Show Notes
Children begin communicating from the moment they are born. Long before they have spoken words, they are using facial expressions, movements, gestures, sounds and behaviour to tell us what they need, what they understand and how they are experiencing the world around them. In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla speaks with early language expert, educator and linguist Cara Tyrrell, M.Ed., about how educators can build stronger connections with children through language and communication. Cara explains the difference between receptive and expressive language, how children interpret our facial expressions, body language and tone, and why the messages we communicate nonverbally matter just as much as the words we choose. Together, Carla and Cara explore serve-and-return interactions, auditory processing, the impact of technology on early communication and why sarcasm and rhetorical questions can be confusing for young children. They also discuss how corrective language can unintentionally shape a child’s developing identity. Words intended to address a single moment can become messages children carry about who they are. Cara shares how educators can describe what is happening, recognize the need being communicated, hold necessary boundaries and invite children into the solution without relying on labels. At the heart of this conversation is a reminder that communication is about much more than speaking and listening. It is how we build trust, strengthen relationships and create connected learning communities where children feel seen, understood and respected. Cara Tyrrell is the creator of the Collaborative Discipline Method and Talking Triangle Framework, host of the podcast Transforming the Toddler Years and author of Talk to Them Early and Often.
CARA TYRRELL Cara Tyrrell, M.Ed., is an early language expert teaching educators and families to transform how they communicate with children in the earliest years of life. With degrees in American Sign Language, Linguistics, and a Masters in education, she has spent over two decades studying how infants and toddlers acquire receptive and expressive language. Cara’s Collaborative Discipline Method and Talking Triangle Framework equip parents and educators with language-based tools that build strong brains and connected learning communities. She is the host of the top-ranking podcast Transforming the Toddler Years and author of Talk to Them Early and Often.
LINKS Instagram:: , @caratalkstoddler LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/cara-tyrrell/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@caratalkstoddler Cara Tyrell Book: Talk to Them Early and Often: A Caregiver’s Guide to Intentional Language Development for Infants and Toddlers Dr. Shimi Kang Book: The Tech Solution: Creating Healthy Habits for Kids Growing Up in a Digital World Website: https://www.caratyrrell.com/speaker Podcast: https://www.caratyrrell.com/podcast
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