NELI Preschool overview
NELI Preschool is a new nursery-delivered oral language enrichment and intervention programme for three- to four-year-olds.
The programme provides a 20-week evidence-based language intervention for all children (via Whole Group Sessions), as well as additional targeted support for the children who need it the most (via Small Group Sessions and Individual Sessions).
It includes an easy-to-use and reliable language skills assessment app, called LanguageScreen, CPD-certified training and continuous support from the research team and speech and language specialists.
What does the programme include?
NELI Preschool includes three main components. Reliable and easy-to-use language screening, easy-to-access practitioner training and the 20-week enrichment and intervention programme.
- Language assessment with LanguageScreen to accurately track cohort progress and select children for targeted intervention.
- CPD-certified online training that is completely asynchronous and can be fit around practitioners’ busy schedules. It also includes remote mentoring from the research team and speech and language specialist. You retain access to the training throughout delivery.
- NELI Preschool digital and physical resources which include 20 beautiful, high-quality books published by Nosy Crow, digital slides of the books and fun activities, press-out characters, teacher handbooks, home-learning links, story sequencing cards and much more!
NELI Preschool Intervention
NELI Preschool is a 20-week intervention built around a carefully selected, high-quality book each week. In addition to reading the book and engaging in dialogical questioning, target vocabulary, in the form of four or five ‘Special Words’ per week, are taught explicitly through fun flashcards, dynamic activities and songs.
All children in nursery benefit from Whole Group Sessions that are delivered every day for about 15 – 20 minutes. The six children with the weakest oral language skills are given additional Small Group Sessions (10 – 15 minutes, three times a week) and Individual Sessions (5 minutes, once a week).
Anybody who is trained in NELI Preschool can deliver any aspect of the programme.
Evidence for NELI Preschool
A randomized controlled trial led by the NELI team at the University of Oxford showed that NELI Preschool significantly improved the oral language skills of all children taking part while also also supporting those with the weakest oral language skills.
The trial included 65 nurseries and over 1,500 children and many of these nurseries continue to make NELI Preschool a key part of their curriculum.
Teacher and practitioner testimonials
Teachers and nursery practitioners who delivered the programme in the previous trial highly praised the programme for: its clear structure and high-quality material, the impact it had on children as well as the broader impact it had on reducing overall staff workload and much more. Here are some things nursery practitioners and managers had to say about the programme.
“The structure works in our classroom and across the setting. The intervention is a shared experience for children and staff alike. Language links are being made outside, in the corridors, in the classrooms - everywhere!”
“I would like to weave [NELI Preschool] into our long-term planning. I think we will all feel lost when it finishes!”
“I really like the range of texts. They have predictable interests for EYFS and this makes it easy to link activities. There are new texts to explore, which is great.”
[On Individual Sessions] “These are my favourite sessions. I am always amazed at how much new language they use. Sometimes I watch them on the carpet, they fidget a little and I'm unsure if they understand what is happening. I realise that they have taken it all in when they have their individual session – [Susie] doesn't stop talking, which is absolutely wonderful!”
Find out more about what NELI Preschool practitioners are saying here.
Find out more about NELI Preschool and express your interest to take part in the trial here.