I asked the focus group participants to think about

1. 
   What influences their practice in settings in encouraging children’s development in reading?
   

All participants discussed this with each other and the main points highlighted were:

• 
  “Their environments could and should be more focused on supporting early readers – participants suggested that they don’t read enough with the children and certainly not babies (I know I don’t read enough with babies or even pick up a book in the baby room sometimes) Influences on practice are time constraints, planning, knowledge”.
  
• 
  “Reading is so important, yet, if I am going to be really honest so misunderstood” Influences are “schools and policy on reading, SSP”
  
• 
  “The very best settings do this well – you should be able to see and feel a literacy rich environment when you walk in.”
  

2. 
   Is there new knowledge and subsequent impact after the EYITT training programme? What are the implications of this for EYTS training?
   

All participants discussed this with each other and the main points highlighted were:

• 
  “Absolutely, yes – this (early reading support) has been the biggest shift in practice and subsequent impact in settings”.
  
• 
  “I have totally enhanced the toddler environment – accessible books, story sacks available and accessible. I read books daily with our toddlers now. Early reading is everything I do now. I think about modelling reading all the time”.
  
• 
  “I have led a staff development session in my setting on supporting early reading – rhythm, rhyme, steady beat etc. I feel this has had the biggest impact for me and my setting”.
  
• 
  “I started an early reading policy so that we can become consistent in our approach and explain what it is we do. When you asked me as an interview participant about the environment for early reading, I didn’t know what to say because I don’t think we did have an environment suitable to support early reading for our babies and toddlers”.
  
• 
  “It is my responsibility as the EYTS in the setting to lead on practice and I have chosen to lead on early reading in my setting – I really want to get this right.”
  

Appendix I: Sample Interview Transcript