7:00am: Early wake-up, duty calls! I have a bowl of porridge and banana for breakfast – good brain food for my day ahead.
9:00am: Today I am delivering Day 1 of Speech and Language Link’s training programme, The Link Speech and Language CPD, to a new cohort of school staff. They will be participating in the Introduction to Speech and Language module. The aim of this module is to give staff an understanding of speech and language development in children and equip them with strategies to enhance their learning.
10:30am: I run through my meeting notes, ensuring that they clearly explain the main procedures and content of the course. I want the information to be easily digestible and practical for the school staff.
11:00am: The welcome meeting starts online. Ten friendly faces join me for an informal chat on ‘Teams’ – it’s a mix of TAs, teachers and SENCos. I give a brief introduction to the online module.
12:30am: The meeting ends and everyone is enthusiastic and eager to get started. The module kicks off with a questionnaire. Lots of “hellos” ping up on the forum, our place to chat and connect with each other online. Questionnaires come flooding back to me. I read them and note what participants expect from the course as I want to make sure that the feedback I provide is meaningful for each participant.
1:00pm: Break for lunch! A mug of soup and a couple of toasted sandwiches in the garden is absolute heaven for me.
1:45pm: I get an email notification about the Language Intervention module that I’m overseeing with another group. One of the TAs on this module has submitted a lesson focused on organising and tailoring groups to optimise children’s learning. I provide feedback and ‘quick wins’ on how to fine-tune activities and offer a video call to chat more informally. Connecting this way adds a personal touch to the process and often leads to enriching conversations.
3:00pm: Receive some feedback from another TA who has completed the Language Intervention module. She said she really liked the online activities and practical assignments, which was great to hear. I encourage her to share the success she had with the “working wall” assignment with the other forum members. It is always inspiring for others when a fellow learner reports the significant impact their assignment has had on the children they work with.
4:00pm: As I speak to the participants in the new cohort, I jot down any key questions relating to speech and language, which I will post on the forum in the weeks to come.
5:00pm: My day has officially finished! Time to switch off. It’s important to relax and recharge. After dinner, I spend the rest of the evening with my family and watch a silly film together. There is no better way to unwind!
Find out more about The Link Speech and Language CPD
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