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Supporting Children With Communication
Do you find it hard to get your child to listen — or wish you knew how to boost their communication skills in fun, meaningful ways?
This lively 10‑week course is designed to help you build stronger communication, language, and storytelling skills with your child through play, creativity, and everyday moments. You’ll explore practical techniques, discover how to extend your child’s vocabulary, and learn how to help them express themselves with confidence.

Through stories, songs, rhythm, rhyme, and hands‑on activities, you’ll grow your confidence in sharing books, telling engaging stories, and using props to bring language to life.
You’ll also learn how to turn ordinary routines into rich storytelling opportunities and how to support both receptive (understanding) and expressive (speaking) language.
Some of the things you’ll explore each week:
Week 1 Explore Reading for Pleasure. Build confidence sharing stories, spot everyday reading moments, and learn what makes a great children’s book.
Week 2 Create Engaging Storytelling. Discover what makes stories and songs captivating and craft simple props to help retell favourites.
Week 3 Share Traditional Tales. Grow your confidence using well-loved stories to support language, imagination, and connection.
Week 4 Use Rhythm and Rhye. Harness rhythm to engage young listeners and make props that bring songs and rhymes to life.
Week 5 Tell Everyday Stories. Turn daily routines into meaningful stories and identify what makes them powerful for learning.
Week 6 Develop Listening Skill. Learn techniques that strengthen receptive language and use play to support understanding.
Week 7 Deepen Understanding. Continue building listening and comprehension skills through playful, language-rich activities.
Week 8 Support Expressive Speech. Explore how books and play boost expressive language and practise using varied vocabulary.
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Week 9 Grow Confident Communicators. Build on expressive language skills and learn strategies to help children share ideas clearly.
Week 10 Explore Holidays at Home. Use play, stories, and positional language to support communication through everyday adventures.


This course is perfect for:
Parents, grandparents, and carers of children in primary school — especially Early Years and Key Stage 1.
Anyone who wants to support a child’s reading, listening, and communication skills at home.
Those interested in early years development or supporting children in school settings.
Family Learning is for anyone who wants to understand children’s development and support their learning—parents, grandparents, carers, and any adult with an interest in helping children thrive. We work closely with schools across the city, building confidence at home and celebrating the progress children make.

Our free courses and workshops give adults practical skills, fresh ideas and the confidence to support children through their Early Years and Primary School. Sessions are friendly, creative and hands‑on, with plenty of space to ask questions and share challenges.

Learners can also work towards Functional Skills qualifications in Maths or English and access personalised guidance on future learning, new career pathways and routes into employment.
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This is a free course and all materials will be provided. A pen and notepad will be useful.
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This course is just one of a collection of 'Supporting Children with…courses. You may also be interested in: Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs' (SEND). Supporting Children and Young People with Mental Health and Wellbeing, Supporting Children with Reading, Supporting Children with Number, Supporting Children with Maths, Supporting Children with English, Supporting Children in Schools.
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In order to support keeping York moving, consider travelling to your course by bus or bike. Click here to check out the bus routes closest to the venue for this course using the iTravel website, or discover York's cycle routes by clicking here.
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Alongside gaining course-specific skills, you will develop and showcase transferable skills that boost your confidence, employability, and ability to engage in further learning or volunteering.
Alongside gaining course-specific skills, you will develop and showcase transferable skills that boost your confidence, employability, and ability to engage in further learning or volunteering.
Employers highly value these transferable skills because they equip employees to excel beyond their basic job roles.
Employers highly value these transferable skills because they equip employees to excel beyond their basic job roles.
On your Family Learning course you will be developing transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, interpersonal skills, creativity, resilience, problem solving and critical thinking.
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Learners who live in devolved authorities

Learners who live in devolved authorities
York Learning receives government funding which allows us to offer courses at a lower cost. The guidelines relating to devolution means that we cannot apply this funding to learners who live in devolved areas such as the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
York Learning receives government funding which allows us to offer courses at a lower cost. The guidelines relating to devolution means that we cannot apply this funding to learners who live in devolved areas such as the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
If you live outside of this area, we recommend that, before committing to a course with York Learning, you explore options to study the course in your local area.
If you live outside of this area, we recommend that, before committing to a course with York Learning, you explore options to study the course in your local area.
If you would prefer to continue your learning with York Learning please note that the price of the course could be double the advertised cost.
If you would prefer to continue your learning with York Learning please note that the price of the course could be double the advertised cost.
In this case, please contact us on 01904 554277 to complete your enrolment.
In this case, please contact us on 01904 554277 to complete your enrolment.

Learners under the age of 19

Learners under the age of 19
Please note that Adult Education funding is for individuals who are over the age of 19 on the 31st of August prior to the start date of their course.
Please note that Adult Education funding is for individuals who are over the age of 19 on the 31st of August prior to the start date of their course.
This means that there will be an additional cost for learners who are under 19 who wish to access funded courses.
This means that there will be an additional cost for learners who are under 19 who wish to access funded courses.
For safeguarding reasons, we cannot accept learners who are under 18 on courses except by prior arrangement. This does not apply to programmes which are designed for 16-18s.
For safeguarding reasons, we cannot accept learners who are under 18 on courses except by prior arrangement. This does not apply to programmes which are designed for 16-18s.
If you are under the age of 19, please contact us on 01904 554277 before booking.
If you are under the age of 19, please contact us on 01904 554277 before booking.
FT1/TD4
04/11/2026
09/12/2026
09:30 - 11:30
Wednesday
2.00 hrs per wk
5 weeks
Kerry Johnson
0.00
Free