1 Talk for learning

In order to understand the content of cross-curricular teaching, young children need – just as they have always needed – plenty of opportunities for talk. These are provided through the sort of good infant practice long recognized as valuable opportunities for activity and interaction, such as:

learning corners and role-play areas, preferably linked to the subject-matter concerned, in which they can engage in imaginative play (this may sometimes be enhanced by adult involvement in the children’s play, expanding vocabulary and ideas);

outings, excursions, visits and other opportunities to find out about the wider world through experience and talk to a range of adults;

active engagement in learning whenever possible: making, doing, experimenting, learning through play;

plenty of ‘props and prompts’ for learning – for instance, relevant items to look at, touch and talk about while you are teaching or sharing a text, and opportunities for ‘Show and Tell’;

opportunities to ‘experience’ factual information with the teacher’s direction in drama lessons and through specific drama activities like hot-seating;

using puppets to act out what they have learned, and to ‘speak through’ when explaining something (shy children often find it much easier to talk to a puppet or soft toy than to the class, and may also be able to respond on a puppet’s behalf when they find it difficult to speak up themselves);

storytelling sessions – listening to adults telling stories, which can of course be true stories, and having opportunities to tell them themselves;

responding to ideas through music, movement, art and craft.