Developing Communication Skills why a language rich environment is not enough

The new OFSTED Inspection Framework outstanding school judgements are reserved for schools where pupils with Special educational needs and disability (SEND) make rapid and sustained progress. This progress must be in communication as well as in literacy and numeracy.

Communication is key In areas of social deprivation over 50% children are entering school with significant language delay (18 months). Vocabulary at 5 is a powerful predictor of GCSE results

A key area of need 28% of children (5 -11)on SEND registers have speech language and communication needs (SLCN) as their primary need over 50% have SLCN as a secondary need almost 80% in total!

Far reaching impact SLCN can impact on children’s: Learning Social interaction Behaviour Mental health and well being

A hidden disability 80% boys in a residential treatment centre had undetected language problems (Warr- Leeper et al 1994) 46% year olds referred to Psychiatric Services had undetected SLCN (Cohen 1998)

Identifying SLCN

What to look for - Primary You often need to tell them several times or show them before they understand You can’t follow what they are saying; their speech is not clear, sentences are short or unusual or explanations get muddled They only say a few different words They might opt out of activities that involve talking

They might struggle with reading, spelling or maths You may get no response to questions or they may repeat back part of what you say They may understand familiar routines but struggle when things change They may not be able to say much about what they have done that day

What to look for - Secondary They seem to ignore what you’ve asked them to do or do the wrong thing They struggle to remember new words or try to explain what they mean rather than say the word They may be fine in a conversation with one person but appear very quiet in a group Written work is very basic

They sound muddled or disorganised when explaining things They may consistently struggle with homework and organising themselves

Classroom Strategies

Understanding Simplify your language Allow plenty of time to process instructions Provide visual support Encourage children to ask if they don’t understand Check for understanding by asking children to repeat / draw / show what you have said Teach key vocabulary

Secondary Language Builders, Liz Elks and Henrietta McLachlan 2008

Teaching vocabulary Identify key words for a topic Find pictures or objects to match key words Pre-teach vocabulary Use written words with the pictures Talk about the picture Make links with similar concepts Say the word aloud, write it, use it in a sentence and in games Reinforce key vocabulary in the lesson Revise it regularly

Talking Teach new words in categories Give alternatives Model back correct forms of grammar Use fun activities to develop language skills Find time to chat Encourage all attempts to communicate Comment rather than ask questions Bring children back to the topic if they wander from the point Teach children to tell their story

Why narratives? Narrative as a social skill Narrative as a survival skill Narrative as an educational skill Narrative as a thinking skill Narrative and self concept

Teaching narratives Use visual timetables to teach sequential language (first, then, last) Sequence pictures to make a story Teach story structure from basic (who, when, where, what happened?) to more complex Use visual planning tools Provide frameworks for writing

Next steps

Elklan courses Speech and Language Support: For Under 5’s For 5-11s For 11-16s Verbal children with ASD Children with Complex Needs Supporting Children: With Unclear Speech With Hearing Impairment book via

Elklan Communication Friendly School Status Speech and Language support in the classroom (2 TAs) Speech and Language support for Communication Friendly Schools course (SENCO and teacher) Communication Counts course (cascaded to all staff) Communication Friendly School audit Accredited Communication Friendly

Intervention programmes Talk Boost Talking Partners Talking Maths Book courses via Individual Speech and Language Therapy programmes provided by Speech & Language Therapists

Websites

Jill Wickson (Suffolk Community Educational Psychology Service)