Talking Time
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An oral language programme for children aged 3–5
Developed by the University College London in partnership with the University of Oxford and LINGO, Talking Time© builds children's oral language through high-quality conversations and structured small-group activities - while equipping practitioners with skills that last well beyond the programme itself.
Why Oral Language in the Early Years?
Oral language is the foundation of everything children do at school - how they access learning, develop literacy, build friendships and make sense of the world around them. It isn't just important for children with identified difficulties; strong communication skills matter for every child. The nursery years are one of the richest windows for language development, and high-quality, structured support at this stage builds a foundation that children carry with them throughout their education.
What Is Talking Time ?
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Talking Time© is a universal programme - delivered to all children in the setting, not just those with identified language difficulties. It works by supporting practitioners to have richer, more intentional conversations with children during structured small-group sessions.
It is not a scripted intervention. It takes a longer-term view, building practitioner expertise so that the skills developed become embedded in everyday practice - benefiting future cohorts as well as the children in the room right now.
A flexible programme
Structured small-group activities, adaptable to suit each individual child and setting.
A practitioner manual
Used to plan and deliver sessions with confidence. Plus, story books, hexagons and your own Talking Time© teddy.
Evidence-based professional development
Face to face and online mentor support throughout - building lasting expertise, not just delivering a programme.
How It Works
Children's sessions
Two 15-minute small-group sessions per week, in mixed-ability groups, built around three activity types:
Story Conversations
Shared storytelling using illustrated books to develop comprehension, narrative and vocabulary.
Word Play
Games and role play to build vocabulary breadth and depth.
Hexagons
Creating and retelling stories based on familiar real-life situations to develop narrative skills and vocabulary in context.
Practitioner support
Staff are supported throughout by a trained expert mentor, with face to face and online guidance built into the programme from start to finish. This includes twilight workshops, in-class mentoring sessions and online-mentoring for ongoing reflection - all designed to build genuine confidence, not just familiarity with the materials.
By the end of the programme, practitioners are equipped to continue and adapt Talking Time© independently, so its benefits extend to future year groups too.
What the Research Shows
EEF evaluation results - coming Summer 2026
Talking Time© is currently undergoing independent evaluation by the Education Endowment Foundation. Results will be published here as soon as they are available.
Previous evaluations have found:
A positive impact on vocabulary - Children who took part showed measurable gains in vocabulary development.
Stronger practitioner interactions - Staff developed greater confidence with language-supporting strategies and engaged in richer back-and-forth conversations with children.
Cohort Dates and Availability
Talking Time© runs over 20 weeks. We recommend a January start, as children tend to be more settled by this point - though an October start is also available for settings where this works better.
Places on each cohort are limited, as every setting receives dedicated mentor support throughout.
Register your interest
Complete the short form and we'll be in touch to talk through the programme, answer any questions and confirm availability in your area.
We'll only use your details to get in touch about Talking Time© and won't share them with third parties.