Talking Hedgehogs:

Written by Helen Pridmore

Helen is a local psychologist and primary school teacher who delivers workshops for children in conversations skills.

Empowering Young Voices

Does your child’s teacher say, ‘He’s a bright boy, but rarely puts his hand up’?

Or, ‘I’m sure she knows the answer, but she just doesn’t offer it’?

Recent research tells us that teachers are noticing that children, of all academic abilities, would achieve more if they had improved communication skills – specifically in speaking and listening. We know that for their emotional well-being, children benefit from being able to recognise and talk about their strengths, interests, needs and worries to other children and to adults. It is a fundamental skill for making and maintaining relationships and for building resilience.

There are many reasons why there is this apparent gap in learning. Covid certainly held back conversation skills of children and excessive screen time can take some of the blame, but also there is very little time in the school curriculum to teach these skills. It is often assumed that, as talking comes so naturally to most children, they do not need to be taught it. There is no doubt that children will naturally chat, but what also is needed is the ability to express themselves effectively, appropriately and purposefully to adults and children, in a variety of situations. This is so that they can explore ideas with others, offer opinions, manage conflict and make and maintain friendships. Children need focused coaching to be effective speakers.

Many children will put up with uncomfortable situations (e.g. not understanding the work, sitting next to a child who irritates them, managing potential bullies) rather than risk speaking up. How often do we, as parents, need to approach the teacher about an issue that their child could learn to speak up about themselves?

Talking through things, whether they are maths problems, opinions on environmental issues, ironing out disagreements with friends or asking for favours, supports learning in all school subjects.

Being able to self-promote effectively, whether it is for a place on school council or to be captain of the team, leads to acquiring the sorts of skills needed in university and job interviews.

The ‘Talking Hedgehogs’ workshops build foundations for effective speech through role-play in small groups. We cover the use of an assertive voice, initiating and sustaining conversations, receiving and delivering important and urgent messages clearly and succinctly, tackling conflicts, and deflecting bullies. We use hedgehog characters to illustrate different styles – Spike gets angry easily, Squish is very passive and can whine, Dash is impulsive, and Hodge thinks before acting and uses a calm, confident and assertive voice.