Archive

Language & autism (4)
Language & gender (4)
Selective mutism (3)
Developing children's communication (8)
Children's emotions (5)
Children and introversion (2)
High sensitivity (2)
Language & maths (3)
Improving adult communication (3)
Children and ICT (2)
Children & sleep (2)
Improving storytime & assembly (2)
Building vocabulary (3)

Bad Breath!
Understanding mood swings
The silent phase of EAL
Idioms
Overcoming stage fright
Food poverty/language poverty
Children and trains
Twins!
Speech sounds
Nelson Mandela tribute
Stammering
Combating low self-esteem
Children and colour
Men and childcare
Non-verbal communication
Language and autism
'Small talk'
Children's behaviour
Music and feelings
Spelling problems
Describing children accurately
Sharing books with children
Singing and language

Building vocabulary

Subscribe to the blog

Get all the blog posts emailed to you immediately!

A flat white skinny latte and a double chocolate chip muffin: or how we learn vocabulary very quickly!

Date posted: Friday 8th March 2013

CoffeeI have had quite a sheltered life. Last week I did something for the first time: I had a flat white skinny latte. You may be surprised at my lack of experience, but it takes me a while to pluck up the courage to try new things. Early in my coffee drinking days I used to go into the coffee shop and unintentionally annoy the young woman behind the counter. There would be a huge queue and when it was my turn the dialogue between myself and the Barrista (let’s call her Magda) would go like this:
(more…)

Cary Grant’s Secret or How to develop children’s vocabulary for free!

Date posted: Sunday 24th February 2013

Cary Grant

My Granny once gave me three pieces of useful advice: always carry a handkerchief, wear clean pants every day in case you fall down in the street and end up in hospital, and never trust a man who changes his name. Granny was ‘Old School’, and this post is about two of those nuggets. (more…)

~@!!?**! Or how many times do you need to hear a word before you remember it?

Date posted: Wednesday 30th January 2013

Audrey HepburnWhen I was 13 I saw the film Charade, starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn.

I had never heard of Audrey Hepburn before, but her name (and face) stuck in my mind instantly and forever. When I was 21 I had the same experience with Nastassja Kinski. That was around the time I was studying to be a Speech and Language Therapist. One of our first lectures was led by Professor Soandso from Suchandsuch University. His opening line was “Of course you all realise that a child has to hear a word 500 times before he can start using it.” (more…)