Communication & Language Workshops
Teaching Positive Communications
Breaking down barriers through communicative sensitivity and awareness.
Mission Statement
To nurture considerate and confident children, empowered by positive communication and diverse language skills.
Our workshops support schools to secure solid communication and language competencies in young children promoting inclusivity, awareness and understanding.
Through this awareness, the communication barriers which exist, resulting in misunderstandings, behavioural issues and mental health fragility, can be broken down.
"I would, without hesitation, highly recommend that any school book a 'Talk to The Hands' session.
These sessions would be particularly valuable as part of any school's PSHEE curriculum; but equally they would be just as valuable as a stand-alone session to simply inspire new communication skills, or even as a springboard into a new, cross-curricular topic based around the theme of 'communication'."
"Talk to The Hands sessions cover an increasingly vital need to help children reconnect and engage with the art of communication - with all its subtleties and nuances, and to ensure that they are able to include all members of their different communities (school, clubs, friends, home etc.) into their conversations.
The sessions encourage children to think about the many diverse audiences that they are trying to communicate with and, most importantly, how they are communicating."
Communicative Sensitivity
Communicative sensitivity is an everyday part of life. We encourage children to interactively explore their understanding of COMMUNICATION through games and activities with a focus on core skills needed to REALLY include everyone in a CONVERSATION.
There is SO much more to communication than a SPOKEN word and these workshops allow children to actively ENGAGE in better understanding all modalities available to them. They must also learn to RESPECT the communicative modality of others.
Our workshops encourage DIVERSITY, breed TOLERANCE, inspire SIGN language and give all generations the opportunity of enjoying POSITIVE communications.
Social Development
Our sessions will guide the children to:
* Work TOGETHER as a GROUP and partake in debate.
* Diversify role; lead and manage discussions.
* Listen to and build on contribution of others.
* RESPECT peers; respect opinions and ideas of everyone.
* Build confidence and self-esteem.
* Learn to love LANGUAGE.
* Be introduced to British Sign Language (BSL).
* Creatively reflect on their learning.
All sessions are delivered using spoken, pictoral and gestural modes of communication to facilitate full understanding and participation.
Effective Communication:
* Breeds self- confidence.
* Inspires a love of LANGUAGE.
* Helps children to build positive relationships with peers and adults.
* Offers children the foundations of future achievement and long-term prospects.
* Upholds BRITISH VALUES: democracy, respect, tolerance and individual liberty.
No one should be left on the outside.
Children need communication skills to fully participate in their day-to-day life, engage positively with others and feel good about their place in society.
About Me
My name is Martine and I am the creator of Talk to the Hands. My inspiration for the programme comes from a genuine love of all languages (spoken and sign) together with my drive to get everyone understanding how we can communicate in a more positive and people-friendly way. That is to recognise the diversity in language and the need to really work at including everyone in a conversation which extends beyond the spoken word.
Whilst my degree and work experience cemented my passion for modern languages, after the birth of my children, I discovered a new language which I have grown to love and respect a great deal. I have owned the Sing and Sign baby signing franchise locally, for nearly 12 years now and have worked to support many young families with the best possible early communications through gesture and music.
I am currently level 3 certified in British Sign Language and in my final year of a Masters in Childhood and Youth Studies. Clearly I love to learn, however I am equally excited by the prospect of sharing my ideas and knowledge.
Talk to the Hands is designed to encourage children to enjoy full participation in their every day lives through active listening, language diversity and understanding.
Next step: get in touch.
Feel free to pick up the phone for more information or get in touch via the contact form. Find out exactly what each session entails and its' suitability for your school or group.
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