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Sign in or register for an accountWhere a young person has an EHCP:
Awareness of the impact of speech and language needs on reading and writing, with adjustments made in support of these needs.
Identification of designated Communication Champions or Leads.
Use of free environmental checklists to evaluate whether the space supports communication and interaction, such as the free Communication friendly environments checklist.
Identification of communication needs using a checklist such as the free Universally Speaking Age 11-18.
Use of resources from The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) website and Speak Up Salford website.
Adult to position themselves where young people can see their face clearly, and keep distractions to a minimum. Use the young person’s name at the start of any instruction or information giving, allowing extra time for processing.
Regular checking of the young person’s understanding of tasks and recording of work. Alternative means of showing understanding if needed, e.g. pictorially or using technology.
Encourage and develop informed choice-making. This is particularly important in the context of future life decisions and young people making decisions independently.
Increase observations to understand how the young person communicates, with whom and where they communicate best, what their strengths and interests are, and how these can be used to encourage engagement in the classroom. Monitor how the young person responds to your communication with them and whether they follow the words you are saying and/or the gestures you are using.
Assess, monitor and support language skills. For example, assess verbal reasoning skills using ELKLAN Test of Abstract Language Comprehension
Plan and adapt tasks and activities to take account of the young person’s individual communication needs.
Provide frequent practice to develop communication skills through recall and repetition.
Access additional staff training on supporting young people with specific communication and interaction needs (eg with Speech and Language Therapy Service, Educational Psychology Service).
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 or expectations).
Additional support is in place to develop emotional vocabulary and emotional expression using visual and real-life situations (eg use of feeling scales or agreed strategy cards).
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 be delivered for individual settings. Please discuss training with your Link Speech and Language Therapist.
Elklan Language Builders Resources are practical books which provide detailed advice and activities to promote speaking and listening skills for post-16 young people. Certain interventions may require specialist training from the Speech and Language Therapy Service (eg Vocabulary training).
Speak Up Salford have a section on their website where young people can access support in a range of areas, including making friends, learning words and life after secondary school. They also offer a range of training and support for staff.
Multi-agency assessment to identify persistent and complex needs. Referral to needs.
Provide access to assessment and advice from external services such as Advisory Teachers, Speech and Language Therapy and the Educational Psychology Service, to tailor programmes and activities to support speech and language development, including attention and listening skills and social skills.
Black Sheep Press (11-16) provides resources for teachers and speech and language therapists working with young people with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).
Staff to deliver and support daily one-to-one and small group intervention based on support and guidance from external services.
Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder - RADLD provides free information and fact sheets about Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), as well as a range of helpful resources.
Afasic produces free downloads with information for parents and professionals about talking and 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. For example, ‘Teenagers and beyond’ and Preparing for work.
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 offer a range of support services for young people and parents and training courses for professionals.
A communication friendly classroom offering focused support and prompts from an adult, including key cues and prompts to supplement student’s understanding and participation in lessons. These cues should be multi-sensory and age appropriate. For example: visual (eg signs, objects, written and symbols), audio (eg songs), smell (eg spraying different scents on different days of the week).
Daily routines are clear and predictable. Visual Timetables, classroom rules/expectations and daily routines are clearly displayed and personalised as needed. Widgit provides a wide range of symbols which can be used to signpost around the classroom environment, for displays and to create visual timetables.
Break down the amount of information provided at once into chunks (eg Break up multi-step instructions and deliver 1 or 2 at a time).
Encourage the young person to recognise when they have not understood and discuss self-help strategies to solve this.
Encourage the use of self-help strategies to aid active listening (self-repetition, requesting repetition, etc). 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.
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.
Use a range of whole-group or whole-setting 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 group when learning new vocabulary. Slow down pace of delivery and encourage the young person to repeat the information back to themselves (verbal rehearsal).
Provide additional time to complete tasks and acquire new vocabulary/ concepts. Define key words simply and record visually. Use pictures/drawings/mind maps to record information given verbally.
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 and instructions (eg 10-second rule) and to complete multi-step tasks. Alternative ways to record work/learning, to include photographic or video recording.
Check the young person’s understanding by asking them what they need to do after they have been instructed.
Use a buddy system whereby the young person and a partner work together to ensure correct understanding of verbal information. A peer or adult buddy would check their correct understanding before starting.
Staff are mindful of how lesson information is communicated. For example, a key word list is available and supported by a high level of visuals. Use of a personalised visual dictionary.
Provide support to ensure access to a range of communication opportunities (eg student to adult, peer to peer, small group, whole group).
Use of specific interventions such as: Test of Abstract Language Comprehension (TALC) 2 - An ELKLAN resource that is designed to help speech and language therapists, education staff and the wider workforce to assess the verbal reasoning skills of young people. Based on the assessment results from the TALC, students would then be supported to develop their verbal reasoning skills through the use of Blank Levels of Questioning.
Talk for Writing - A teaching framework that provides a flexible process for developing understanding and expression. Certain interventions may require specialist training/support from Speech and Language Therapists.
Provide a Total Communication environment that uses a range of teaching and learning styles with emphasis on the use of visuals and concrete examples to support spoken language (eg signing and key Visuals).
Additional differentiation and scaffolding of tasks, which may require individualised planning for much of the day.
Multi-agency assessment to identify persistent and complex needs (eg access advice from external services such as Advisory Teachers, Speech and Language Therapy and the Educational Psychology Service) to tailor programmes and activities to support speech and language development, including attention and listening skills and receptive language skills.
Staff to deliver and support daily, individualised targeted interventions, based on support and guidance from external services.
Certain interventions may require specialist training from Speech and Language therapists. Blacksheep (11-16) provides resources for teachers and speech and language therapists working with young people with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).
Provide opportunities for communication throughout the day in a range of lessons, including opportunities for discussion around books and narratives.
During group work allow the young person to answer after others and when adults have modelled the answer a few times.
Recap relevant vocabulary. Ensure knowledge of vocabulary before introducing a new topic.
Use clear adult models of speech and language, and repeat, emphasise and expand, as needed.
Use technology to support learning.
Opportunities to pre-teach key vocabulary and support generalisation to the classroom (eg have worksheets with key vocabulary on their desks, which they can refer to, and use of word webs to promote experiential language learning).
Consider the three tiers of vocabulary:
Focus on developing the young person’s understanding and use of words in Tier 2. These words have the highest utility in helping to close the language gap for those young people with limited vocabulary.
Provide support for Tier 3 words at the start of a new topic (eg using knowledge organisers).
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, linking the word to the student’s existing knowledge.
Review the taught words to ensure they are retained.
Access training provided from the Speech and Language Therapy Service for young people, parents and education staff supporting narrative and vocabulary development.
Use of intervention programmes within a small group such as:
Black Sheep Press: Talking about Community, social skills.
The Narrative Intervention Programme: a resource for young people and young adults between the ages of 8 and 18.
The Vocabulary Enrichment Programme: A resource for older children and young adults focusing on enhancing the understanding and expression of vocabulary and word meanings in students aged between 8 and 18.
Referral into Speech and Language Therapy Service to support the young person and implement targeted approaches including adaptions to learning.
Use of an additional or augmented communication system. These may include:
Makaton - A language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate.
Use of an additional or augmented communication system (ACC). These may include PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) - 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 hightech communication systems and software (such as Proloquo2Go).
Other ACC which may be used include direct access boards and PODD. Use of PODD books (Pragmatic, Organisation Dynamic Display) to support sentence structure using visuals.
Speaking fluently in some situations but remaining silent in others
Staff have an awareness of selective mutism and understand it as an anxiety-based need. Key staff have access to information on how to support young people with selective mutism for example, from the SMIRA website.
Check the Helping Students in Secondary Schools staff guide and the Older Children & Teens guide. 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:
Seek multi-agency support from outside services and work with the young person and their family (in line with the young person’s wishes) 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/carer or staff member) as the young person’s talk partner.
Activities are completed on a regular basis with the young person’s talk partner in a safe and quiet area of the setting. The activity should be simple and involve something that the young person enjoys and is familiar with (eg a favourite game or book from home). As the young person becomes confident, their tolerance to another person gradually coming closer and joining the activity (‘sliding in’) is increased.
Carefully support the young person’s transition to college and into training or employment. Further information about selective mutism can be found at SMiRA: Selective Mutism Information & Research Association (SMIRA)
Young people with social communication needs can often have sensory processing differences – please also see the Sensory and/ or Physical Needs section.
All staff should have awareness and understanding of autism, in order to provide a differentiated curriculum which meets the needs and aspirations of each learner, eg making use of the Autism Education Trust Post-16 Professional Development Programme.
Provide Visual Timetables/Visual supports Tell young people in advance about any significant changes to the daily routine and illustrate this with the visual timetable/written schedule. The visual timetable can also demonstrate timings of lessons.
Create an environment that is as predictable, stable and consistent as possible.
Prepare the young person for changes to activities/ routines/staffing. Use the environment to support understanding of expectations around work and behaviour. For example, clearly label learning environments.
Provide visual reminders of classroom rules. Widgit provides a wide range of symbols which can be used to signpost around the classroom environment, for displays and to create visual timetables.
The TEACCH approach is a way to provide high levels of visual structure and clarity to support young person’s understanding of the environment, expectations and activities. 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). Incorporate sensory or movement breaks 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 social communication opportunities through wider sports, leisure and community activities which also encourage positive self-esteem.
Any trips to be planned well in advance, taking the young person’s needs into consideration.
Provide a more personalised curriculum allowing flexibility in the organisation of the learning environment and the day. For example, you could offer access to a low stimulus, distraction-free base either within or outside of the classroom for certain tasks.
Adaptations to teaching materials, such as written/ visual task lists and timers. Access to staff training on the use of visuals to support communication.
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).
Support to better understand inferencing, idioms and metaphors (eg using resources such as Test Your English Idioms, Black Sheep Press) and My Favourite Idioms.
Provide a small social communication group, focusing 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 include the reading of social cues, body language, gestures, facial expressions and intonation.
Pastoral interventions such as meeting and greeting, peer mentoring, buddy systems and shared interest lunchtime clubs.
Interventions to consider include:
The Talkabout Series - A complete programme for developing self-esteem, social and friendship skills.
LEGO Therapy - An intervention to help improve social competence while conducting fun, naturally rewarding LEGO clubs.
Social thinking gives strategies to teach essential life skills such as socio-emotional learning and self-regulation across different environments. Resources for 14-18-year-olds can also be purchased (eg Social Thinking and Me).
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.
Circle of Friends - A group intervention that enhances inclusion through peer support. The Circle of Friends approach works by mobilising the young person’s peers to provide support and engage in problem solving with the person in difficulty.
Provide a highly personalised curriculum allowing increased flexibility in the organisation of the learning environment and the college day (eg offering access to additional adult support to enable young people to participate in the less structured parts of the day such as breaks and lunch, and provide access to a quiet, distraction-free place in the setting if the young person feels anxious).
Visuals in place for the young person to use to access break rooms (eg “I need a break”).
Regular staff briefings centred around the young person’s strengths and support needs. A One Page Profile may help to communicate this.
If a young person has a personalised Visual Timetable they will need to be told as early as possible about any changes to their routine.
From the sensory assessment checklist(s) devise a bespoke sensory diet. Implement and regularly review, with the young person.
Provide Social stories as needed - 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 young person in the creation of the social story.
Comic strip conversations can be used to help young people 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/young person to attend to develop awareness of social stories and comic strip conversations.
From completion of Autism Education Trust’s environmental audit make environmental changes as appropriate to meet young person’s need. Resources can be found here: Resources to Support Autistic Children and Young People.
An individualised skills development programme informed by specialist multi-agency team assessment and advice (eg this might include Specialist Outreach Teams, Speech and Language Therapy and the Educational Psychology Service.
Augmented communication systems such as Makaton or Picture Exchange Communication System (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 year group or the move to college. Additional opportunities to visit new classrooms/educational settings and meet new teachers in advance to allow sharing of information.
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