See a glossary of terms used.
Staff have an awareness of Speech Language and Communication and how this presents in the classroom, free training ‘An Introduction to Speech Language and Communication’ is available from The Communication Trust.
Set tasks and activities throughout the day/ week which focus on supporting language use and understanding, for example, ‘No Pens Day Wednesdays’.
Identify designated Communication Champions or Leads.
Use of environmental checklists to evaluate whether the space supports communication and interaction, such as the free Communication Friendly Environment Checklist from the Communication Trust.
Early identification of Speech Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), for example using identification tools such as the WellComm (WellComm Early Years and the new WellComm Primary toolkits enable you to identify children needing speech and language support, and come with an age-appropriate ‘Big Book of Ideas’ providing a total of around 150 instant, play-based activities).
Use of specific screening tools, such as the free ICAN Talking Point Progress Tracker. These free Progress Checkers have been written by speech and language therapists. They are based on typical developmental milestones from 6 months to 11 years. Their resources can help you identify signs of a child who is struggling to communicate, so you can ensure they get the support they need.
Use of resources from Schools The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists website and Speak Up Salford website.
Increase observations to understand how the child communicates, with who and where do they communicate best, what their strengths and interests are, and how these can be used to encourage engagement in activities. Monitor how the child responds to your communication with them and whether they follow the words you are saying and/or the gestures you are using.
Plan and adapt tasks and activities to take account of the child’s individual communication needs.
Provide frequent practice to develop communication skills through recall and repetition.
Develop close home and school links to ensure strategies are used across both environments to support the generalisation of skills.
Use of resources such as the Communication Trusts ‘Communicating the Code’ to support children with identified communication and interaction needs.
Access additional staff training on supporting children with specific communication and interaction needs (eg Speech and Language Therapist, Educational Psychologist).
Access additional staff training to support key adults to understand and respond to behaviours associated with communication and interaction difficulties (eg frustration at not being able to communicate, distressed behaviours as a result of not understanding spoken instructions of expectations).
Additional support is in place to develop emotional vocabulary and emotional expression using visual and real-life situations (eg use of feelings visuals, scales or ‘feelometers’).
ELKLAN - accredited courses for education and other staff working with those with speech, language and communication needs. Provides staff with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of a range of practical ideas and skills to deliver a range of small-group, targeted interventions. (Elklan Trained TAs). Elklan courses are run locally by the Salford Speech and Language Therapy Service. Courses run regularly throughout the year and can also delivered for individual schools. Please discuss training with your Link Speech and Language Therapist.
Elklan Language Builders Resources from ELKLAN are practical books which provides detailed advice and activities to promote the speaking and listening skills for Key Stage 2 children.
Regular communication groups, working on speech and language skills on a frequent basis with a small group of children. It can be helpful to include good role models alongside children who need additional support (with support from a Speech and Language Therapist as needed).
Certain interventions may require specialist support/ training from the Speech and Language Therapy Service (eg Vocabulary training).
Multi-agency assessment to identify persistent and complex needs.
Provide access to assessment and advice from external services such as Learning Support Service, Speech and Language Therapy and the Educational Psychology Service, to tailor programmes and activities to support their speech and language development, including attention and listening skills and social skills.
School staff to deliver and support daily, individualised, targeted intervention, based on support and guidance from external services. Certain interventions may require specialist training from the Speech and Language Therapy Service.
Black Sheep provides resources for teachers and speech and language therapists working with children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and speech, language & communication needs (SLCN).
Use the Plan-Do-Review process to monitor the child’s progress, alongside any external agencies’ advice, whilst collating evidence of the impact of the strategies being used (refer to ‘Best Practice Walkthrough’ document).
Where the child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), refer to described outcomes and
provision and implement. Continue to use the Plan- Do-Review process against the specified outcomes and provision. Regularly update with strategies as they are tried. Complete Annual Review of EHC Plan (refer to ‘Best Practice Walkthrough’ document).
Continue to request and act on advice from external agencies as necessary.
Access Arrangements allow children with special educational needs to access assessments (eg SATs) without changing the demands of the assessment. This may include allowing extra time, providing a scribe or having a reader. These may need to be applied for in advance by the school; check the gov.uk guidance for more information.
Further resources
Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (RADLD) gives free information and fact sheets about Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), as well as a range of helpful resources.
Afasic produces free downloads with vital information for parents and professionals about talking, understanding language and getting the right help. They offer free downloads, free parent support days and workshops, and useful links to mobile apps and other support.
British Stammering Association
A range of information, resources and advice to support those with a stammer, as well as their families and carers. The website includes recommended therapies and courses, as well as ‘Everyday Tips’ and apps and devices.
Michael Palin Centre for Stammering offers a range of support services for children, young people and parents and training courses for professionals.
A communication friendly classroom offering focused support and prompts/cues from adults to supplement children’s understanding and participation in activities. These cues should be multi-sensory. For example: visual (eg signs, objects and symbols), audio (eg songs), and smell (eg spraying different scents on different days of the week).
Creation of ‘communication friendly space/s’ (Elklan accreditation), including checking the acoustics of the classroom, having designated quiet spaces or talking areas (such as ‘Talking Tables’).
Daily routines are clear and predictable. Visual Timetables/written schedules and classroom rules are clearly displayed. Ensure visuals related to past events are removed from the child’s sight (eg take down pictures of activities as they are completed or use a clear marker to indicate where you are in the daily routine). Prepare children in advance for any changes.
Equipment is labelled with photographs or pictures. Twinkl, Boardmaker and Widgit provide a wide range of pictures and symbols that can be used to signpost around the classroom environment, for displays and to create visual timetables. Be consistent in symbol use, eg avoid using Twinkl picture for one symbol and Boardmaker for another.
Adults model good looking and listening behaviours and support these with visuals and use of specific praise when children demonstrate these behaviours.
Break down the amount of information provided at one time into smaller chunks (eg break up multi- step instructions and deliver 1 or 2 at a time and/or support visually).
Encourage the children to recognise when they have not understood something and discuss self-help strategies to solve this (eg asking a peer, asking an adult, three Bs before me, etc).
Introduce and display new vocabulary as it is introduced as part of topic work/ theme for the term. Teach pupils self-support strategies to help them to follow instructions (eg chunking, visualisation, silent repetition, use of a written checklist).
Word Aware is a structured whole school approach to promote the vocabulary development of all children.
Try to avoid use of non-literal language (eg idioms and sarcasm) and explain any abstract concepts in as concrete a way as possible (eg with pictures, diagrams or objects).
Provide a classroom that uses a range of teaching and learning styles with emphasis on use of gestures, key visuals and concrete examples to support spoken language.
Provide more time to respond to questions (eg 10-second rule) and to complete multi-step tasks.
Check the children’s understanding by asking them what they need to do after they have been told.
Support their understanding of multi-step activities using task plans/lists/visuals.
Staff are mindful of how lesson information is communicated. For example, a key word list to have lots of visuals, use of a personalised visual dictionary.
Display question prompts on the wall for school staff to initiate communication. For example, using the BLANK (Language of Learning model (A child is operating at a specific level when they can answer at least 80% of questions at that particular level):
TALC is based on the Blank Level model and helps to assess and develop the understanding and verbal reasoning skills of all primary-aged children who experience difficulty understanding what is said to them. TALC assess the verbal reasoning skills of pupils aged 11 and over.
Draw upon small group programmes to develop listening and receptive language skills, for example:
Talk Boost KS2 an intervention for children with delayed language. It is a targeted programme for children between the ages of 4 and 7. It is delivered in the school setting by teaching assistants and aims to improve children’s core language skills and attainments.
Junior Language Link an intervention for children aged 7-11 years, which focuses on higher-level language skills such as inference, complex grammar and figurative language.
Looking and Thinking workbooks aim to develop verbal reasoning skills among children with delayed language skills or English as an additional language. The workbooks include photocopiable worksheets, including illustrations and differentiated question prompts.
Total Communication environment that uses a range of teaching and learning styles with emphasis on use of visuals and concrete examples to support spoken language (eg Objects of Reference, signing and key visuals).
Additional differentiation and scaffolding of tasks, which may require individualised planning for much of the day or 1:1 support for specific tasks.
Multi-agency assessment to identify persistent and complex needs (eg access advice from external ser- vices such as Learning Support Service, Speech and Language Therapy and the Educational Psychology Service), to tailor programmes and activities to support their speech and language development, including attention and listening skills and receptive language skills.
School staff to deliver and support individualised targeted interventions, based on support and guidance from external services. Certain interventions may re- quire specialist training from Speech and Language Therapists.
Black Sheep provides resources for teachers and speech and language therapists working with children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and speech, language & communication needs (SLCN).
Blacksheep Inference and Reasoning Resource is designed to develop inference and reasoning skills in children at Key Stages 1 and 2. It includes 24 colour pictures and a set of related questions for discussion.
Access Arrangements allow children with special educational needs to access assessments (eg SATs) without changing the demands of the assessment. This may include allowing extra time, providing a scribe or having a reader. These may need to be applied for in advance by the school; check the gov.uk guidance for more information.
Provide a range of planned communication opportunities in a range of settings, with enough time given for processing (eg 10-second rule), thinking and responding to verbal information and new vocabulary (eg see ELKLAN Language Builders book for activity ideas).
Use of a range of whole-class or whole-school intervention programmes, for example providing consistent visual support to structure or record ideas (scaffolds or templates). Use word webs and vocabulary maps as a whole class when learning new vocabulary and story planners when re-telling or story or giving a personal narrative.
Provide opportunities for communication throughout the school day in a range of lessons. Including opportunities for discussion around books and narratives.
During group work, allow the child to answer after other children and adults have modelled the answer a few times.
Use Word Aware to develop vocabulary skills (a structured, whole-school approach to promote the vocabulary development of all children).
Progression in Language Structures is a document for identifying how content learning can be built on language structures. Language structures are presented in sentence starters for different text types, for example the language of explanations and how it can be structured from foundation stage through to Year 6.
Talk for Writing is a teaching framework that enables children to imitate the language they need for a particular topic orally, before reading and analysing it and then writing their own version.
Topsy Page a range of resources to support the development of effective child talk. Topsy also offers a Talk Audit where she will visit your school and analyse child and teacher talk, then provide recommendations.
Provide an environment in which children are surrounded by spoken and written words and inspired to learn them using multi-modal approaches (eg key words highlighted on the board and in worksheets to remind the children to check their vocab sheet).
Ensure access to a range of communication opportunities, so children can contribute in different ways or across contexts and in relation to different topics (eg including those they are more confident/ interested in).
Pre-teach key vocabulary and support generalisation to the classroom (eg have worksheets with key vocabulary on their desks, which they can refer to, use of word webs to promote experiential language learning).
Teach specific vocabulary, such as ‘word of the day/ week’ in smaller groups and support vocabulary use and understanding within the classroom. Vocabulary programs such as Bedrock Learning are available, which track pupils’ progress and have specific topic vocabulary available.
Consider the three tiers of vocabulary:
Focus on developing the children’s understanding and use of words in Tier 2. These words have the highest utility in helping to close the language gap for those children with limited vocabulary.
Use of vocabulary checklists/word maps. Create personalised dictionaries, vocab cards or knowledge organisers.
Use the STAR approach in content-rich subjects: Select the really useful vocabulary that is from the topic or class text. Teach the selected vocabulary in a structured manner. Activate the meaning by using the words in context and linking the word to the child’s existing knowledge. Review the taught words to ensure they are retained.
In small groups, encourage pupils to re-tell a narrative about a school or class activity, where the teacher and other pupils can give prompts and support the narrative. Also encourage pupils to give personal narratives or ‘news’ about their own lives. Ensure they include information about who, where, when and what happened.
Access training provided from the Speech and Language Therapy service for parents and education staff supporting narrative and vocabulary development.
Use of intervention programmes within a small group, such as:
Listening and Speaking and Oral to Written narrative packs from Blacksheep press. To support children’s structure of oral stories and the transition to a written narrative.
Colourful Stories (ELKLAN) a visual support strategy which helps children to learn about the structure of stories and to become more confident about telling and writing stories. Colourful Stories encourages oral-narrative skills and introduces written words only when the child is confident about how to structure and tell a story orally.
Talk Boost KS2 a targeted intervention for 7- to 10-year-olds with a language delay, which aims to narrow the gap between them and their peers.
Language for Thinking an approach aimed at developing the verbal reasoning and thinking skills of children aged 4-11 through drawings, written scenarios, and questions.
Junior Language Link an intervention for children aged 7-11 years, which focuses on higher-level language skills such as inference, complex grammar and figurative language.
Colourful semantics an approach aimed at helping children to develop their grammar by linking the structure of a sentence (syntax) and its meaning (semantics).
Talking Maths a 10-week intervention programme that targets speaking and listening skills in the context of mathematical language.
Referral into speech and language service to support child and implement targeted approaches including adaptations to learning (reading aloud etc.) and access to low level interventions.
Additional differentiation and scaffolding of tasks, which may require individualised planning for much of the day.
Additional adult support to contribute to group activities using a range of communication methods (eg gesture, vocalisations, instruments, visuals) alongside/ instead of spoken language.
Referral into speech and language service to support child and implement targeted approaches including adaptations to learning (reading aloud etc.).
School staff to implement individualised interventions, following training by a Speech and Language Therapist. For example:
Blacksheep Inference and Reasoning Resource is designed to develop inference and reasoning skills in children at Key Stages 1 and 2. It includes 24 colour pictures and a set of related questions for discussion.
Use of an additional or augmented communication system (ACC). These may include PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) is an alternative augmentative communication system in which simple picture cards are used to communicate simple needs initially, but then work towards more complex sentence structures, signing, or high- tech communication systems and software (such as Proloquo2Go). Other AAC which may be used include direct access boards and use of PODD books (Pragmatic, Organisation Dynamic Display) to support sentence structure using a visuals.
Speaking fluently in some situations but remaining silent in others
Staff have an awareness of selective mutism and understand it is an anxiety-based need. Key staff have access to information about how to support children with selective mutism for example from the SMiRA website.
Check the Dos and Don’ts Guide to providing an anxiety-free environment developed by www. selectivemutism.org.uk
The website has a range of information, resources and advice to support those with selective mutism, as well as their families and carers.
Establish a communication safe environment that includes:
Maggie Johnson has developed a number of resources to support those with selective mutism.
Seek multi-agency support from outside services and work with the pupil’s family to devise an individualised support plan. Speech and language therapists will assess receptive language and provide support in this area if required.
Join the Greater Manchester Selective Mutism Network.
Use of the ‘Sliding in Technique’ detailed in The Selective Mutism Resource and included on the SMiRA website. The steps can be accomplished either in a single session or over 2–3 weeks. This involves an adult (parent or staff member) as the child’s talk partner. Activities are completed on a regular basis within the child’s talk partner in a safe and quiet area of the setting. The activity should be simple and involve something that the child enjoys and is familiar with (eg a favourite game or book from home). As the child becomes confident, their tolerance to another person gradually coming closer and joining the activity (‘sliding in’) is increased.
Carefully support the child’s transition between year groups and to secondary school.
Further information about selective mutism can be found at SMiRA: www.selectivemutism.org.uk
Pupils with social communication needs can often have sensory processing differences – please also see the Sensory and/ or physical needs section
Provide the children with a Visual Timetable/Written Schedule. Tell them in advance about any significant changes to the daily school routine and illustrate this with the visual timetable. The visual timetable can also demonstrate timings of lessons.
Use of first/then visuals to support understanding of tasks/routine.
Use the environment to support understanding of expectations around work and behaviour. For example clearly label learning zones/ curriculum areas within the classroom. Provide visual reminders of classroom rules. Twinkl, Boardmaker and Widgit provide a wide range of visuals and symbols which can be used around the classroom environment, for displays, and to create visual timetables. Be consistent in symbol use, eg avoid using Twinkl picture for one symbol and Boardmaker for another.
Ensure expectations around work and behaviour are clearly structured and presented visually (eg Good looking, sitting listening prompts).
The TEACCH approach is a way to provide high levels of visual structure and clarity to support children’s understanding of the environment, expectations and activities (eg start and finish trays, use of a workstation). It is not a single method and can be used alongside other approaches.
Provide clear roles during group work. Reinforce the understanding of these roles visually (eg written information/symbols). For example, Kagan co-operative learning groups are a teaching style within which children support one another in their learning, thereby helping to promote and develop social skills.
Sensory or movement breaks are incorporated into lessons.
Try to avoid the use of non-literal language (eg idioms and sarcasm) and explain any abstract concepts in as concrete a way as possible (eg with pictures or objects).
Provide a more personalised curriculum allowing flexibility in the organisation of the learning environment and the school day. For example, you could offer access to a low stimulus, distraction-free base either within or outside of the classroom for certain tasks.
Use of personliased visuals (eg timetables, tasks plans). If a child has a personalised Visual Timetable they will need to be told as early as possible about any changes to their routine.
Access to staff training on the use of visuals to support communication.
Adaptations to teaching materials, such as written/ visual task lists and timers.
Use of first/then visuals to support understanding of tasks/routine.
Visuals to support emotional regulation and mood eg “feelometers”.
Use of a Sensory Checklist and environmental adaptations to minimise impact of sensory distractions and sensory processing differences (eg opportunities to work in quieter spaces with reduced distractions when completing focused activities, access to tailored sensory activities or resources).
Provide small social communication groups, focussing on the explicit teaching of social skills within a small group environment, with the opportunity to then generalise the skills into the wider environment. This may be focusing on the reading of social cues, body language, gestures, facial expressions and intonation.
Interventions to consider include:
Attention Autism an intervention model which aims to develop natural and spontaneous communication through the use of visually based and highly motivating activities.
TalkAbout, a complete programme for developing self-esteem, social and friendship skills.
R-Time a structured programme that builds and enhances relationships for children from Early Years to the end of Primary School.
Socially Speaking a year-long social skills programme that introduces and practises skills to develop and maintain relationships.
SULP (Social Use of Language Program) a framework for personal, emotional and social development from a communication and thinking skills perspective, providing multisensory activity sequences with interactive stories.
Social Detectives a comic book that teaches students to develop their own social detective skills through repeating and reviewing their communication.
LEGO Therapy an intervention that aims to help improve social competence while conducting fun, naturally rewarding Lego clubs.
Friendship Terrace a series of sessions for reflecting on and teaching friendship skills.
It is for children who find it difficult to make or maintain friendships, and for children with an autistic spectrum disorder.
Circle of Friends a group intervention that enhances inclusion through peer support. The Circle of Friends approach works by mobilising the pupil’s peers to provide support and engage in problem solving with the person in difficulty.
Superflex is a Superhero Social Thinking Curriculum that provides educators and parents with a motivating, three-part cognitive behavioural curriculum aimed at helping children to develop awareness of their own thinking and social behaviours, as well as teaching strategies to help them develop better self-regulation across a range of behaviours.
Zones of Regulation an intervention that supports the development of self-regulation and emotional control.
Blacksheep resources such as Emotions, and Practical Pragmatics to support development and understanding of emotions.
Provide a highly personalised curriculum allowing increased flexibility in the organisation of the learning environment and the school day (eg offering access to additional adult support to enable children to participate in the less structured parts of the school day such as break time, and provide access to a quiet, distraction-free place in school if children feels anxious.
If a pupil has a personalised Visual Timetable they will need to be told as early as possible about any changes to their routine.
Visuals in place for the child to use to access break rooms (eg “I need a break”).
Regular staff briefings centred around the child’s strengths and support needs (eg A One Page Profile) may help communicate this.
Provide Social Stories to help explain upcoming changes in timetable / expected behaviours in certain situations and ‘social grey’s.
They are short descriptions of a particular situation, event or activity, which include specific information about what to expect in that situation and why.
Wherever possible and appropriate, you should include the child in the creation of the social story.
Comic strip conversations can be used to help children understand social interaction by visually showing them (using symbols, stick-figure drawings and colour) the different levels of communication – including thoughts, feelings, words and actions – that take place in a conversation.
Training for staff/parents to attend to develop awareness of social stories and comic strip conversations.
An individualised skills development programme should be informed by specialist multi-agency team assessment and advice (eg this might include Learning Support Service/ ACE Team, Speech and Language Therapy and the Educational Psychology Service).
Augmented communication systems such as Signalong, Makaton or PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) or PODD (language programmes that use symbols and signs alongside/instead of speech to enable people to communicate – see Expressive Language above).
Use of transition books/support to allow a smooth transition into a new class or school. Additional opportunities to visit new classrooms/schools and meet new teachers in advance to allow sharing of information.
Your page rating has been successfully submitted.