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 Language
for Thinking
A Structured Approach for Young Children
The Colour Edition

Stephen Parsons and Anna Branagan

 For the purposes of clarity alone, throughout this text ‘he’ is used to refer to the child
participating in the intervention, and ‘she’ to refer to the adult conducting it.

First published in 2016 by

Speechmark Publishing Ltd,
2nd Floor, 5 Thomas More Square, London E1W 1YW, UK
Tel: +44(0)845 034 4610 Fax: +44(0)845 034 4649
www.speechmark.net

© Stephen Parsons & Anna Branagan, 2016

All rights reserved. The whole of this work, including all text and illustrations, is protected by copyright. No part
of it may be copied, altered, adapted or otherwise exploited in any way without express prior permission, unless
it is in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or in order to photocopy
or make duplicating masters of those pages so indicated, without alteration and including copyright notices, for
the express purposes of instruction and examination. No parts of this work may otherwise be loaded, stored,
manipulated, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without prior written permission
from the publisher, on behalf of the copyright owner.

002-6036/Printed in the United Kingdom by CMP (uk) Limited

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Parsons, Stephen
Language for thinking: a structured approach for young children.
– (A Speechmark classroom resource)
1. Language disorders in children – Treatment 2. Speech therapy for children
3. Speech therapy for children – Exercises 4. Vocal ability in children
I. Title II. Branagan, Anna III. White, Andy
371.9' 14

ISBN: 978 190930 193 1

Acknowledgements vi
Foreword by James Law vii
About this resource ix

PART 1
Introduction 3
How to use this resource 5

PART 2
Assessment pictures and record sheets 24
Assessment texts 33

PART 3
Scenarios 36
Scenario texts 136

PART 4
Attendance sheet 156
Worksheets 159
Question symbols 169
Frequently asked questions 171
Assessment sample answers 173
Assessment and scoring guides 181

Bibliography 183

v
 We would like to say ‘thank you’ to the following people who provided valuable input to
the development of this programme at various stages along the way:

Annabelle Burns

Courtenay Norbury

Jennifer Gibson

Jessica Peel-Yates

Joe Burlington

Kerry Bray

Laura Lyons

Marie Gascoigne

Nigel Branagan

Philippa Trehearne

and all the children who participated in the trialling of this resource.

We would like to thank our partners, Kevin and Steve, for their encouragement, support and
babysitting.

Stephen Parsons and Anna Branagan

vi
Despite the popular perception that children learn language just as plants grow given
water, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the rate at which children acquire
language differs considerably. This may be obvious when we listen to the different
ages at which children start saying ‘doggie’ but is less apparent when we look at the
abstract language and problem-solving skills of older children. The differences between
children using their first words may be easier to spot, but they are not necessarily
more important. In fact, one could argue that it is the child’s ability to negotiate his
way through the cut and thrust of the playground that really marks him out at school.
And, as captains of industry are always telling us, one of the keys to success in later
employment is effective communication skills. The older child who has difficulties putting
thoughts into words is vulnerable for all sorts of reasons.

Of course, one could say that we ought to have a more inclusive society where the
whole range of children is included to the best of their abilities. However, the fact that
we are constantly reminded of the inclusion agenda only goes to show, in a somewhat
paradoxical fashion, what a long way we have to go. On the whole, physical disability
has received more attention than more subtle communication or intellectual abilities. In
essence, if the public cannot see the difficulty, it does not exist.

This, then, brings us around to what should be done about children who have language
learning difficulties. We know that speech and language therapy can be effective in
bringing on the speech and language skills of preschool children. There are now a
number of studies that tell us that this is possible. But we still know precious little about
how to go about doing this for older children. It is not that many of these children
are not being provided with help by educationalists and therapists across the UK and
elsewhere, it is simply that there is little consensus as to what helps them most. Should
it be a question of trying anything and seeing how the child responds, or should we take
a more scientific approach to the teaching of language skills? I would wholeheartedly
support the latter approach. Individualised child or therapist relationships are important,
but they are no longer the main business of therapy. There is now a public dimension
which requires therapists to open up what they are doing to public scrutiny.

The first step along this path is to recognise the commonalities in what therapists
and educationalists do when providing educational support. The second step is the

vii
 Language for Thinking

manualisation of these interventions themselves. To many therapists ‘manualisation’

is not just an unlovely word: it is anathema. They would claim that the therapy relies
on the one-to-one relationship that they have with the individual client and, like a
psychotherapeutic relationship, that circle cannot be broken. It is time for the therapy
professionals to move away from a reliance on individualistic models of therapy towards
a more transparent approach to intervention, where programmes are clearly defined and
parents, teachers and children can see the targets and can monitor progress.

Language for Thinking is just such a programme. It has been written by two speech
and language therapists who have spent the majority of their professional lives not just
working with language-impaired children but also working with them alongside teachers.
They have adapted a model originally developed by Marion Blank for use with all children
to the needs of those children who have marked difficulties. Rather than targeting
the specific structures of language, they aim to focus on the child’s verbal reasoning
skills. In other words, the need to talk about something comes first and the language
structures follow. The authors emphasise the child’s capacity to infer meaning. For them
this is the only way of fostering meaningful language in children who find the whole
process of language learning difficult.

It is not just a matter of what we do. We also need to be able to demonstrate that what
we are doing is achieving what we say it is. All too often, practitioners assume that what
they are doing is a ‘good thing’, but when you ask them how they know this is the case,
they are not always so clear. In this programme we have a procedure for monitoring
progress towards specific targets. The fact that teachers and therapists can now share
their targets will help all parties. One of the great benefits of this programme is that it
tackles head-on the issue of language comprehension. All too often, such programmes
focus on the grammatical skills of the child at the expense of his verbal comprehension,
his ability to infer meaning from what he hears. In all, this package is a welcome addition
to the arsenal of both the speech and language therapist and the teacher working with
the child with language learning difficulties.

James Law
Director, Centre for Integrated Healthcare Research
Queen Margaret University College
Edinburgh EH12 8TS

viii
The resource
provides a clear structure to help children’s language develop from the ‘here and
now’ to the ‘how and why’

enables children to apply their language skills to reading comprehension

can be used flexibly with whole classes as the basis of a literacy lesson, small groups
or individual children

supports class teachers (4–7-year-old children), special educational needs teachers

(4–11 years+), teaching assistants, learning support assistants and speech and
language therapists/pathologists.

The pack includes

fifty scenarios with carefully structured questions to promote children’s ability to
answer increasingly complex questions

three parallel assessments of language: they can be used to determine each child’s
starting level and assess progress

strategies for helping every child succeed

worksheets and further suggestions to support each child’s learning.

ix
Introduction 3

How to use this resource 5

The children 5

Prerequisites for the programme 5

Language levels 6

The ‘Blank’ model 7

Presentation styles 8

The differentiated classroom 8

Monitoring progress 12

Helping every child succeed 15

Using the resource across the curriculum 18

Individual targets 21
Abstract questions are integral to developing children’s thinking and learning. Children
need to be able to respond to questions such as the following:

‘What would happen if … ?’

‘Why does … ?’
‘How do you know?’

Most children learn to respond to abstract language, such as this, naturally, but a number
do not. For those who do not, this may be for a number of different reasons:

remembering verbal information (auditory memory)

understanding the meaning of words
understanding grammar
understanding who or what is being referred to
empathising with others or understanding what someone else may be thinking
identifying the most important information in a situation or sentence
understanding implied meaning
identifying a socially appropriate solution
formulating a response, including words or grammar.

Limited life experience or knowledge will also impact upon a child’s ability to understand
social situations.

Children who experience difficulties with understanding and replying to abstract

questions are likely to require more specialist assessment to identify their specific needs.
They will also benefit from a step-by-step approach for developing children’s abilities to
answer increasingly abstract questions, as provided in this resource. The intervention
is based around a number of familiar social scenarios. Questions are asked about each
scenario, starting with the most straightforward and gradually increasing the challenge
until they require verbal problem-solving or ‘language for thinking’.

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 Language for Thinking

To ensure children have every chance of success, the scenarios in this book are all
adapted to reduce the language load. This is done by

using grammatically simple sentences

using scenarios that children are generally familiar with
overusing people’s names (rather than using he or she)
keeping the vocabulary simple.

This allows the children to develop their ability to answer increasingly complex questions
without being too limited by language factors. They can practice their skills in a
supportive context, before applying them to class and social situations.

This edition
Language for Thinking was first published in 2005, and since then it has established
itself as one of the most widely used interventions for children and young people with
speech, language and communication needs in the UK:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exploring-interventions-for-children-and-
young-people-with-speech-language-and-communication-needs-a-study-of-practice.

It is used regularly by learning support staff, speech and language therapists/

pathologists, special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs)/special education teachers
and class teachers as well as some parents.

This new edition provides downloadable colour images as well as modernizes some of
the images and updates the approach.

Website
Our website www.thinkingtalking.co.uk gives details of our practical training courses and
information on how to contact the authors. Please do let us know how you get on.

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The children
Whole class
As being able to answer increasingly abstract questions is such an important part of
learning, this resource can be used as a structured way of teaching these skills to
typically developing children aged between four and seven years. By projecting the
images onto the interactive whiteboard and asking the different levels of questions, a
differentiated whole class discussion can be facilitated.

Children with speech, language and communication needs

Verbal reasoning is particularly challenging for children who are recognised as having
delayed language skills, language impairment, autistic spectrum disorder, social
communication disorder, or moderate learning difficulties.

Children with less obvious oral language difficulties may begin to struggle when they
start to read. The beginner reader must spend so much energy on decoding that some
find it harder to interpret the meaning beyond the most concrete level. Text also gives
the reader fewer clues than oral language does, where situation, facial expression and
intonation support the intended meaning.

Prerequisites for the programme

This resource is appropriate to use with many children, but best progress can be
expected with those who have

some understanding of question types (such as who, where and what)

at least three-word-level understanding (eg can understand ‘Wash Gemma’s shoes’)
(Knowles and Masidlover, 1979)
an ability to speak in short phrases
an ability to learn through pictures rather than objects
an ability to interact within small groups.

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 Language for Thinking

Language levels
As a child develops language for thinking, he moves from being able to answer concrete
questions (‘here and now’) to being able to answer more abstract questions (‘how and
why’). To provide a structure to the teaching, the transition from concrete to abstract
has been divided into three language levels: A, B and C.

Language Level A
At this level the child selects information from what is provided, so it is very much
based in the ‘here and now’. The child does not need to use any specific world
knowledge, he just needs to listen to what is said and what he can see and then
identify the right information. More abstract questions may also be used but only
if directly related to the child’s own experiences, that is, the child is stating what
actually happened to him: for example, ‘How did you feel?’
Here are some examples from this resource:
Who went swimming?
What were Lisa and Jane talking about?
What is Billy wearing?

Language Level B
The child selects information from what is presented and combines this with his
world knowledge. The child must organise his thoughts into a logical sequence. This
is when a child starts to make simple inferences (reading between the lines) and
predictions. The child also starts to have to listen more closely to language rather
than predict from what he sees and knows; for example, ‘Tell me something we eat
that is not a fruit’ requires a greater depth of skill than ‘Tell me something we eat’.
Here are some examples from this resource:
Tell me how the children planted the seeds.
How does Suzie feel?
What is something you shouldn’t do with a book?

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 Part One - The ‘Blank’ model

Language Level C
This, the most abstract level, requires the child to use ‘language to predict,
reflect on and integrate ideas and relationships’ (Blank et al, 1978a). This is true
language for thinking. The key question at this level is why, for example, ‘Why
will X happen?’ and ‘Why shouldn’t … ?’ The child is also expected to talk about a
variety of possible outcomes that may not be immediately obvious (such as ‘What
would she do if … ?’) as well as reflect on his own understanding (eg ‘How can you
tell?’).
Here are some examples from this resource:
How do you know how old Caroline is?
What is the same about grandmothers and grandfathers?
If Jamal didn’t have a tray, what could he do?

The ‘Blank’ model

The framework that forms the basis of this resource is derived from the pioneering work
of Blank et al (1978a). Blank et al analysed the language used for learning in classrooms
and then developed a framework for the assessment and development of classroom
discourse. We recommend that you read The Language of Learning (Blank et al, 1978a).
Though written some years ago, it is still relevant to today’s classroom. Those interested
in a more in-depth assessment may wish to obtain the Pre-school Language Assessment
Instrument, second edition (Blank et al, 2003). Despite its name it is applicable beyond
the preschool age range.

In brief there are four levels to the Blank model. Children start with the most concrete
language at level 1 and move to the most abstract (level 4). Most children proceed
through these stages as their language skills develop, but some need extra support. In
the ‘Language for Thinking’ programme, the three language levels (A, B and C) generally
relate to Blank levels 2, 3 and 4. Language Level A represents the most concrete level of
language and Level C the most abstract.

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 Language for Thinking

Presentation styles
Each of the scenarios may be presented in different styles, depending on the children
you are working with and their language and literacy levels. It is most effective to
develop oral language skills before moving on to reading comprehension as most
children need to develop their language skills first, without involving reading, so it is
recommended that you start with Picture and talk. Others can cope with adding the
complexity of reading, but in our experience these are the minority. If in doubt, start
with Picture and talk.

Picture and talk

The child is presented with a picture and the adult reads a brief story that goes
with it. The questions are then asked orally by the adult. At this stage the child
needs to be integrating what he sees and hears, so the focus is on developing oral
language skills.

Picture and text

A picture is presented to the child. The child reads the text. The adult then asks the
questions orally. This obviously requires the child to have some text-decoding skills.
However, he can also rely on the pictures for extra clues.

Text alone
The child reads the story for himself. The adult then asks the questions orally. At this
stage the child must find all the necessary information in the text. This is the most
abstract and therefore most challenging style of presentation.

The differentiated classroom

Working with a whole class
The scenarios are easy to use with children aged between four and seven years. If you
are familiar with your class, it will soon be easy to know which questions to direct to
which child.

In advance of the lesson

Choose a scenario (see Part 3, page 35) from the downloadable colour images and
project the picture onto the whiteboard. Find the relevant questions page for the
chosen scenario.

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 Part One - The differentiated classroom

Photocopy any worksheets that you wish to use (page 160–8).

Gather equipment for practical activities (if needed).

With the class

Look at the picture and ask the class what the story might be about.
Use the ‘discussion starter’, given at the top of each scenario, to talk about the
picture as this activates children’s prior knowledge.
Read the accompanying text.
Begin with the first Language Level A question from your chosen Scenario and Question
Sheet. The questions make most sense if you work horizontally, from left to right.
Level A questions can be directed at the less confident speakers, whereas Level C
questions can be directed at more confident class members or opened up to the
whole class, as quite often there is no ‘right’ answer.
Support children to answer questions. Use strategies outlined on the ‘Helping every
child succeed’ section (see page 15–17). There is limited time to spend on individual
children but repeating questions and emphasising keywords may help.

Independent or small group learning

One group (possibly those most in need of language support) can talk through the
activity again with an adult.
Other groups may complete the selected worksheets.
Suggestions for practical activities are also on each Scenario and Question Sheet.

Working with small groups

Small groups can be an effective way of providing regular structured support for those
children who require it. Groups can be more effective than individual work as they offer
greater opportunities for discussion and reduce pressure on less confident students.
Children will learn from their peers and develop an understanding of other people’s
opinions.

For ‘Language for Thinking’ it is advantageous to have children at slightly different levels
as this provides extra learning opportunities. All children need to be working in the same
presentation style (one of Picture and talk, Picture and text or Text alone).

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 Language for Thinking

Before commencing the programme

Identify a time and place for the group. It is best to run a group twice a week for
20–30 minutes.
It is essential to obtain a starting level by assessing each child individually before
you start the first group (see the assessment section; Part 2, page 23).
Identify how you will present the scenarios (Picture and talk, Picture and text or Text
alone). If in doubt, use Picture and talk. You will need to present the scenario in the
same presentation style for all the children in the group.

In advance of the session

Choose a scenario (see Part 3, page 35).
Make sure you know which language level each child is in.
Photocopy the accompanying text if you are presenting the scenario as Picture and
text or Text alone.
Print off the Attendance Sheet (page 156).
Photocopy any worksheets that you would like to use (see Part 4, page 160–8).
Gather equipment for practical activities (if needed).
Read the ‘Helping every child succeed’ section (see page 15–17). Print off the ‘Quick
guide’, if needed.

With the group

1. Record attendance on the Attendance Sheet.
2. If you are using Picture and Talk, show the picture to the group and ask what the
story might be about. Use the discussion starter at the top of the page to talk about
the situation.
3. Read the accompanying text.
4. Begin with the first Language Level A question from your chosen Scenario and
Question Sheet. The questions make most sense if you work across lines, from left to
right.
5. Target questions to the right children. The assessment will have informed you which
level of questions a child needs.

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 Part One - The differentiated classroom

6. Use strategies outlined in the ‘Helping every child succeed’ section (see page 15–17)
to support children to get the answers right.
7. If a child is still unable to answer a question, redirect it to another child. If multiple
answers are possible for a question (eg ‘What could happen next?’), ask the group
for their answers and discuss.
8. Carry out the suggested practical activities.
9. Give out appropriate worksheets for children to complete.

If you are using Picture and text, use steps 1–9, with the exception of step 3 as the
children will read the story rather than you reading it. You still read all the questions to
them.

If you are using Text alone, the children will not have the picture to refer to, so omit
step 2. It is still important to use the discussion starter as this helps children link what
they already know to the specific scenario. Instead of step 3 above, the children will
read the story. The remaining steps are the same.

Reassessment
It is recommended that each intervention period consists of 10–15 lessons.
Reassessment is an important way of measuring the child’s progress. It may be timely to
assess a child at the end of a term (semester). If you have the impression that a child is
progressing, you may wish to reassess him earlier, but avoid over assessing.

Working with individuals

Working with individuals allows the language to be more carefully targeted, but there
will be fewer opportunities for discussion than with class or small group work. From
experience some children may feel challenged by being asked a series of questions. For
these reasons it is recommended that ‘Language for Thinking’ is delivered in class or
groups.

If you are working with individuals, before the session, select the questions according to
the child’s assessed level and then follow the same format as used with a small group.

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 Language for Thinking

Monitoring progress
Assessment
There are three parallel assessment scenarios. Use the first one to determine where to
start. The other assessments are used for monitoring progress. The assessments are
most appropriate for use with individuals and small groups.

These assessments are working tools and not formal tests. They aim to give guidance
about where to start with a child and monitor progress. They do rely on subjective
judgement to some extent. However, you should aim to be consistent with your scoring.
Refer frequently to the scoring guides, which are given in Tables 1 and 2 (see page 13
and 14) and repeated at the back of this book.

In advance of the session

Select one assessment that has not been used with the child before (if all three have
been used, reuse the first assessment). Photocopy the Assessment Record Sheet. Add
the date and the child’s name to the Assessment Record Sheet. Select the way in which
you will be presenting the assessment (Picture and talk, Picture and text or Text alone).
Most children will start with Picture and talk.

With the child

Work with one child at a time in a quiet setting.
Follow the guidelines below which are dependent on the chosen presentation style:
Picture and talk: Show the child the picture and read the accompanying story before
commencing the questions.
Picture and text: Show the child the picture and ask him to read the accompanying
story before the adult reads the questions. The support provided with reading should
be minimal.
Text alone: Do not show the child the picture, but ask him to read the story. The
support provided with reading should be minimal.

Rereading the story is permitted, but should be recorded on the Assessment Record
Sheet. In all formats the adult asks the questions orally. Ask all the questions on the
Assessment Record Sheet in the given order. Record the child’s answers exactly as he
says them.

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 Part One - Monitoring progress

Use minimal prompts and mark any prompts on the Assessment Record Sheet with a ‘P’.
For example, if the child points, prompt him ‘Can you tell me in words?’ Be generally
encouraging and accepting of the child’s answers. Repeating questions is permitted, but
should be recorded on the Assessment Record Sheet with an ‘R’.

Afterwards
Score the child’s answers using the guidance below.
Add the score in the unshaded boxes. Add up the scores for each language level.
Total all three language levels.
Allocate starting level (see ‘Knowing where to start’ in the following page).

Scoring the assessment

The scoring system is based on the method used by Blank et al (2003). Score the
assessment following the steps below.
1 Allocate points to each answer using the guidelines below.

TABLE 1 Scoring a child’s response

3 points The student has understood the question and has given a relevant and
appropriate answer. The answer is accurate and does not require the
listener to interpret further. There may be minor grammatical errors but
these do not affect the meaning conveyed.

2 points The student’s response gives a clear indication that he has understood
the question. The response is plausible but it requires the listener to
interpret a little. Grammatical errors may mildly affect the meaning
conveyed.

1 point The student’s response shows possible understanding of the question.

The answer has some relation to the question but is ambiguous. It
is possible, but less plausible. The listener needs to interpret the
child’s answer. A child can score a maximum of 1 if he points without
speaking.

0 points Here the answer is incorrect, inaccurate and tangential to the question
or no response is given.

For ease of reference Table 1 is reproduced at the back of this book (see page 181).

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 Language for Thinking

There are scoring examples on pages 174–9.

2 On the Assessment Record Sheet write the score for each question in the
corresponding column. Add the points in each language level column. The subtotals
give an indication of the child’s success at each language level. Add the subtotals
together to calculate the total.

Knowing where to start

Once you have completed your assessment, use the following table to allocate a starting
point for each child.

TABLE 2 Allocation of language level following assessment

Total Score Language level to start at

0–9 Do not start the programme, focus on early developmental teaching

methods and/or consult a speech and language therapist or speech-
language pathologist

10–23 Language Level A

24–35 Language Level B

36–47 Language Level C

48+ Programme completed in this presentation style. If you are going to

change the presentation style, reassess in the chosen presentation
style

For ease of reference Table 2 also appears at the back of this book (see page 182).

Once you have recorded the starter language level on the Attendance Sheet (master on
page 156), you are ready to start.

Ongoing monitoring
There are two options.
1 No score
When working on your own in whole class groups, your attention needs to be focused
on the children’s language and behaviour, so it will be impractical for you to record their
responses. However, by listening to children you may identify those who need additional

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 Part One - Helping every child succeed

attention. Just record attendance on the Attendance Sheet (page 156) and then track
progress by repeating an assessment periodically.
2 In-depth recording
If you have two adults available, one adult can run the intervention and the other can
write down the children’s responses. These can be recorded on a copy of the answer
sheet with the child’s initials next to the answer. These responses may then be scored
later. It is important to stress that the adult writes down the child’s words verbatim.

Changing the presentation style

A child may be able to answer a range of questions when presented with a picture and
the story is read to him. This may mean he is ready to be stretched by introducing the
written text. Reassess the child using a new presentation style (Picture and text or Text
alone). It is likely that the child’s language level will initially drop back slightly when
reading is introduced.

Helping every child succeed

‘Language for Thinking’ is designed to be used in groups. The group dynamics facilitate
natural discussion. When it is delivered one to one with a child, it may feel like an adult-
led assessment task. Of course it can be used on an individual basis, but extra care will
need to be taken to ensure the interaction flows.

Make sure you use the ‘Discussion starter’, which is given at the top of each scenario.
This clues the children in to the situation and gets them thinking about it. This is a
valuable part of the session and often provides an insight into children’s experiences.

Make the group a positive experience:

Be positive with the children, giving them encouragement.

Give specific feedback: for example, ‘That’s right. I might feel surprised if someone
bumped into me.’
Acknowledge all attempts that children make to answer the question.
Keep sessions short.
Choose scenarios that are relevant to the children.
Make sure that children are able to answer the majority of the questions you ask.
This high level of success maintains self-esteem and motivation.

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 Language for Thinking

Strategies to help every child succeed:

Repeat the question emphasising keywords.

Focus on relevant parts of the picture: ‘Look at this part of the picture. It will help you.’
Cue with first word ‘Because … ’
Focus on what is relevant: ‘You said lots there. Just tell me about … ’
Relate to the child’s personal experience: ‘Has it happened to you?’
Use role play or puppets to help them understand and predict.
Say to the children, ‘Imagine I’m an alien’. This helps them to give enough
information to explain.
Prompt children to say more: ‘What else … ?’
Ask another child the same question, so the answer is modelled to the first child.
Model the correct grammar: repeat a child’s sentence but use the correct grammar.
If the child is not able to answer a question, then ask the question from the lower
language level. The questions work in a row, so try and ask the lower level question
from the same row.
Use question symbols to support understanding (on page 170).

When you are starting out with ‘Language for Thinking’, it will be useful to have sight
of these strategies as reminder. A simplified version is given on the next sheet. This is
downloadable from the Speechmark website.

16 P This page may be photocopied for instructional use only. © Stephen Parson and Anna Branagan
 Part One - Helping every child succeed

Quick
Helping every child succeed guide

Repeat the question emphasising keywords.

Focus on relevant parts of the picture.

Cue with first word ‘because … ’

‘You said lots there. Just tell me about … ’

‘Has it happened to you?’

Use role play or puppets.

‘Imagine I’m an alien’.

‘What else … ?’

Ask another child the same question.

Model the correct grammar.

Ask the question from the lower language level.

Use question symbols (on page 170).

P This page may be photocopied for instructional use only. © Stephen Parson and Anna Branagan 17