Working With Children Through Dialogue

Aims of the course

• Explore the importance of children’s voice, agency, and construction of understanding through dialogue and inquiry.
• Develop strategies to support children’s critical thinking, expression and creativity, and ethical engagement in an AI-rich world.

Course content overview

This course focuses on children aged four to 13 (primary school pupils and those in the early years of secondary school). It is designed so that learners from a range of backgrounds and roles can find learning that is meaningful and applicable.

Target audience

• Parents interested in supporting children’s learning, communication, and confidence.
• Educators, practitioners, counsellors, and coaches seeking to use dialogue and person-centred approaches into their work with children.
• Anyone interested in teaching, coaching, or adopting a more child-led approach to childhood development.
• Beginners with no prior teaching experience who wish to build foundational skills in dialogic practice and child-centred communication.

Welcome week (Week 0)

Purpose:

• personal introductions
• introducing the course
• useful reading
• personal objectives

Learning outcomes:

By studying this week, the students should have: 

• become familiar with navigating around the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and from VLE to links and back
• test your ability to access files and the web conferencing software and sort out any problems with the help of the Technology Enhanced Learning team
• learn how to look for, assess and reference internet resources
• contribute to a discussion forum to introduce yourself to other students and discuss why you are interested in the course and what you hope to get out of your studies 

Teaching Week 1: Philosophical Perspectives on Childhood Studies and Dialogue

Purpose:

This week we will explore major philosophical theories of childhood that position children as active constructors of understanding. This session establishes a theoretical foundation for dialogic thinking and child-centred practice.

Learning outcomes:

• developed an introductory understanding of selected philosophical frameworks (e.g. Korczak, Lipman) in relation to childhood development
• recognised the child as an active constructor of understanding
• understood dialogue as a foundational philosophical stance for education and development

Teaching Week 2: Dialogism, Voice, and Agency

Purpose:

This week we will deepen our understanding of dialogic traditions that emphasise children’s voice, participation, and agency. This session supports participants in connecting theory with real-world dialogic encounters.

Learning outcomes:

• understood core dialogic theories (e.g. Bakhtin)
• recognised how voice and agency emerge through dialogic interaction
• demonstrated an understanding of how philosophical ideas translate into child-led inquiry

Teaching Week 3: Practical Strategies for Fostering Dialogue

Purpose:

This week we will look to develop practical skills for facilitating dialogue through coaching-informed techniques, play, inquiry, and creative approaches. This session supports participants in applying dialogic principles to everyday interactions with children.

Learning outcomes:

• understood how coaching-informed techniques can strengthen dialogic practice
• recognised the role of exploratory and art-based dialogue in supporting children’s thinking
• identified how play (including the TAP model) and inquiry contribute to children’s construction of understanding

Teaching Week 4: Inclusion, Diversity, and Child-led Dialogue

Purpose:

This week we will explore how dialogic approaches foster inclusive participation for diverse learners, including multilingual and neurodiverse children. This session highlights how thoughtful facilitation can address power dynamics and strengthen child-led dialogue.

Learning outcomes

• recognised dialogic strategies that support multilingual and neurodiverse learners
• established approaches to create settings where all children can participate meaningfully
• examined how power dynamics influence child-led dialogue and agency

Teaching Week 5: Dialogue, Inquiry, and AI

Purpose:

This week we will investigate how AI intersects with dialogue, inquiry, and children’s learning within ethical and developmental considerations. This session encourages participants to evaluate how AI can be used responsibly to enrich, not replace human dialogue.

Learning outcomes:

• understood how to support children’s critical engagement with AI-generated content
• identified ways AI can serve as a tool for expanding perspectives in inquiry
• evaluated key ethical considerations surrounding AI use in childhood contexts

Week 6: what next?

• assessment of student learning
• assessment of student satisfaction
• encouragement of further study

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.  

Our short courses are designed especially for adult learners who want to advance their personal or professional development. They are taught by tutors who are expert in both their subjects and in teaching students of all ages and experiences. 

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language to get the maximum benefit from the course. 

Each week of an online course is roughly equivalent to 2-3 hours of classroom time. On top of this, participants should expect to spend roughly 2-3 hours of self-study time, for example, reading materials, although this will vary from person to person. 

While they have a specific start and end date and will follow a weekly schedule (for example, week 1 will cover topic A, week 2 will cover topic B), our tutor-led online courses are designed to be flexible and as such would normally not require participants to be online for a specific day of the week or time of the day (although some tutors may try to schedule times where participants can be online together for web seminars, which will be recorded so that those who are unable to be online at certain times are able to access material). 

Unless otherwise stated, all course material will be posted on the VLE so that they can be accessed at any time throughout the duration of the course and interaction with your tutor and fellow participants will take place through a variety of different ways which will allow for both synchronous and asynchronous learning (using discussion boards etc).

Fees 

The course fee includes access to the course on our VLE, personal feedback on your work from an expert tutor, a certificate of participation (if you complete work and take part in discussions), and access to the class resources for two years after your course finishes. 

Concessions 

For more information, please see our concessions information page. 

Alison Fordham Bursary

University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education is proud to offer the Alison Fordham bursary, which is awarded to students who wish to study on one of our short online courses via our VLE, reducing the fee paid by 50%. The bursary is limited to a single award for each set of online courses. 

Application criteria:  

• applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study
• applicants who can demonstrate financial need 

For more information, please see our bursaries information page. 

A certificate of participation and a digital credential will be awarded to those who contribute constructively to weekly discussions, exercises and assignments for the duration of the course.