At first glance, Razia’s verbal interaction with Alex might seem casual:
Razia kneels beside 3-year-old Alex and watches as he pushes cars down a ramp.
Alex notices Razia, glancing at her, and continues to play.
Razia: “Wow, that went fast”.
Alex sends the car down the ramp again, this time faster. He looks again to see if Razia is still watching.
Far from making a casual remark, Razia is using an evidence-based strategy known as Respond. This is the second of the 4 strategies of the ShREC approach. Respond is key to effective interactions: the adult follows the child’s lead and responds sensitively to whatever the child is engaged with.
Razia’s comment is short and straightforward. She chooses her words carefully, so that her response is suitable for Alex, a less communicative child.
How an educator responds to a child depends on their professional knowledge of them. Razia has been constructing this knowledge since she met Alex during the home visit.
Encouraging further communication
The purpose of the Respond strategy is to validate the child’s communication and encourage more. It is particularly important for children who have difficulty interacting. The strategy can take many forms and includes both verbal and non-verbal communication.
Children who have experienced fewer sustained and supportive interactions might have shorter attention spans. They might have fewer interests or be less confident communicators. Educators may need to take more time and care in developing warm and supportive relationships with them.
The how and why of Razia’s particular response
Razia started her interactions with Alex by using the first strategy of ShREC: shared attention. This is a vital starting point for interactions with less communicative children. Had Alex not responded well to Razia’s attention, then she would have backed off.
Razia knelt beside Alex, watching his play. She wanted to show him that she was interested in what he was doing. Alex noticed this and seemed to be at ease with it - he carried on playing happily. Razia took the opportunity to respond.
She used a short sentence with vocabulary that Alex could understand. Alex responded by continuing to do what had caught her attention, but with extra vigour.
This is the first time that Razia had used words to respond to Alex.
The process leading to Razia’s verbal response
Prior to the above interaction, Razia had done a lot of work with Alex. The interaction occurred towards the end of Alex’s first term.
When he arrived at nursery, Alex did not show any readiness to connect with others, making it clear that he didn’t like direct attention: he withdrew and was very uncomfortable.
Razia spent the next 2-3 weeks watching Alex from a distance, so that he was not aware of her attention. She wanted to get to know how he might play, what he responded well to and what he didn’t.
Razia then spent a couple more weeks moving a little closer and sharing attention with Alex when he was among other children - she did not want her sole attention to be on Alex in case it was too much for him.
After doing this several times, Razia was sure-enough that Alex knew she was showing interest in him. He seemed comfortable with it – glancing over to her and continuing to play.
Razia’s next step was to move closer to and kneel beside him - giving him one-to-one attention. He looked at her as she watched him and carried on. She smiled benignly in response - she was making a non-verbal response, her first one with Alex.
After she had repeatedly used non-verbal responses, Razia thought it was time to try a short verbal comment.
It worked - Alex responded positively with another interaction.
Alex’s need for tailored support
Alex is a child who comes from a lower-income background. He is eligible for the Early Years Pupil Premium and needs extra support with his early communication. Children like Alex can be harder for educators to make a connection with and may even slip through the cracks.
The EEF’s guide to the Early Years Pupil Premium suggests that children like Alex will benefit from tailored, personal support.
Razia is clearly prioritising this with Alex and he is undoubtedly benefiting.
Questions for reflection:
- Reflect on a child who is having difficulty communicating - which are the most effective non-verbal ways of responding?
- How might you use non-verbal responses during daily routines times, such as snack time?
Want to know more?
EEF: Guide to the Early Years Pupil Premium
EEF: Improving early education through high-quality interactions
Anna Freud: Common difficulties - exploring a range of difficulties children can experience
A Brighter Start EYSPH Wednesday Webinar with Prof Jenny Gibson (15th Oct 2025) Supporting children with diverse communication and language profiles in the Early years