
their own thinking, the
understanding of others, and
to co-operate (and control
their impulses)
• David Whitebread: self-
regulation, in some ways, is
the strongest predictor of
success. If you can regulate
your attention at four, you are
more likely to do well in school
and go onto university.
• Key person approach and
strong, consistent routines are
also important

24.
Today’s
keynote
The word gap
What can we do about “gaps” in the early
years?
Self-regulation – does it matter?
Repertoire
We can make a difference for
disadvantaged children

25.
What’s in our
repertoire?
• Playing with children
• Reading and singing
• Helping children to learn new skills
through direct teaching
• Planning trips out and brining exciting
and different things into your setting
• Giving children time to practise and
rehearse
• Planning for progress

26.
Today’s
keynote
The word gap
What can we do about “gaps” in the early
years?
Self-regulation – does it matter?
Repertoire
We can make a difference for
disadvantaged children

27.
Early education matters more to
disadvantaged children

28.
EPPE findings
‘Pre-school on its own is not a
“magic bullet”. It does not remove
but can help ameliorate the
adverse impact of disadvantage.’
By age 16 the quality of pre-
school was especially important
for children whose parents had
low or no qualifications. Students
of low qualified parents who
attended high quality pre-school
had better grades in GCSE English
and in maths compared to similar
students who had not attended
pre-school.
https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/23344/1/R
B455_Effective_pre-
school_primary_and_secondary_
education_project.pdf

29.
Make a
difference
Time, space and stimulating things to talk
about
Help children to build a bigger vocabulary
– interactive book reading
Support children’s growing self-regulation
– play, secure relationships and routines
Repertoire – choosing the right time for
playing, teaching, listening, chatting and
organising
Help children to succeed against the odds