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Differentiation
Appendix 2
ASN Guidance for Early Years Staff
Communication
Behaviour
Sensory
Social and Emotional
Motor
Cognitive
Play
Contents
Page
1 Differentiation
3 Communication
7 Sensory and Motor
10 Hearing and Visual impairment
12 Social and Emotional
14 Behaviour
15 Cognitive
16 Play
17 Monitoring form
This Guidance document provides information and strategies which could
help if you have concerns about a child’s development in any of the listed
areas. Try these strategies and keep a note of what works/doesn’t work
(A monitoring form can be found at the end of this document). This
information will form useful evidence if further information/help is
required from your Early Years Support Officer.
Differentiation
Differentiation means altering and adapting the way activities are presented to children to enable them to
access them and make progress. There are many ways activities can be differentiated and this happens as
part of good practice in Early Years settings:
Differentiation through Resources:
• Offer a range of resources to match different ability levels
• Include daily physical and sensory activities
• Find resources that can be used across all ages and abilities
• Use staff flexibly to give children opportunity to be part of a small group or individual attention
• Ensure staff have time to plan and prepare differentiated activities
• Ensure staff know what they are doing every day
Differentiation through Organisation:
• Are children expected to sit and listen for longer than is appropriate for their age and stage of
development?
• Do children know the rules?
• Do children know the structure of the session eg would a visual timetable help?
• Do children need more frequent opportunities to play outside?
• Do staff play with the children?
• Are play activities included as part of the planning?
• Are areas clearly defined for activities?
Differentiation through Groupings:
• Allow older children to role model for younger children
• Use smaller groups if a child finds it hard to listen in a large group
Differentiation through Tasks:
• Break into smaller steps so a child isn’t overwhelmed by the size of the task
• Do part of the task with the child so the child only has to finish the last bit
• Ensure the task matches the child’s needs, it can be harder, simpler, longer or shorter
• Limit the choices a child has to make
• Present activities in different ways in order to appeal to different learning styles
• Recognise all achievements
1
Consider how you deal with behaviour:
• Is the setting physically set up to encourage positive behaviour?
• Do you describe the behaviour clearly describing exactly what you see and hear the child doing?
• Do staff deal with incidents calmly and consistently without judgement?
• Are rules presented visually?
• Do you help children learn how to resolve conflicts?
• Do you operate a reward system that builds treats into your week as a reward for good behaviour?
Consider how you talk with children:
• Do you use positive language, avoiding over use of “don’t” and “no”?
• Do you look to catch all children doing something good?
• Do you make sure that children know exactly what they are being praised for? eg I really liked it
when you shared the toy with x, good sharing well done!
• Do you simplify language when children don’t follow instructions?
• Do you say the child’s name first to get their attention before giving instructions?
• Do staff give a running commentary of their own and the children’s play?
Any differentiation of activities should be recorded on planning sheets, this way there is evidence to show
what has been tried and the outcome.
There are further strategies for specific areas of concern detailed below which staff can try or these can be
used as interventions in a Child’s Plan.
Once differentiation of the curriculum has been tried and monitored over time if staff remain concerned
they should follow the pathway flow chart in the Guidance document and discuss with the Early Years
Officer.
2
Communication
Encouraging early oral communication skills
• Use simple vocabulary clearly and precisely. Model correct language use and have child repeat (no
more than once)
• Model good listening with eye contact and undivided attention.
• Signs can aid communication but at all times encourage language use.
• Use interesting vocabulary to enrich everyday speech.
• Make time to talk and listen to a child 1-1.
• Ask open questions (avoid yes/no response opportunities).
• Build in games that require listening and following directions.
• Read together. Discuss characters and the story.
• Sing nursery rhymes together.
A child who does not talk may:
• Appear isolated and not want to communicate with adults and/or children
• Appear happy and communicate well through noises and gestures but not talking
• Have difficulty in finding words and joining them together in a meaningful way
Strategies that you can try:
• Encourage and respond to other communication attempts eg pointing, taking hand and guiding or
gestures etc
• Provide opportunities for 1:1 play and interaction with a supportive adult or small group
• Simple turn taking activities that do not involve talking
• Use materials and resources that children can access through sight, sound, touch and smell
• Use instruments, puppets and props to help children to contribute
• Provide opportunities for sound making in non-pressured situations e.g. imitating sounds, using
microphones or toy telephones
• Imitate the child’s sounds and noises back to him
• Boost the child’s self-confidence and esteem by praising other achievements
• Give two choices (showing objects/pictures if necessary) for the child to choose from. e.g. “Would you
like milk or juice?”, “Do you want to play with the cars or the puzzles?” Accept eye pointing, finger
pointing and any vocalisations as communication and interpret child’s choice in words “Oh, you want
juice!”
• Play alongside the child commenting without expecting an answer e.g. “You are playing with the
dough. Rolling the dough. Making the dough flat”.
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A child who does not respond to what you say may…
• Be unable to hear you
• Not understand what you say
• Have no interest in responding to people
• Not be listening or attending to spoken language
Strategies that you can try include:
• Ask parents / carers to get the child’s hearing checked
• Get down to the child’s level, gain their full attention and encourage them to look at your face when
you are talking to them
• Use simple short sentences
• Use hand gestures, objects, pictures, photos and exaggerated facial expressions to aid understanding
• Give two choices (showing objects/pictures if necessary) the child may choose e.g. “Would you like milk
or juice?”, “Do you want to play with the cars or the puzzles?” Accept eye pointing, finger pointing and
any vocalisations as communication and interpret child’s choice in words “Oh, you want juice!”
• Play alongside the child commenting without expecting an answer e.g. “You are playing with the
dough. Rolling the dough. Making the dough flat”.
• Provide vocabulary to accompany play and repeat, repeat, repeat new words and concepts
A child whose conversational style seems very immature may…
• Have been late to learn to talk and is now catching up e.g. talking using single words, incorrect
grammatical structures e.g. “I seed a fire-engine”
• Be showing an overall developmental delay
Strategies that you can try include:
• Model mature but simple language structures relevant to the child’s current stage of development e.g.
If child says “car” adult says “Mummy’s car”, “Red car” or “Big car” etc.
• Use songs and rhymes to help extend vocabulary
A child who uses language in an unusual way may…
• Echo the speech of others inappropriately
• Repeat remembered phrases or dialogue
• Find it difficult to interpret and use non-verbal (e.g. facial expressions, body language gestures) and
verbal forms of language
• Talk without any obvious purpose
• Have difficulty in expressing own thoughts and ideas
• Be anxious in new situations or when presented with changes to routine
4
Strategies that you can try include:
• Introduce turn taking and eye contact games where talking isn’t involved (the activity must be easily
achievable. The aim is for the child to successfully take turns)
• Support communications with gestures and actions
• Introduce careful routines to provide security and reduce anxiety
• Use photo timetable to help child understand what is coming next
• Follow the child’s lead during play, respond to their interest
A child who experiences difficulties with social interaction may….
• Withdraw from social situations
• Have difficulty responding to every day social situations
• Be unaware of the needs and emotions of others
• Appear to be on his/her own agenda
Strategies that you can try include:
• Play alongside the child without putting pressure on them to interact
• Follow the child’s lead during play, respond to their interest
• Extend interactions into turn taking and eye contact games by imitating noises or actions
• Introduce small group working (1:1 with adult and then 1 or 2 role model peers)
• Support communication and change in routines with gestures, actions or picture symbols
A child whose pronunciation is difficult to understand may…
• Be using pronunciation typical of his environment e.g. local dialect or family accent
• Have generally immature pronunciation typical of a younger child
• Be finding it difficult to produce a range of speech sounds
Strategies that you can try include:
• Demonstrate and use tongue and lip movements during action songs e.g. “if your happy and you know
it (wiggle your tongue, blow a kiss or lick your lips etc)
• Use a mirror and allow child to pull funny faces to raise oral awareness
• Encourage child to copy (but don’t insist) a range of symbolic sounds during imaginative play e.g.
making vehicle noises, animal sounds, doll’s cough, cry, yawn etc
• Introduce activities involving blowing and lip closure e.g. bubbles, blowing musical instruments, blow
football or blow paints etc
• Use listening activities to improve general listening skills e.g. sound lotto or matching musical
instruments etc
5
A child who is dysfluent or stammers when speaking may…
• Repeat a word or prolong a sound in a word
• Stumble over sounds or words
• Get stuck or hesitate before the word is said
Strategies that you can try include:
• Maintain a calm and relaxed atmosphere – do not tell the child to calm down or talk slower
• Make comments rather than asking direct questions
• Ensure that s/he has time to tell you things – do not try to guess what s/he is trying to tell you
• Respond to and value what is being said not how it is being said
• Do not discuss the child’s “stammer” or “stutter” in front of him
• Do not draw the child’s attention to her/his “stammer”
N.B. Dysfluency can be a normal stage of language development
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Sensory & Motor
sensory seeking,
under responsive to sensory stimulation,
or over responsive to sensory stimulation
Children who have difficulty understanding sensory information may:
• Avoid being touched
• Over-react / under-react to changes in temperature and textures
• Dislike dressing / undressing
• Have poor body awareness
• Be very sensitive to noises around them
• Be a very picky eater
• Not be developing age-appropriate play skills
• Be under / over reactive to pain
Strategies that you can try include:
• Introduce new textures slowly
• Allow child to be at the front or back of a line
• Tell social stories about appropriate times and ways of touching others
• Use a carpet square or similar for establishing personal space boundaries
• Allow a squeeze or “fidget toy”
Tactile/taste/smell/vision/auditory
• Set up a ‘Sensory’ area in the room, use soft furnishings and beanbags.
• Have resources such as objects with different textures and weights available.
• Use toys and activities which stimulate the five main senses.
• Hide small objects in sand or dried beans to find.
• Have headphones available for listening to soothing sounds and music.
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Children who have physical difficulties may:
• have poor fine and gross motor skills
• have poor body and spatial awareness
• have decreased mobility
• have difficulties with personal care
• have difficulties in organising themselves and in sequencing
• have learning difficulties
• have heightened sensitivity to materials and or experience
• have speech problems
• have low self esteem/ relationships with others
• have behavioural difficulties
• appear to be clumsy
Strategies that you can try include:
• give the child time to explore the space in their own time
• help the child recognise when help is needed and how to ask for it
• grade the difficulty of equipment/apparatus so that success is guaranteed
• set small goals and praise the child’s achievements
• encourage confidence e.g. jumping from a blanket onto the floor then from a plank onto the floor etc
• allow more nervous children exclusive use of the play area from time to time
• use Velcro or non-slip mats to anchor/stabilise objects
• use easy to grasp objects to encourage hold and release e.g. softballs, cotton wool and beanbags
• adapt activities or environments, providing alternative activities and use specialist aids and equipment,
where appropriate
• ensure you have furniture which enables children with physical difficulties to eat with other children
• develop hand skills by using tongs, pegs, threading activities, finger rhymes and puppets. Encourage
children to squeeze things e.g. playdough, sponges in the water tray etc
Motor Skills (Proprioceptive and Vestibular senses)
Proprioception is getting information from the muscles and joints. Activities can be active where the child
is actively taking part in a heavy activity or passive where a deep pressure is given to the child. These
activities are very good for children who are sensory-seeking and always seem to me moving about and
crashing into things. They may also help to stimulate a child who appears lethargic.
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Passive Proprioception Activities:
• Let your child lie on a mat and put cushions or pillows on top.
• Use weighted vests, weighted blankets and lap blankets.
• Wrap child in blanket or snuggle into a beanbag.
Active Proprioception Activities:
• Encourage activities which need muscles! (Sweeping, digging, carrying big objects).
• Climbing and jumping activities.
• Using large play equipment (including trampolines).
• If child finds it hard to sit still try using a stress ball or chewy toy.
Vestibular Sensory Integration Activities:
• Move about!
• Moving can stimulate an under-responsive child and calm an over-responsive child.
• Activities as listed for ‘Active Proprioception’ above.
• Keep movement gentle if children are frightened of movement.
• Some children might prefer to be held while experiencing movement.
• Some children may prefer to be lying down or sitting to do other movements.
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Hearing impairment
A child with a hearing impairment may…
• Have difficulty hearing in noisy conditions and difficulty in discriminating speech
• Have difficulty listening to the television/radio
• Have difficulty locating the source of sounds
• Frequently lose attention
• Have poor speech
• Have difficulties managing their behaviour, which could be linked to their hearing difficulties or their
ability to make themselves understood
• Find it difficult to form relationships with their peers and may sometimes be socially isolated
Strategies that you can try include:
• Make sure you have the child’s attention before speaking. Make eye contact, use their name and keep
your words clear and simple
• Ensure background noise is kept down by using soft surfaces (carpets/curtains) to absorb sound
• Make sure that areas of your setting are well lit so that faces can be clearly seen
• Speak clearly and slowly and do not shout
• Teach all the children gestures to accompany action songs and activities
• Supplement the use of your voice with touch, gestures and facial expressions and encourage others to
do the same
• Remember, if you are sitting in front of a sunny window, your mouth will not be seen.
Visual impairment
A child with a visual impairment may…
• Peer closely at objects
• Be sensitive to light or screw up their eyes
• Have difficulty with steps or change of floor surface
• Have a squint or may need an eye to be patched
• Cover one eye in an attempt to see
• Bump into things
• Have cloudy eyes
• Have drooping eyelid
• Have unusual eye movements
• Holds head at an angle
10
Strategies that you can try include:
• Choose brightly coloured toys and equipment that attract attention
• Create contrast by using dark objects against a light background or vice versa
• Use toys that make a sound or are interesting to feel
• Make sure areas are well lit and that light is shining onto the object or person that you wish the child to
see. For children whose eyes are very light-sensitive, you may also need to plan shady areas for
comfort
• Choose sounds to go with different areas of the setting. Wind chimes can inform a child not only where
a door is, but also where other things are in relation to the door, for example… “The water tray is near
the door”
• Have well-defined areas for keeping toys and materials in, so that a child with visual difficulties can
always find them. Textured shaped mats on shelves can tell children where something belongs.
Textured floor areas will enable them to ‘map’ the room and remember where things are
• Where possible, use carpeting, curtains and soft furnishings to absorb sound, thereby making sounds
easier to hear and locate
• Be aware the children with restricted vision may not see you coming. Approach them from the front, if
possible and say the child’s name so that they can identify you from your voice
• Always use the child’s name when you start to talk and mention who you are. Use all the other
children’s names as well so that the child who cannot see well knows who you are addressing
• Sit the child with near-sight close to the front during discussion and story time. Use concrete props
such as characters to hold or a story sack to explore as well as pictures
• Borrow picture books with large print from your local library. The library service can also supply a range
of tactile books, smell book and interactive books
• As a group, sing songs that will help a child with little vision to get to know everyone’s name quickly
• Consider slightly sloping surfaces to make table-top activities easier to see. Attach white or florescent
tape to the edge of tables, shelves and steps to make it easier for a child with limited vision to see
11
Social and emotional development
Preschool social skills depend on the development of verbal communication, being able to exercise self-
control and showing empathy.
A child with emotional difficulties may…
• Be frequently unhappy
• Will not respond to normal comforts
• find it hard to relate to other children or form relationships
• Be unable to share or be part of a group situation
Strategies that you can try include:
• Be a role model for the child showing how to get involved in a group situation and to encourage
persistence
• Be a role model demonstrating turn taking, initially with an adult before involving other children one at
a time
• Be consistent and regulate your own emotions
• Demonstrate a positive attitude to any difficulties which arise
• Try to see things from a child’s perspective
• Keep in mind a child’s developmental level
• Describe emotions in words (own and others’), talk about your own feelings – what makes you feel
good/bad, how a child’s behaviour makes you feel (“When you don’t listen to me I feel sad” etc)
• Demonstrate that the children will get emotional support from you - eg acknowledge if they are feeling
sad
• Use a visual timetable, so the child knows what activities are going to take place
• Teach openers such as “Can I play with you?” “Will you play with me?” “Let’s play together.”
• Allow the child to watch other children and talk about what they are doing
• Staff to follow the child’s lead to see what interests them and use opportunities to include other
children if appropriate
• Introduce group situations e.g. story time on a one to one basis first, then include other children,
before expecting the child to be part of a larger group
• Exaggerate facial expression and hand gestures to emphasise meaning
• Try activities that must be shared – seesaws, ‘row row row your boat’ songs etc.
• Use paired or small group work e.g. collaborative painting or model making, building jointly with
construction sets, rolling balls to each other
• If a child is rejected by another, adopt a constructive attitude and remind the child thateveryone faces
this at some point and that perhaps the other child just wants to play by themselves for a while
• Remain calm and supportive if a child presents as being distressed
12
• Don’t dismiss irrational behaviour from a child but calmly encourage them to talk about how they are
feeling
• Use everyday interactions as an opportunity to discuss social behaviour eg “I thanked the school
secretary because she brought us the parcel and she works hard every day and I want her to know that
I appreciate it”
• Explain the reasons we have rules and explain the consequences of any bad behaviour
• Encourage (and join in with) pretend play, allowing the child to take the lead
• Be aware of ongoing rejection/bullying and deal with it. With rejection identify another peer who can
play and form a relationship with the child. With bullying encourage assertive (not aggressive)
responses (“Don’t do that to me. That isn’t nice and I don’t like it.”)
• Do not take it personally if a child says something hurtful but don’t ignore it – explain that your feelings
have been hurt.
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Behaviour
Challenging Behaviour
A child with behavioural difficulties may have difficulties that interfere with their ability to learn effectively
and/or disrupt the learning of other children.
The behaviour may sometimes:
• Appear destructive
• Appear disobedient either overtly or by non-compliance
• Test rules and boundaries
• Involve hurting others physically
Staff should remember that behaviour is communication; think about what the child is trying to
communicate to you. Try to see things from the child’s point of view and what makes sense to them.
Strategies that you can try:
• Catch a child being good and let them know
• Reward good behaviour (though avoid overly praising expected behaviour – this can be noted but not
highlighted, “I see you have put the book back on the shelf”)
• Be clear about any praise you offer – saying what it is that you are pleased with, and why, is more
meaningful the just commenting that a child is being good
• Offer far more praise than criticism
• Notice little steps towards a large change in behaviour
• Praise effort as well as achievement
• Allow the child to join carpet/group times for a shorter period of time
• Arrange for the child to have their own space on the carpet eg carpet square/mat
• Arrange for an adult to sit with the child
• Use a visual timetable so that the child knows what they are doing next
• Use First/Then board so child knows what they need to do, ensure “then” is something they like doing
• Allow the child to complete the last part of a task, so they gain a sense of satisfaction eg complete
jigsaw, zip up coat, come to carpet for last session
• Model activities for children & use other children as role models
• Repeat verbal instructions
• Give positive praise and rewards
• Simplify your language
• Use sand and kitchen timers for activities
• Give a countdown/warning when activities are going to finish eg tidy up in 5 mins
• Use a signal/sign for a change of activities eg music, picture, bell to indicate tidy up time
• Give child a specific task to do especially at tidy up time
• Apply rules consistently
14
Cognitive
Any activities which are encouraged across Nursery provision will help cognitive development,
a few suggestions:
• Talk (observe, listen, interact)
• Play (toys and everyday objects)
• Read (ask questions and have child point to specific objects in illustrations)
• Sort (by colour, size, texture)
• Sing
• Identify noises
• Count
• Alphabet practice
• Hide objects in a bag for child to feel for
• Draw round the child and name parts
• Shape recognition
• Colour recognition
• Offer choices
• Ask questions (including eg, “Why do we do this?”)
• Visit places
• Play Peek-a-boo with younger children/hide and seek with older ones and board games
15
Play
Play is vital. Play is a child’s work. Everything a child does, or doesn’t do, influences the next stage of their
development. The early years are the time when a child’s brain is developing, making connections and
creating a network of skills that are built on throughout their lives. By the age of five, a child has learned all
the basic skills needed to survive walking, talking, muscle and body control, figuring out interpersonal
relationships, amongst others.
(The following suggestions come mainly from the Playschool Alliance ‘Play’ leaflet)
• Provide lots of opportunities and activities
• Make time for energetic, physical play as well as quieter, calmer activities
• Play together but also give time for solo play
From birth
• Faces – your own face is a baby’s first plaything
• Use gazers and mobiles
• Play gyms (commercial or home made with safe toys, well secured on short pieces of string
• Start a memory box with photos/memorabilia to be shared and discussed as your child grows
From 6 months to 12 months
• A basket full of objects which can be touched, smelled, heard, seen and tasted (not necessarily
commercially produced toys)
• Get down on the floor to the baby’s level to play alongside them
• Watch them and note likes/dislikes
From 6 months to 18 months
• Set up an obstacle course with cushions
• Hide objects under cushions to be found
• Have a dressing-up box
• Join in with play sometimes as well as encouraging self-directed play
From 18 months
• Obstacle course (indoors/outdoors) – age appropriate eg a five year old may need to throw six balls in a
bucket whereas a two year old can run and put one ball in a bucket and demonstrate what’s to be done
Everyday objects are as important as commercially produced toys. Make time to play directly with a child
as well as encouraging solo play and opportunities to play with other children. Take time to observe and
be aware of likes and dislikes. Vary activities.
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Staged Assessment and Intervention level 1 Strategies Monitoring form
Date started: Staff name:
Child’s Name: Date of Birth:
Reason for Monitoring:
Strategies tried:
Progress/Outcome/Next Steps
(Note improvements etc and record any further action – eg no further action required/continue with
strategies/follow staged intervention pathway re moving to SI2)
Date:
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