1. North East Metropolitan LDC Outreach Service Transitioning to a New School Exiting Students Parent Workshop 2014

2. Session Outline Past LDC Family: Experience & Advice Raising Awareness of Language Learning Impairment: RALLI Campaign Engaging with mainstream schools Social Skills Development Strategies Reports & Documentation Accessing community health and private Speech Pathology services

3. Nick, Kathy and Ray Past LDC family talk about their experiences Main messages from Nick (past LDC student): Transitions were facilitated by: Having a friend at a new school Knowing how and when to ask for help Positive teacher relationships Entering a small school environment Having strategies to support comprehension  Contact teachers / lecturers, re-reading, etc. Other messages: The best teachers in primary and high school were the most easily approachable, and took the time to explain concepts Comprehension was facilitated by explicit teaching Never blame your child for their language difficulties; acknowledge difficulties and support

4. Nick, Kathy and Ray Past LDC family talk about their experiences Main messages from Ray & Kathy (parents of past LDC student): Get to know your child’s teachers o Develop a strong relationship with every teacher through child’s schooling o Take LDC exit report to teacher/parent meeting at beginning of school year o Agree on a channel of communication, e.g. phone call, text, e-mail, etc. o Establish protocol for contacting teacher after hours if your child becomes distressed regarding school work (use only if urgent) Prepare your child for change o Visit new places prior to transitioning o Talk about upcoming changes o Consider engaging in extra-curricular activities at the new place prior to the transition o “Change” includes going on holiday! Prepare your child for any upcoming changes to routine

5. Nick, Kathy and Ray Past LDC family talk about their experiences Main messages from Ray & Kathy CONT’D (parents of past LDC student): Support your child’s friendships o Children with language difficulties tend to transition more smoothly if they have one “buddy” or friend o Encourage and facilitate friendships by inviting peers for outside-school socialisation / going on outings, etc. Ensure your child can experience success o Support your child in understanding expectations of them & guide them in achieving school/personal goals o Use knowledge of your child’s individual responses to difficulties and expectations to bolster their success; e.g. If you know that your child has difficulty retaining and comprehending verbal instructions, ask their teacher if they might send home written task instructions for school projects, etc. o Give your child every opportunity to do their best, whatever level that may be

6. The RALLI Campaign – Raising Awareness of Language Learning Impairment http://www.youtube.com/user/RALLIcampaign

7. The RALLI Campaign – Raising Awareness of Language Learning Impairment Main messages re: RALLI campaign Ongoing project of language professionals, raising awareness of individuals with language difficulties. Collection of videos of parents, teachers of individuals with language impairment, as well as relevant professionals & the individuals themselves. Your child’s needs will change throughout their development. A number of videos address strategies for supporting children with SLI or language difficulties. In WA, there is no parent support program for parents of children with language impairment. This web page is a great opportunity for online parent support, as well as contact with the LDC.

8. Supporting Children with Language Difficulties: Likely Areas of Difficulty Social/Emotional Transition – children need to be prepared for change. Expect and accept that change will be difficult, and support your child through transitions. Building relationships – this includes peers, teachers, lecturers, and members of the school community. Self-esteem and self-confidence – children with a language difficulty are more likely to have self-esteem issues as self-consciousness develops. Allow your child to participate in activities where they have natural talents. Praise your children for trying things that are difficult for them.

9. Supporting Children with Language Difficulties: Likely Areas of Difficulty Language & Literacy Spelling & Decoding (literacy) Listening comprehension, reading comprehension, speaking and writing (language & literacy) Keep monitoring your child’s language and literacy performance. Often, synthesising all of the skills that a child has learnt at the LDC can be difficult, and your child may require support as they attempt more complex language tasks (Year 3 onwards). Encourage teachers who are unsure how to work with your child to access LDC services (PD, class observation & feedback, etc.).

10. Transitioning to a New School Environment: Social Skills Workshop for parents supporting exiting LDC Students

11. Social Skills Social skills are the verbal and nonverbal skills we use to interact, communicate and build relationships with other people. These are essentially: The skills we need to get along with others The skills we need to communicate with others appropriately and effectively

12. Typical Social Skills Development Follow fun rather than friendship Egocentric  early stages of developing empathy Constant changes in friendship  typically don’t have a best friend Physical reactions to conflict resolution Typical 3-7 Year Olds…

13. Social Skills Difficulties for 3-7 Year Olds with SLI Difficulties with turn taking Poor awareness of listener Difficulty staying on topic, initiating conversation / play Tendency to talk over the top of others Interjecting at inappropriate times Using an inappropriate tone of voice Difficulty reading the expressions of others or taking subtle hints Frequently off-topic in discussions Using inappropriate eye contact, body language, facial expression or proximity when communicating Conflict resolution difficulties Passive / aggressive behaviours

14. These difficulties can result in… Social and behavioural problems Frustration, difficulty developing peer relationships, lack of confidence in communicating If unsupported, problems may increase over time (Redmond and Rice, 2002) Withdrawn behaviour Less likely to initiate conversation Playing alone Shyness in younger children Low self esteem in older children Higher rates of anxiety relating to communication, particularly social phobias With the appropriate social support, children can overcome social skills difficulties and participate more actively in their school environment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTySmn_-X80 RALLI Campaign video demonstrating how Year 1 student with language difficulties overcame behavioural problems with appropriate support.

15. Peer interactions are “an essential component of the individual child’s development…not a superficial luxury”

16. Comments on Peer Relationships  Peer relationships have a significant impact on a child’s transition experience.  Being able to form and maintain positive peer relationships is critical for school-aged children for academic and language development.  Facilitating the development of peer-to-peer relationships encourages participation in all aspects of school life.  We can provide opportunities for peer interactions and support these interactions, as this practice will help our kids to learn how to make a friend.

17. Anxiety and Language Impairment  Some children with SLI can find change difficult to manage, and these children may become anxious in the face of new experiences  Language difficulties may cause a child to become self-conscious about his or her speaking skills  Children with SLI require often require understanding and support when participating in social interactions Change can be worrying for children with language difficulties, and this can impact behaviour. It’s important to emphasise that change is difficult for everyone, it can be scary, but there are strategies that we can apply to ease this change.

18. Social Skills That Ease Transitions Self-esteem  a child with good self-esteem is more likely to initiate social interactions and therefore, practice relevant social skills Following directions  important for children to attend to and respond to instructions in class Expressing and managing emotions  impacts peer relationship development, as children are drawn to other children who express emotions appropriately Greeting teachers and peers  initiating social interactions supports relationship development Requesting help  children need to know how and when to ask for help to participate fully in the school environment Joining in play  supporting positive peer relationships outside of the classroom

20. Prepare your child for change This will help to minimise feelings of worry relating to transitioning. Visit the new school  try visiting on a weekend first to allow your child to familiarise themselves with the environment without the added pressure of having the rest of the school community there. Then visit on a school day. Talk about landmarks on the journey to school  Allow your child to familiarise themselves with the route to school. Meet your child’s new teacher See the classroom Play on the play ground  Encourage interaction with peers outside of the classroom Visit a playground / park near the school, and support your child in interacting with new children  Likely that these children may attend a local school Take photos!

21. Strategies for Preparing for Change Your child’s needs around transition may differ from other children’s. Choose one of the options below based on your child’s needs. 1.Make a social story  For children who require a higher level of support. SEE TEMPLATE ON WEBSITE, “Going to a New School.” For further guidelines on creating this story, contact your child’s year level speech pathologist. “Social stories describe social situations in terms of relevant social cues and often define appropriate responses.” (Dodd, 2005) 2. Take a photo and talk about it  For children who require a lower level of support 3. Draw a picture of your visit and talk about it  For children who require a lower level of support If you are unsure about the level of support your child needs, talk to your child’s classroom teacher or their year level speech pathologist.

22. 3. Practice over the holidays Practicing any of the following skills based on your child’s needs will support them through the transition process. Talk about and practice starting a conversation with another child Talk about and practice joining in play with a group Talk about and practice discussing emotions Talk about and practice asking for help

23. Starting a Conversation Practicing a few greeting phrases can help children to feel more confident in starting a social interaction, which in turn can facilitate peer relationships. Model greetings with your child by making these phrases obvious to the child (through your emphasis on words, gesture, etc.) Greetings: “Hi! I’m “ “How are you?” “Let’s play “ “I like your ball / jumper, etc.”

24. Steps to Joining Play At the LDC, we teach children that joining in with a group is like reading a traffic light. RED LIGHT GROUPS: playing a game that looks tricky, don’t smile / look at you, probably won’t let us join. YELLOW LIGHT GROUPS: playing a game that looks easier, a couple of kids smile and look at you, might let us join. GREEN LIGHT GROUPS: playing an easy game, smile and look at you, will probably let us join Look out for Red Light, Yellow Light and Green Light groups in the playground. Support your child in identifying these groups in a new play situation.

25. Steps to Joining Play CONT’D Once we’ve found a Green Light Group, we can try the following steps to joining in. You might even like to step through these points with your child to facilitate a positive play experience. Steps to Access Play: 1.Move close and smile (don’t say, “Can I play?”) 2.Stand close, watch, listen and WAIT for a space 3.Say something nice about the game 4.Join in… don’t wait to be asked! 5.Go with the flow and have fun

26. Talking About Feelings Children aged 3-7 years often require adult support to recognise and manage emotions. Transitions & changes can result in feelings of: Worry Fear Sadness Helping our children recognise and talk about these feelings will facilitate positive school experiences and participation in all aspects of school life. Talking about these feelings and labelling them will give your child the opportunity to learn to express the emotion verbally, i.e. “I can see your eyebrows slanting up, your eyes wide and your mouth frowning. Your face is telling me that you’re feeling worried.” Use a “feelings stick” or “feelings bear” to link discussion around feelings with a visual support, i.e. the child knows that they have the opportunity to debrief about emotions when holding the feelings stick / bear.

27. Asking for Help It’s ok to get stuck!  Emphasise this to your child. Talk about how everyone has things that are easy, and things that are difficult for them. When we’re unsure, we can ask for help. Model asking for help with your child to someone else in the home environment, or simply ask your child! This will help to bolster self-esteem. Model a consistent functional phrases: “Excuse me, could you help me?” “I need some help!” “I’m stuck!”

28. Supporting Children with Language Difficulties Workshop for parents supporting exiting LDC Students

29. Supporting Children with Language Difficulties: The New School Early identification Identify your child’s difficulties and encourage teacher / school representative participation in the 2015 Transition Teacher Workshop Meet with the teachers, Principal, SAER coordinator, literacy support teacher, school psychologists, etc. Form positive relationships with the school Individual Education Plan Encourage the school to access the Outreach Service or other Professional Learning Institute PD on how to support children with language/literacy difficulties

30. Supporting Children with Language Difficulties: NEMLDC Outreach Service Based at West Morley NEMLDC site Speech Pathologists and LDC teachers Provide professional development and training to school staff on how to support children in language and literacy development Brochure with details  see exit report package. Encourage staff members at your child’s new school to access Outreach Services. Key Language Leader training particularly relevant.

31. Supporting Children with Language Difficulties: Speech Pathology Services The following services can be accessed throughout your child’s schooling: Community Health Services – Child Development Services http://www.pmh.health.wa.gov.au/services/child_development_service/index.htm Multidisciplinary services available, including occupational therapists, psychologists, speech pathologists, etc. Likely your child will be reviewed and assessed annually / biannually, and you will be provided with strategies to support language impairment Private Speech Pathologists Association of WA http://www.pspawa.com.au/ Most important factor for success is the rapport that the therapist builds with you and your child. Click on “Find A Speech Pathologist” on the above link. Choose a speech therapist who specialises in the appropriate area for your child, and don’t be afraid to change therapists if your current therapist’s specialist area does not align with your child’s needs.

32. Supporting Children with Language Difficulties: Speech Pathology Services CONT’D The following services can be accessed throughout your child’s schooling: Speech Pathology Australia http://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/ Click on “Find A Speech Pathologist.” IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PRIVATE SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS: – Sole practitioners  work by themselves or at home. Ensure that sole practitioner has a minimum of five years experience OR receives regular supervision from an experienced senior speech pathologist. – Part of a team of speech pathologists OR multidisciplinary team (with other allied health professionals). If your child has a range of needs, check that allied health professionals in one location are working under the same company & can share information. – Look for someone who can offer a range of services, i.e. home and school visits, and is passionate about regular communication with the teacher. See someone who is family centered, and that you can be involved with the therapy.

33. Reports & Documentation NEMLDC Early Exits (K & PP) In your report package, you will receive: Academic Report Language Grids Speech Pathology Exit Report NEMLDC Year 1/Year 2 Exits In your report package, you will receive: Academic Report Summary of Oral Language Skills Language Grids Speech Pathology Exit Report Support Strategies Handout Pass on reports from other Health Professionals These strategies will be helpful to your child’s new classroom teacher.

34. Meet Seb http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bemLJzDXOl k&list=PL4E07992D8E22363C RALLI Campaign video showing a 16 year old boy from the UK with language difficulties, and how he has managed these difficulties over time.

35. NEMLDC Staff Ph: (08) 9275 5511 F: (08) 9275 5319 Principal Rosemary Simpson E: Rosemary.Simpson@education.wa.edul.auRosemary.Simpson@education.wa.edul.au Deputy Principals Sharlene May and Denise Grassi Speech Pathologists Laura Glisson (Year 1 - West Morley) Cindy Stirling (Year 1 - North Balga) Anna Taylor (Kindergarten) Lauren Koch (Pre-Primary)

36. Thank You North East Metropolitan LDC Outreach Service