Teacher Talk™ Training Series

Teacher Talk™ is a flexible series of three one-day trainings designed to introduce early childhood educators to the Learning Language and Loving It™ approach.

Teacher Talk covers the key principles of Learning Language and Loving It, providing educators with core strategies that will help them create rich and stimulating learning environments for the children they work with.

 What Educators Learn from Teacher Talk™

The Teacher Talk Training Series is designed to actively engage participants through discussions, small group activities, analysis of video examples and completion of practical Action Plans that participants take back to their classrooms. Teachers receive workbooks for each session that allow them to personalize the content and think about how they will meet the needs of the individual children in their classroom.

Teacher Talk is divided into three full-day training sessions:

►Teacher Talk™ Training A: Encouraging Language Development in Early Childhood Settings

This training addresses how educators can use everyday conversations, play and daily routines to promote the communication and social development of all children, including those with language delays and those who are second language learners.

Participants learn how to:

  • Identify children’s conversational styles and the role teachers play in interactions
  • Implement six steps to following the child’s lead: Observe, Wait and Listen, Be Face to Face, Imitate, Interpret, Comment, and Join in and Play
  • Help children become better conversation partners by using appropriate questions, comments and turn-taking cues
  • Use five important steps to ensure that no child is left out of the interaction during group activities

Teacher Talk Training A can now be offered as an online professional development opportunity to educators. Learn more about the additional license to provide online training.

►Teacher Talk™ Training B: Let Language Lead the Way to Literacy

This training discusses the important links between oral language development and literacy, and provides teachers with practical strategies for paving the way for children to read and write.

Participants learn how to encourage and support literacy development by:

  • Helping children develop a positive attitude toward the use of print
  • Choosing books that match children’s interests and stages of development
  • Using book reading as a time for interaction and conversation
  • Making print a natural and meaningful part of every day

Teacher Talk Training B can now be offered as an online professional development opportunity to educators. Learn more about the additional license to provide online training.

►Teacher Talk™ Training C: Fostering Peer Interaction in Early Childhood Settings

This training addresses how educators can provide a physical and social environment that encourages peer interaction and creates many opportunities or successful interactions with other children.

Participants learn how to encourage and support peer interaction by:

  • Making the most effective use of space in the classroom
  • Encouraging a variety of groupings for interaction
  • Providing appropriate materials and activities
  • Creating reasons for interaction and providing specific coaching

Note: The Teacher Talk Training Series may be offered flexibly. Training A may be offered on its own, or in combination with Training B and/or C, and the trainings do not have to be held on consecutive days. Training A, however, must be completed by the participant before he or she attends either B or C.

 
Bringing Teacher Talk™ to your Organization

There are two ways to bring Teacher Talk to your organization:

  1. The Hanen Centre can provide a Teacher Talk Trainer
    If your organization is interested in hosting Teacher Talk to train its staff, Hanen may be able to offer a Teacher Talk Trainer for a virtual training for your organization. Please send an email to [email protected] if you are interested in this option.
     
  2. SLPs and ECE Consultants who have a Teacher Talk licence may offer the training
    Professionals who have attended the Learning Language and Loving It workshop are eligible to purchase the Teacher Talk Leaders Package from The Hanen Centre.

    There are two versions of the license – the Teacher Talk combo license and the Teacher Talk Online license. Members who are certified in Learning Language and Loving It are eligible to purchase the combo license, while current Teacher Talk license-holders can upgrade to the online license.

    The Leaders Package includes all the materials required to lead the training, including:

    • Detailed session outlines containing facilitator notes for each of the three trainings
    • PowerPoint slides with embedded video clips
    • A set of three Teacher Talk workbooks
    • Promotional flyer, pre-training assignments for Trainings A and C, participant handouts, session evaluations, and participant certificate of completion templates

 
What makes Teacher Talk such a great option?

  • Short and flexible: Training A may be offered on its own, or in combination with Training B and/or C.
  • No time constraints: The trainings may be offered over the course of a week, a month, or a year – whatever fits the needs of your organization.
  • No additional training required to lead Teacher Talk: Professionals who are certified in Learning Language and Loving It do not need to attend any further training in order to offer Teacher Talk; all they need to do is purchase the Teacher Talk Leaders Package at $139.95 (plus tax where applicable), which includes the license to offer the training in-person and online. Note that each member wishing to offer Teacher Talk must have their own license.
  • 20% off Teacher Talk Workbooks for licensed Teacher Talk Leaders
  • Multiple languages: Teacher Talk workbooks (used by educators who attend the training) are available in English, French, and Spanish.
  • May be offered online or in-person

If you are Learning Language and Loving It-certified, click here to learn more and purchase the Teacher Talk Leaders Package.