ABSTRACT
From my A-Z of children who have visited me at The Talking Table, I have chosen Fred to help explain what the Table is and what makes it distinctive. The Table was devised in response to a request to help improve speaking and listening in nurseries in the north-east of England. Nursery staff were concerned that many children were making little imaginative use of the array of play possibilities on offer and adults were spending precious time settling conflicts or rearranging the setting, rather than interacting with children playfully. The Talking Table was to give them a more imaginative role. Fred’s story underlines the need for a sensitive approach in the first place: I sit beside him, listen and watch, and then join in parallel play which echoes his preoccupation. This excites his interest enough to take notice and exchange glances. We begin to ‘converse’ around a topic of mutual concern, taking turns without speaking. This mirrors the ‘dance’ pattern of early mother-andchild communication, which is a collaborative and interactive experience from the start.
