HELLO
Helping Early Language & Literacy Outcomes
Dr Cathy Hamer
July 2015
The HELLO tool is designed to support early years practitioners in improving their practice in promoting young
children’s communication, language and literacy development.
It is made up of three sections:
A. Partnership with parents
This section is focussed on sharing information with parents about ways they can support their child’s
communication, language and literacy development.
B. Skilled practitioners
This section is designed to improve the quality of practice of early years’ practitioners in relation to babies and
young children’s communication, language and literacy.
C. Enabling environment
This section is based on developing the capacity of the environment in early years’ settings to promote babies’
and young children’s communication, language and literacy.
The tool provides prompts and questions for each section to help early years settings identify their strengths and
areas for development through evidence and enquiry. The evidence gathered will lead to an action plan for
development and improvement.
Dr Cathy Hamer
July 2015
A. Partnership with parents
A1. Desired outcome: Effective relationships between parents and practitioners lead to regular exchange of
information about children’s communication, language and literacy
What we do now
State your evidence showing how you know
What do we need to do next?
State your priority actions
Who will do it and by
when?
How do you share
information with parents
about their child’s
communication, language
(including home language)
and literacy experience?
A2. Desired outcome: Parents understand the benefits for their child of interacting, talking, listening, sharing
books, songs and rhymes and make them part of their everyday activities
What we do now
State your evidence showing how you know
What do we need to do next?
State your priority actions
Who will do it and by
when?
How do you share
information with parents
about playing, talking,
listening, sharing books,
songs and rhymes with their
child?
How do you promote library
use?
Dr Cathy Hamer
July 2015
A3. Desired outcome: Parents understand the benefits for their child of mark making, recognising signs and
symbols and make them part of their everyday activities
What we do now
State your evidence showing how you know
What do we need to do next?
State your priority actions
Who will do it and by
when?
How do you share
information with parents
about mark making and
environmental print
(recognising signs and
symbols)?
What we have achieved:
State your evidence showing how you know
Dr Cathy Hamer
July 2015
B. Skilled practitioners
B1. Desired outcome: All practitioners have a secure understanding of babies and young children’s
communication, language and literacy development
What we do now
State your evidence showing how you know
What we will do next
State your priority actions
Who will do it and by
when?
How do you ensure that all
practitioners understand how
babies and young children
develop their communication,
language and literacy skills?
B2. Desired outcome: Practitioners observe, track, support and monitor children’s communication, language
and literacy development along with their parents
What we do now
State your evidence showing how you know
What we will do next
State your priority actions
Who will do it and by
when?
How do you ensure that all
practitioners know a child’s
expected stage of
communication, language
and literacy development
and that they observe, track
support and review their
progress along with their
parents?
Dr Cathy Hamer
July 2015
B3. Desired outcome: Practitioners demonstrate high quality use of language (including songs, rhymes and
stories), books, environmental print (signs and symbols) and mark making materials
What we do now
State your evidence showing how you know
What we will do next
State your priority actions
Who will do it and by
when?
How to do know that
practitioners engage with
children in ways that are
designed to promote their
communication, language
and literacy skills?
What we have achieved:
State your evidence showing how you know
Dr Cathy Hamer
July 2015
C. Enabling environment
C1. Desired outcome: Babies’ and young children’s communication and language are stimulated and
supported through an enabling environment
What we do now
State your evidence showing how you know
What we need to do next
State your priority actions
Who will do it and by
when?
How do you ensure that the
setting’s planning, routines,
activities, resources and
areas stimulate and support
communication and
language?
C2. Desired outcome: Early literacy is made meaningful for young children through experiencing learning
opportunities that are developmentally appropriate and have a genuine purpose.
What we do now
State your evidence showing how you know
What we need to do next
State your priority actions
Who will do it and by
when?
How do you ensure that the
most is made of everyday
activities to promote young
children’s early literacy?
Dr Cathy Hamer
July 2015
C3. Desired outcome: Young children’s communication, language and literacy are enhanced through
experience of using a range of media (including digital technologies)
What we do now
State your evidence showing how you know
What we need to do next
Who will do it and by
when?
How do you provide young
children with opportunities for
experiencing a range of
media (including digital
technologies)?
What we have achieved:
State your evidence showing how you know
Dr Cathy Hamer
July 2015
Definitions:
Communication. The way we interact and connect with other people.
Language. The method of communication either spoken or written.
Literacy. ‘The ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use printed and written materials associated with
varying contexts’ (UNESCO, 2013). i.e. All the activities involved in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and appreciating both spoken and
written language.
Early (emergent) literacy skills. Skills that begin to develop in the early years, such as alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, mark
making, print knowledge, and oral language.
Alphabet knowledge. Knowing the names and sounds of printed letters.
Phonological Awareness. The ability to recognise, manipulate and use sounds in words, including the ability to hear and discriminate the
sounds in language. Time spent on word play, nursery rhymes, riddles, and general exposure to storybooks develops phonological awareness
including phonemic (sound) awareness.
Mark making. Drawing and scribbles that represent children’s thinking.
Environmental print. The print of everyday life, such as the letters, numbers, shapes, and colours found in logos and signs for products and
shops (e.g., Coke and McDonalds).
Oral language. The ability to use words to communicate ideas and thoughts and to use language as a tool to communicate with others.
Dr Cathy Hamer
July 2015