Mythbusting Early Childhood Training

Welcome to Fact or Fiction: Mythbusting Early Childhood Development, a bold, engaging training series led by Jan Dubiel and Helen Battelley, designed to challenge the myths, misunderstandings and “accepted truths” that too often shape early years practice.

Together, Jan and Helen bring a rare and powerful combination of expertise. Jan is a widely respected early childhood education consultant and author, known internationally for his work on assessment, curriculum, leadership and developmentally appropriate practice. Helen is an international specialist in early movement and physical development, with a deep understanding of how the body, brain and sensory systems underpin children’s learning, behaviour, communication and wellbeing.

Across this series, we will explore what the research actually says, what children really need, and why some of the most common early years approaches may not be as helpful as we’ve been led to believe. Grounded in child development, informed by the realities of settings, and shaped by the voices of wider ECEC experts, this training will empower you to reflect, rethink and respond with confidence.

mythbusting early childhood Helen Battelley & Jan Dubiel

Expect honest conversation, practical strategies, and plenty of mythbusting along the way.

Writing

In this session, we unpick the myths surrounding early writing, including assumptions embedded in the DfE Writing Framework. We explore what “writing readiness” truly means, and why focusing too early on pencils, worksheets and letter formation can undermine children’s long-term success. With a strong emphasis on gross motor development, posture, core strength, sensory integration and foundational movement, we’ll look at writing from the whole child perspective, because confident writers start long before a child holds a pencil.

Book now with Jan or Helen

Terrible Twos?

Are two-year-olds really “terrible”… or are we just misunderstanding them? This session challenges the narrative that toddlers are defiant, difficult or deliberately disruptive. We’ll explore what’s actually happening developmentally at this age, emotionally, physically, neurologically and socially, and why behaviours often labelled as “naughty” are more accurately signs of growth, communication, and unmet needs. Expect mythbusting around boundaries, tantrums, independence, attachment and regulation, with practical strategies that support both children and adults.

coming soon

Play

Play is constantly praised… yet frequently squeezed out. In this session, we explore the uncomfortable truth: many early years environments unintentionally replace deep play with tasks disguised as play. Jan and Helen will mythbust common misunderstandings around “purposeful play”, adult-led outcomes, and school readiness pressures. Is a play based environment enough? Does it meet all children’s learning needs?

coming soon

Language for Life

Language is not simply “more words”, it is connection, thinking, identity and belonging. This session explores the myths around speech and language development, including assumptions about children who are “behind”, quiet, bilingual, or labelled as having poor communication skills. We’ll examine the foundations of language: interaction, movement, attention, sensory processing, play, and emotional safety. With insight from ECEC specialists, we’ll focus on what truly builds communication-rich environments and how to support children’s language in ways that are authentic, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate.

coming soon

Cultural Capital

Cultural capital is one of the most misunderstood and misused concepts in early childhood education. This session challenges narrow interpretations that reduce cultural capital to museum trips, vocabulary lists, or “middle-class experiences”. Instead, we explore cultural capital as identity, lived experience, relationships, and access, examining how early years settings can either widen or close opportunity gaps. Jan and Helen will unpick what meaningful cultural capital looks like in practice, and how to create inclusive provision that values children’s home lives while expanding horizons without judgement or tokenism.

coming soon

A full day series of training courses delivered by both Helen Battelley MA and Jan Dubiel, looking at mythbusting early childhood practices.

Helen Battelley MA
Helen Battelley MA
Helen Battelley, renowned movement and physical development consultant, offers specialist insight into how early movement, sensory integration, and gross motor development lay the foundation for confident, capable writers.
Jan Dubiel
Jan Dubiel
Jan Dubiel, internationally recognised specialist in Early Years assessment and curriculum, brings a deep understanding of policy, pedagogy, and how to translate developmental research into meaningful practice.

Contact Us to Book Your Training

    Helen Battelley
    Email: [email protected]
    Call: 07929 324965

    or

    Jan Dubiel
    Email: [email protected]
    Call: 07365 978008