In this final episode of the series Making Time to Talk, Deborah Brown and Dr Jacqueline Young celebrate the end of the series by responding to listener questions about supporting children’s communication and language.

Drawing on questions from students and practitioners, this episode explores:

• How to talk meaningfully with children about their artwork without evaluative praise
• When to look at a child and when to look with them to support connection, shared attention, and autonomy
• Practical ways multilingual families can use their home languages during everyday routines
• Updated guidance on screen time for under‑5s and how to make screen use more interactive and intentional

Throughout the episode, Deborah and Jacqueline emphasise attunement, shared thinking, emotional safety, and practical strategies that can be used in everyday interactions at home and in early years settings.

This reflective and practical Q&A episode brings together the key themes of the series and reinforces the message that children learn to communicate best through connection, curiosity, and meaningful interactions.

Subscribe, share, and step into a podcast on reflective early years practice.

Links to website:

https://literacytrust.org.uk/resources/multi-language-booklist/

https://literacytrust.org.uk/resources/time-together-multilingual-families/

Hosts:

Deborah Brown www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-brown79

Dr Jacqueline Young www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jacqueline-young

Podcast produced by:

Luke Young www.linkedin.com/in/lukeyoungcomposer

Title music by:

Luke Young www.linkedin.com/in/lukeyoungcomposer

In this week’s episodes Deborah Brown and Dr Jacqueline Young talk about ways to support children who are experiencing language delay. They discuss the differences between speech impairment, language delay and other types of need, and provide practical tips on ways to support language development, whilst recognising and encouraging other aspects of communication that might not be impacted by the language delay.

Whether you’re an educator, parent or student, this episode brings practical insights, real‑life examples and thoughtful reflection to accompany you through your day.

Subscribe, share, and step into a podcast made for reflective early years practice.

Episode Ten References:

Beauchamp, G., Ellis, C., Ellis, R., Dumitrescu, S., Sarwar, S., Tyrie, J., & Haughton, C. (2026). Types of talk with young children, aged 4-5 years, within woodland free play. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 24(1), 56-70.

Bishop, D.V.M., Snowling, M.J., Thompson, P.A., Greenhalgh, T. and and the CATALISE-2 consortium (2017), Phase 2 of CATALISE: a multinational and multidisciplinary Delphi consensus study of problems with language development: Terminology. J Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 58: 1068-1080. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12721

Davies, G. (2011). Attention Autism: An intervention model for children with autism spectrum disorder. Gina Davies Autism Centre.

Zuniga‐Montanez, C., Davies, C., Ligoxygakis, L., Kašćelan, D. and Gonzalez‐Gomez, N., (2025). Annual Research Review: How did COVID‐19 affect young children's language environment and language development? A scoping review. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 66(4), pp.569-587.

Links to websites:

Makaton resources:

https://makaton.org/TMC/About_Makaton/How_to_start_using_Makaton.aspx

Every child a talker resources: https://foundationyears.org.uk/files/2011/10/ecat_guidance_for_practitioners_11.pdf

Hosts:

Deborah Brown www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-brown79

Dr Jacqueline Young www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jacqueline-young

Podcast produced by:

Luke Young www.linkedin.com/in/lukeyoungcomposer

Title music by:

Luke Young www.linkedin.com/in/lukeyoungcomposer

This double length, special episode features a conversation between Deborah Brown and Dr Jacqueline Young about Jacqueline’s recent research study exploring the intersections between creative thinking and disadvantage in reception age children (aged 4 and 5 years). Jacqueline talks about how disadvantage shapes opportunities for imagination, and why nurturing creativity is a powerful act of equity in early education.

Join the podcast for a thoughtful, accessible conversation about curiosity, context, and the transformative potential of creative pedagogy.

Episode Nine References:

DfE (2025) ‘Early years foundation stage statutory framework for group and school-based providers: setting the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five’. Department for Education. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2

Di Battista, A. et al. (2023) Future of jobs report 2023. Geneva, Switzerland: World Economic Forum. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/

Young, J. (2025). ‘Why don’t fish have eyelashes?’: understanding the intersections between creative thinking and disadvantage in early years education in two schools located in areas of high deprivation. Available at: https://sussex.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/44SUS_INST/1qbui9j/alma991397837302461

Hosts:

Deborah Brown www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-brown79

Dr Jacqueline Young www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jacqueline-young

Podcast produced by:

Luke Young www.linkedin.com/in/lukeyoungcomposer

Title music by:

Luke Young www.linkedin.com/in/lukeyoungcomposer