References
References relating to some of the key principles underpinning VERVE
Vgotsky, L.S : Russian Soviet psychologist 1896-1934:
Dr Lev Vgotskys Sociocultural theory defined social interaction and culture as fundamental to language, learning and cognitive development. He identified the significance of play, and how children often perform beyond what they may be able to express. By watching a child’s actions in play it is possible to see what they are thinking without words.
He defined the three ways that we use language: private speech (aloud to ourselves), to support planning, organising, regulating, memorising, problem solving and actions; social speech (or mediation) to engage with others, collaborate, share information and build on (scaffold) knowledge; and internal speech which is not heard by others.
He also made the distinction between ‘deep language learning’ which is when we allow ourselves the time to think about what has been said and process the information as opposed to ‘surface language’ in which we provide an immediate response without reflecting on what is being said/discussed.
Vgotsky specified that language is dependent on culture, how it is used, it’s history and meaning rather than on a dictionary definition.
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978) Mind and society: The development of higher mental processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Winnicott – UK 1895-1971 Psychoanalyst
Dr Donald Winnicott stressed the role of consistency and predictability in parenting whilst clarifying that instead of striving for perfection, being a ‘good enough’ parent helps children to tolerate frustration and adapt to reality, providing a healthy foundation.
Winnicott, D.W. (1973) the child, the family and the outside World. Penguin
Bowlby, J. 1907-1990 UK psychiatrist and psychoanalyst and Ainsworth, M. 1913-1999 American-Canadian):
Dr. John Bowlby and Dr. Mary Ainsworth’s attachment theory defined the human need to have a responsive loved one so that we can explore in safety and gradually develop our own ‘internal working model’ for supporting and guiding our expectations, behaviour and feelings in that loved ones absence, in other situations and in future interactions and relationships.
Bowlby, J. (1988) A secure base: Parent-child attachment and healthy human development . New York: Basic Books
Bowlby, J, AinsworthM, (1965) Child care and the growth of love. Harmondsworth, England:Penguin Books
A useful summary Bretherton, I. (1992) The origins of Attachment theory: John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth. Developmental Psychology. Vol 28, No 5, 759-775
Stern, D.: American developmental psychiatrist and psychoanalyst 1934-2012)
Dr. Daniel Stern, was one of the first researchers to use video to analyse, frame by frame, the diversity of natural parent child interactions. He defined how parents intuitively support children in tolerating and managing overwhelming emotions. He defined attuning, i.e. mirroring their facial expression, to show understanding and empathy and then deliberately changing expression (purposefully mis-attuning) to support the child in easing out of high emotion states back to a more regulated state, establishing and supporting emotional tolerance, resilience and independence.
His philosophy recognised the principles that underlie the concept of ‘neuroplasticity’ - the brains capacity to continue shifting and developing throughout life, patterning and re-patterning in relation to interactive feedback.
Stern’s work fundamentally shifted the field of psychology by highlighting how these early, non-verbal exchanges form the foundation of a child's psychological development, emotional self-regulation, and interpersonal understanding.
Stern D (2002, 1977) The first relationship, Infant and Mother, Harvard University Press
Porges –American Psychologist 1945 -
Dr. Stephen Porges polyvagal theory describes how the brain’s subconscious ability checks for safety in two ways:
The first being ‘Interoception’ (sixth sense)- tuning in to our own body sensations, feelings and equilibrium , and the second being ‘neuroception’ our senses scanning the environment for threats or safety.
When our nervous system is feeling safe, well and integrated, we are able to use our ‘social engagement system’ (‘face-heart connection’). We connect with others through the muscles of our face and head, the neural control of the heart being neuro anatomically linked to the neural control of the muscles of the face and head.
We Watch for and convey signals of safety, mirroring and mutually regulating our own and other’s systems, encouraging ongoing engagement, exploration and enjoyment within the interaction. We do so by making eye contact (face watching), engaging with relaxed positive facial expressions, modulating our middle ear muscles to distinguish human voice from background noise, vocalising with an appealing Inflexion and rhythm, and co-regulating to support each other.
We discontinue this connection by looking away.
Looking away is an ‘adaptive’ (self supportive) state. It ensures that we are able to manage our own system and skills and the input and signals of others as well as environmental load.
Porges S (2011): The Polyvagal theory:Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication and self-regulation. Norton
Schore: American neuropsychologist - 1943-
Dr Allan Schore’s regulation theory defined how the earliest stages of brain development are initially shaped through non-verbal interactions and emotions which are below the level of consciousness, mirrored and regulated by our primary caregivers.
These subliminal interactions determine how our brains wire themselves to regulate our own emotions, language and actions for the rest of our lives. Below the level of consciousness we mirror the other persons facial expressions, our body’s response activating our limbic system (emotion centre). Our system literally feeling what the other persons system is feeling. This physiological reaction of reading and mirroring one another develops our empathy (emotional literacy).
Schore stresses the role of ‘oxytocin’ which is a key neurochemical released when we are engaged in face-face interactions. This feel good (opiate) and ‘anti-stresss’ hormone leads to us physiologically seeking more more.
Schore AN (2016) classic edition, (first edition 1994). Affect Regulation and the origin of the self – the neurobiology of emotional development. Routledge
Schore, A.N. (2001) The effects of a secure attachment relationship on right brain development, affect regulation, and infant mental health. Infant Mental Health Journal, 22, 7–66.
Siegel : American psychiatrist 1957 -
Dr Daniel Siegel interpersonal neurobiology framework explores how the mind, brain and relationships interact to shape human development and well-being. The brain structurally changing in response to experience and focused attention throughout life (neuroplasticity). His work stresses the drawing together of each area of an individual’s brain into a smooth running system, which is supported and shaped through attuned and empathic relationships with others. When a system is integrated, it ‘flows between harmony and flexibility’ and when it is not, it is prone to chaos.
Siegel, D.J (2020, 2012,1999) The developing mind. Guildford Pub.
Stackhouse UK Speech and Language therapist and Wells UK Linguist)
Dr Joy Stackhous and Dr Bill Wells phsycholinguistic framework focuses on how individuals interact in order to organise, process and access speech and language for communication and literacy. Their work identifies how we draw , store, formulate and use the code of our respective language.
Stackhouse, J. and Wells, B. (2007). Children’s speech and literacy difficulties . A Psycholinguistic Framework. Whurr (Wiley)
Kelman and Scheider – UK - Specialist Speech and Language Therapists
Elaine Kelman and Claire Schneider in association with Lena Rustin developed the first therapy programme using individual video reflection with parents and their child.
Kelman and Schneider (1994) Parent -child interaction:an alternative approach to the management of children’s language difficulties. Child Language Teaching and Therapy Vol 10, No 1 1994
Saxton – UK - Developmental psychologist
Matthew Saxton defines that recasting (rephrasing a child’s ‘incorrect’ utterance) helps children contrast their ‘incorrect’ output with the correct language model. The quality and timing of recasts is more critical than the sheer number of times, with the adults feedback providing ‘salience’ and focus’ (exaggerating and stressing) on the key element.
Saxton, M.(2005) ‘recast’ in a new light:insights for practice from typical language studies. Child Language Teaching and Therapy 21(1)pp 23-28
VERVE Related Publications
Barclay, J (2021,) Using VERVE in schools. senmagazine. July/August. Issue 113, Pp39-40
Cummins, K. (2015, 4th edition) – chapter 10, Working with parents. Kersner M and Wright M.(eds). How to manage communication problems in young children. Fulton books.
Cummins, K.(2015) – chapter 4. Using video to catch, develop and propagate emerging skills with parents, children, educators and therapists. Stokes J and McCormick (Eds). Speech and language therapy and professional identity:challenging received wisdom. J&R Press Ltd.
Cummins, K, Stokes, J. and Weir, H.(2013) The Use of Video to put interaction at the centre of supporting parents communication with children. HSCE (Higher Education Academy), vol 2, Issue 1 pp6-10
Powers, D, Packer M (2017) Putting some verve into your child interactions. EYE magazine (Early Years Educator) pp 32-34 This article is referenced in the case studies in the summary report Law, J (2020) Best start in speech, language and communication:Guidance ot support local commissioners and service leads. Department of Health and Social Care. PHE publications.