Jefferson County ISU Extension to host ‘Small Talk’ program

FAIRFIELD – Jefferson County ISU Extension and Outreach will host a virtual program for parents of infants and toddlers who wish to improve their child’s early language development.

The program is called Small Talk, and is a free online class that meets weekly starting Jan. 23. The class will meet over Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. every Thursday for 10 weeks.

The class is free, but places are limited, so those interested are encouraged to sign up now by contacting the class’s instructor, Hailey Walker. Walker is the Family Wellbeing Specialist for ISU Extension in Jefferson County, and she can be reached at 641-895-9037 or via email at hburgher@iastate.edu. The registration deadline is Jan. 16.

Walker said Small Talk is a program that ISU Extension has offered in other parts of the state, but this will be the first time in Southeast Iowa. The program is open to residents of Jefferson, Davis, Wapello and Van Buren counties.

Though the class meets online, it also has a hands-on portion. Participants will receive a free board book each week, and they will receive a device called a “talk pedometer.” The child wears this device, which tracks conversations and noise in their environment.

According to a news release from ISU Extension, parents will receive personalized, actionable feedback based on this technology so they can explore the data and “discuss strategies to increase the quality and quantity of talk at home.”

“Research shows that babies respond to our voice and conversations right from birth. The Small Talk program helps parents and caregivers understand the importance of incorporating talk to their baby from the outset,” Walker said. “By the end of the program, we hope that parents are equipped with fun and practical tools and techniques so they can continue to lay the foundation of learning and literacy with their child.”

Walker said people often think about agriculture and natural resources when they hear about ISU Extension. It’s certainly true that ISU Extension offers a great number of programs about agriculture, but it also hosts programs on communication, economic development and human sciences, which is Walker’s field. Walker said she conducts programs on parenting, literacy, mental health and pretty much everything else that touches on family life or personal wellbeing.

“We’ve done classes like Powerful Tools for Caregivers, and last winter we did Raising School-Ready Readers,” Walker said. “There are lots of opportunities in Extension that people might not be aware of.”

Walker is based in Davis County, and serves 12 counties in Southeast Iowa. She said she’s hoping for a great turnout for Small Talk since she’s looking forward to leading the program.

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Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com