Video Courses

TALK with Me

IACET Accredited
0.30 CEUs 3 Training Hours

Every time you talk with a child is an opportunity to build their brain for reading, no matter how young. Learn how you can use simple, effective techniques to build stronger, smarter brains.

Cost
100% Free
Time to complete
3 Hours
Provides a
Certificate of Training
View Lessons
Recommended for

  • Teachers who work with infants and toddlers

  • Families of infants and toddlers

  • Teachers of Infants and Toddlers who are Dual Language Learners

  • Childcare program and site directors

By the End of This Course You’ll Be Able To

  • Understand how to use the TALK Strategy to have meaningful conversations with infants and toddlers

  • Describe how to build children’s language by: Tuning In, Asking Questions, Lifting Language, and Keeping it Going

  • Modify the TALK strategy for Dual Language Learners
Why It Matters

  • The early years are most important in a child’s brain development

  • Words are like food for the brain, helping improve children’s cognitive development

  • Your words are powerful and each one creates a brighter future for children

How it Works

  • Learn at Your Own Pace

    You don’t have to finish the course all in one sitting. In fact, we recommend you take this course a little bit at a time, incorporating what you’ve learned in the classroom.

  • Earn IACET CEUs

    In order to pass and receive IACET CEUs for this course, you will first need to complete all the lessons, then complete the end of course assessment with a score of 80% or higher.

  • Free Guided Resources

    As you go through a course, we’ll introduce you to free resources that will help you implement what you’re learning.

  • Never Learn Alone

    Have a question on what you’re learning in the course or how to use a resource? Reach out to the Cox Campus community for advice or to lend a helping hand to others.

Lessons

  1. Lesson 1

    TALK Lesson 1: Talking Makes Babies Smarter

     Duration 10  minutes
    This lesson introduces you to TALK, a strategy you can use to have meaningful conversations with children. After this lesson, you will be ready to learn more about the TALK strategy.
  2. Lesson 2

    TALK Lesson 2: A Closer Look at TALK

     Duration 15  minutes
    When you finish this lesson, you’ll be ready to get into the world of the children you teach and learn all about what interests them.
  3. Lesson 3

    TALK Lesson 3: Tune In: Make Your Way into the Child’s World

     Duration 17  minutes
    This lesson will introduce you to the first element of TALK: Tune In. When you’re finished with this lesson, you will be ready to tune in to the children you teach.
  4. Lesson 4

    TALK Lesson 4: Ask Questions: Invite Children to a Conversation

     Duration 15  minutes
    When you finish this lesson, you’ll be ready to invite children to be your conversational partners by asking lots of questions. You’ll also know what kinds of questions to ask infants and toddlers.
  5. Lesson 5

    TALK Lesson 5: Lift Language Part 1: Discover the Sportscaster in You

     Duration 14  minutes
    This is the first of two lessons on lifting language. When you’ve finished this lesson, you will be ready to lift language by narrating everything you and the children are doing.
  6. Lesson 6

    TALK Lesson 6: Lift Language Part 2: Get Those Big Words Out

     Duration 20  minutes
    This is the second lesson on lifting language. When you are finished, you will be ready to use a variety of words in your conversations with children.
  7. Lesson 7

    TALK Lesson 7: Keep it Going: Take Turns Over and Over Again

     Duration 16  minutes
    When you finish this lesson, you’ll be ready to keep conversations going by tuning in, asking questions, lifting language, taking turns, while using all the elements of responsive interactions.
  8. Lesson 8

    TALK Lesson 8: Let’s Practice TALK

     Duration 7  minutes
    This is a practice lesson that will help you check your understanding of the TALK strategy.
  9. Lesson 9

    TALK Lesson 9: There’s Always Time to TALK

     Duration 12  minutes
    When you finish this lesson, you’ll be ready to use TALK during all parts of the day.
  10. Lesson 10

    TALK Lesson 10: Personalize TALK: Different Strokes for Different Folks

     Duration 15  minutes
    This lesson shares some ways to adapt TALK, taking into account children’s cultures, interests, and language skills. When you’re finished, you will be able to adapt TALK for all the children you teach.
  11. Lesson 11

    TALK Lesson 11: TALK and Dual Language Learners

     Duration 15  minutes
    After you finish this lesson, you will engage in great conversations with the dual language learners you teach using the TALK strategy.
  12. Lesson 12

    TALK Lesson 12: Supporting Home Language

     Duration 10  minutes
    After you finish this lesson, you will be able to support the home languages of the dual language learners you teach.
  13. Lesson 13

    TALK Lesson 13: TALK Beyond the Classroom Walls

     Duration 8  minutes
    After you finish this lesson, you will be ready to make ALL children your conversational partners and to share the importance of TALKing with children with people in your community.
  14. Lesson 14

    TALK Lesson 14: End of Course Assessment

     Duration 16  minutes
    In this lesson, you will take the end-of-course assessment. You must score 80% or higher to pass the assessment and receive your certificate of completion.

Your Facilitator

Angela Shelton, M.A.T.
Rollins Center Birth-3rd Grade Facilitator
Angela is a Rollins Center Facilitator. She is a member of the Rollins’ Content Development Team for online learning courses for Cox Campus and provides online coaching on Cox Campus practices.

Success Stories

  • "I love the Cox Campus courses because I am able to log on at my convenience and learn a little more information to help me be a better teacher/caregiver and even a better parent."
    Stacey
    Infant/Toddler Teacher
  • "I enjoy learning new ways to interact with children and to help them become the best they can be and be able to succeed in life to the fullest."
    Sheri
    Teacher
  • "I have learned so much to take back to my classroom. I’m using these learning experiences to help strengthen the language of each child and I see a difference each day in the children’s language."
    Deborah
    Teacher

FAQs

The Cox Campus is the digital outreach platform for the Rollins Center for Language & Literacy. Our team is composed of experienced teachers, early learning and language experts, neuroscientists, school leaders, speech language pathologists and authorities in adult learning and curriculum design to give all children access to the Science of Reading to change the odds for all children.

The Rollins Center, of the Atlanta Speech School, in some cases, may allow an instructor, facilitator, content editor or a subject matter expert or consultant with proprietary interests to conduct professional development activities at Rollins events, provided that appropriate disclosure of such interest is made. Disclosure of proprietary interest will be made on course material and at the beginning of the course/learning event, when applicable.

Resources