This article explores the TWiTCH (Talk with Tales for Children) programme, outlining its pedagogical foundations and structure, alongside findings from an independent pilot evaluation. It highlights how coach-led professional development and dialogic story practices can strengthen educators' confidence and support children's language, reasoning, and engagement during shared book reading.
Read the article here:
https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/supporting-childrens-language-through-shared-stories-and-sustained-dialogue/
This episode is in partnership with TWiTCH and Sheffield Hallam University
To find out more about the TWiTCH programme visit: https://research.shu.ac.uk/twitchefficacytrial/
To take part in the TWiTCH programme, submit an interest form:
https://forms.office.com/e/Rq3pwJGUiT?origin=lprLink
Listen to more:
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like:
· Helicopter stories: Bringing every child's story to life, with Trisha Lee: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/helicopter-stories-bringing-every-childs-story-to-life/
· Stories that connect us: How books foster belonging in the early years with Laura Henry-Allain: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/stories-that-connect-us-how-books-foster-belonging-in-the-early-years-2/
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Episode break down:
00:00 – Welcome and episode overview
00:36 – Guest introduction: Fufy Demissie
00:54 – Fufy's background and experience
01:27 – What is the TWiTCH programme?
02:37 – Origins: language gap and research context
03:11 – Funding, development, and trial expansion
03:55 – What TWiTCH stands for
04:11 – Structure: nine stories across the year
04:46 – Week one: story immersion and strategies
05:36 – Week two: RCRI and reasoning discussions
06:40 – Decontextualised talk and critical thinking
07:25 – Week three: continuous provision and play
08:11 – Embedding vocabulary through practice
08:32 – Repetition of cycle across stories
08:52 – Dialogue, dilemmas, and child engagement
09:30 – Practitioner concerns and outcomes
10:18 – Pedagogical approaches underpinning TWiTCH
10:44 – Use of puppets and modelling language
11:05 – Hanan approach and responsive interaction
12:31 – Importance of repeated reading
13:31 – Educator training and coaching model
14:33 – Coaching visits and reflective practice
15:21 – Practitioner agency and flexibility
16:48 – Programme reach and implementation scale
17:52 – Inclusion of childminders
18:40 – Pilot findings: practitioner confidence
19:36 – Impact on reading and discussion practices
20:05 – Increased confidence in reading aloud
20:46 – Outcomes for children's language development
21:41 – Next steps: large-scale trial
22:36 – Recruitment of settings
23:50 – Trial design and evaluation approach
24:40 – Measuring children's language outcomes
25:52 – Future potential and expansion
27:05 – Key takeaway: value of repetition
28:01 – Final reflections on practice
28:41 – Closing remarks and how to get involved
For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com
