eLIPS training: Frequently Asked Questions & Further Sources
The following part will provide you with:
- A range of FAQ we collated since our initial development of eLIPS
- links to further reading and useful sources around language development
Frequently Asked Questions
Have Speech and Language Therapists been involved in the development of eLIPS?
Yes, we work in closed collaboration with colleagues from Speech and Language Therapy in Fife. Please listen to our colleague Roma More reflecting on eLIPS:
What do Educational Psychologists think about eLIPS?
Our colleague Ceri Titley explains the role of EPs in EY practice and the major benefit of eLIPS.
Ceri further outlines how EPs contribute to the continuous development of eLIPS and how eLIPS helps interprofessional working.
Questions about the administration of eLIPS scales
Q1 I’ve observed the child and found a point on the scale to place them on but I’m not sure they can really do everything before this point.
Don’t worry. If the child can do most of the things mentioned before your chosen answer on the scale, this is not a problem. The scales show the developmental pattern many children present but there are a lot of children who will follow a slightly different order. You might want to take a note of the observations you feel the child has not shown, so you can revisit them at the end of the year.
Q2 I’ve filled in half of the scale and the child has been off for two weeks. Do I need to go back and do it again?
You will have to, as the child might have made a step forward and climbed ahead on the scale. We often observe children coming back from their holidays and suddenly showing off new skills. Always try to fill in the scales as close in time as possible.
Q3 Some answers on the scale don’t seem to be in a relevant order.
The scales are based on general language development in cohorts of children, but there are a lot of children who will show a different order. A different sequence of development might even be typical in the local area you are working in. As long as the child can do most of the scale items, it is not a problem if the one before hasn’t developed yet (see also Q1).
Q4 The child is hardly attending nursery at all. Do I have to wait until the child’s attendance reaches 6 weeks in total before using e-LIPS?
No, once you start taking observations for the new intake, observe all the new children. Some will have attended more days than others.
Q5 A child joined the nursery during the year rather than at a regular intake point. Do I still have to do e-LIPS?
Yes, wait for the child to be settled in your environment (approximately 6 weeks if possible) and then start e-LIPS. As you record the dates for e-LIPS, it will be obvious to others that the child joined during the year.
Q6 Can I use some of my learning folder observations to answer the questions?
You can certainly look at your previous observations to get a refresher about the child’s ability. We would like you to make new observations though, as the child might have made another step forward since you last observed them.
Difficulties with placing children on the eLIPS scale
Q7 I’m sure the child can do everything on the scale already.
Try and take an observation for the last item of the scale. Is the child able to do this on a regular basis or is this a one-off? We are looking for secure abilities – sometimes a child can do something very advanced but it takes some time for them to be able to show this repeatedly and under different circumstances. This would be what we call “secure”.
Q8 The child speaks a very strong dialect, is that a problem?
Some variation in children’s language is expected, it doesn’t matter overall whether the child speaks Standard English or a local dialect. It certainly isn’t a problem for any scales related to Doing or Understanding. There are a few questions under Saying you might struggle to answer. If the answer given shows dialect used typically in your area and you consider it correct, it’s fine to accept it. This is also a great opportunity to discuss with your colleagues to see if you agree on typical answers in your area.
Q9 I can understand the child but most other people can’t. How do I fill in the scale?
How difficult is it to understand the child? If only you and the parents understand them, it’s probably a good idea to monitor their language development to see if the child is moving forward within a few months’ time. With regard to the scales: note what you can observe. If you think a child uses certain words, but other people wouldn’t understand them, take a note. This can be a prompt for discussions you might want to have with others involved in the care of the child.
Q10 One of my key children doesn’t speak any English yet. Do I have to do the assessment if they don’t speak at all?
You will be able to observe the child’s play and interactions with other children. This should enable you to answer questions about Doing. Next try answering the Understanding questions to find out how much English the child understands so far. Don’t worry if it isn’t much, by the end of the year there should be visible progress. Finally, see if some of the Saying questions can be answered, for example, does the child use simple English words like “no”? It will be really interesting for you to look back at the assessment at the end of the year and see how much progress the child has made!
Q11 I’m sure the child can usually do this but when I observed them today, they wouldn’t do it. What now?
If you just started taking observation and think that the child is very different from usual, why not wait a few days and try to start observing again? If something else is going on in the child’s life that has a temporary effect on behaviour in the setting, it might be worth waiting. But if this applies to only one or two of all the questions, don’t worry too much. This has only a small influence on the total score and won’t affect the outcome significantly.
Difficulties around observations
Q12 I haven’t been able to observe the right situation to answer a scale.
Is the child not doing anything on the scale or have you been unable to take an observation about the relevant answers yet? Try engaging with the child in a play situation, like you might do to take observations for the child’s learning file. It’s fine to engage with the child in a child-centred way in order to understand their abilities better.
Q13 I can see the child doing things at the start of the scale but can’t make an observation about any of the more difficult items.
Try inviting the child to a play situation appropriate for the higher end of the scale. You will underestimate the child’s abilities if you only use items from the start of the scale without being sure that this is the best the child can do.
Q14 Can I engage in the child’s play to answer questions? Or do I have to observe everything from afar?
Please do engage with the child you are observing. You interact with the child when doing observations to identify their learning alongside the curriculum, just do the same here. If you need to find out if a child can do something specific and were unable to find out in conversation, try and invite the child to a related game or play situation.
Q15 Two children I observed are quite different in ability but the scales don’t reflect that.
Do the children maybe have strikingly different personalities and temperaments? One child might present their abilities in a very outgoing way, whereas the other might be more reserved, but both may still be able to do similar things. Also, different activities will allow children to show other abilities as well as language skills. The measure will give you an indication of where a child stands in relation to their language and help in deciding whether you should take further action.
Q16 Can I get help with filling in the observations?
Absolutely. Try and speak to co-workers first and see what they think about the child you are observing. You can also speak to your manager, who will know more about the assessment. We have trained peer-supporters, so ask for Principal Teachers or Educational Psychologists who look after e-LIPS in your area. Or get in touch with us directly, details below.
I haven’t managed to find out the answer to my question, I’d like to speak to someone else about this.
You can get in touch with one of our researchers by email: info@e-lips.org
Or:
For any general eLIPS questions, please reach out to: l.g.duncan@dundee.ac.uk
For any training related questions, please get in touch with: conny.gollek@uws.ac.uk
Further Sources
Language development
- National CPL module: Supporting the development and progression of children’s early language and literacy (click here)
- Scottish Book Trust: Learning Resources (click here)
- LALco network: Language and Literacy (click here)
- Centre on the Developing Child: Serve and return (click here)
Language & Play
- National Literacy Trust: The power of play to boost early language (click here)
- Centre on the Developing Child: A Guide to Developmental Environments (click here)
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the Fife Education Directorate for the partnership we have experienced over the years, working collaboratively on the development of eLIPS. Particular thanks go to members of the eLIPS Steering group:
- Stewart Westwater
- Lisa Beattie
- Ceri Titley
- Roma Moore
- Scott Bissett
- Birgitta MacDonald
We are especially grateful to the children and parents who enthusiastically participated in our study at these schools:
- Westfield Family Nurture Centre
- Beanstalk Family Nurture Centre
- Kennoway Nursery
- St Andrews Nursery
- Little Beehive Group
And a final thank you goes to our postdoctoral researcher Dr Marta Szreder and all the students at Dundee university, who supported our project.