This information is brought to you by Slough Borough Council, on behalf of TWITCH, for the attention of all Early Years settings
TWiTCH (Talk With Tales for Children) is a professional development program designed by researchers at Sheffield Hallam University and backed by the National Literacy Trust and the Education Endowment Foundation.
Talk With Tales for Children (TWiTCH) | National Literacy Trust
The programme is open to PVI settings and maintained nursery schools, where children are aged 3-4yrs. We are gathering expressions of interest for this forthcoming year and also those interested in year 2 and 3.
We welcome EOI and attendance at our information briefings with no commitment to take part at this stage.
Exciting news! The National Literacy Trust have partnered with Sheffield Hallam University to deliver Talk With Tales For Children (TWiTCH). We are currently recruiting 80 early years providers to take part from September 26 – July 27.
The programme
TWiTCH trains early years practitioners to use dialogic reading strategies alongside the daily shared reading of traditional tales to support children’s language development. Using the traditional tales provided in the TWiTCH resource pack, practitioners will deliver a series of story cycles, each lasting three weeks, as part of regular story time.
Each setting will be supported by a National Literacy Trust TWiTCH coach who will deliver the initial face-to-face training (two sessions running for three hours) and three coaching visits to each setting over the year. All books and materials will be provided free of charge, too!
Impact
An EEF pilot conducted last year suggests promising improvements in children’s narrative skills, vocabulary, and confidence in expressing ideas, alongside positive feedback from practitioners about their increased confidence in facilitating high quality interactions during story time. From September 2026, a further EEF efficacy trial, developed by Sheffield Hallam University and independently evaluated by Durham University, is building on this work through a randomised controlled trial with a larger group of settings in specific areas.
Settings can find more information, sign up to our information briefings and register interest here: Talk With Tales for Children (TWiTCH) | National Literacy Trust
If you have any questions, please email our dedicated TWiTCH Programme Manager: beth.devereux@literacytrust.org.uk or Twitch@literacytrust.org.uk