Training materials

This special combo-pack contains all the high-quality videos and training materials from two best-selling products, Supporting young children’s sustained shared thinking and Exploring young children’s thinking through their self-chosen activities, on one handy USB at a discounted rate. The material includes:

Supporting young children’s sustained shared thinking

Sustained, shared thinking is a process which involves the adult being aware of the child’s interests and understanding, and the adult and child together developing an idea or skill. Providing appropriate contexts for thinking, interacting with children and sharing children’s small group interactions are just some of the ways in which this can be achieved.

The video and trainers’ booklet exemplify different ways of working with young children to support their thinking. The materials are intended for all practitioners working with babies and young children and will be of interest to parents.

Each of the examples of practice on the USB demonstrate:

• children thinking in different ways
• adults providing a suitable context and interacting in ways to confirm, sustain and sometimes challenge children’s thinking.

The video examples are taken from a range of childcare provision, including a private day nursery, a childminder, a primary school and a nursery school. The children featured are aged from 15 months to 6 years.

Exploring young children’s thinking through their self-chosen activities

Intellectual search is at its most powerful during the early years. Young children’s brains are primed to make sense of their experiences and the thinking part of their brains simply expands through use.

These training materials explore how babies and children are supported to think when they are engaged in activities that they select for themselves. Each of the case studies on the USB captures:

• children’s ideas and thoughts when they take responsibility for their activities
• adults closely observing the activity and using the observations to affirm, guide and sometimes deepen children’s thinking.

The case studies are from a range of childcare provisions for children range from 15 months to 5 years.

Format

The videos and training booklet are supplied on a USB in a digital format for ease of use. These training materials are intended to be used flexibly to meet different needs and are designed to promote discussion. The questions in the booklet are linked to each example to encourage practitioners to reflect on their practice and consider ways in which they might refine or extend what they are already doing to develop young children’s thinking.

Marion Dowling, Project Director, is an early years specialist with a national and international reputation as a trainer and consultant. She is author of a number of books including Young Children’s Personal, Social and Emotional Development. Marion is a vice president of Early Education.