1 What are Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)? Youth Justice Project 2010/2011

Difficulties A young person may have difficulties in one or more of these overlapping areas: 1.Receptive language (understanding) 2.Expressive language (talking) 3.Social use of language 4.Speech (making speech sounds clearly) 2

Receptive Language Difficulties This is a difficulty which is easy to miss. Young people may disguise the fact that they do not understand. 3

Receptive Language Difficulties 4 Avoid 1:1 conversation Laugh along with others in a group, without understanding the meaning of the joke Follow what everyone else is doing rather without understanding the instructions or what is going on Overreact to comments Break rules again and again despite constant reminders

Receptive Language Difficulties May have difficulties understanding: – Long sentences with lots of parts 5

Receptive Language Difficulties May have difficulties understanding: – Grammar ‘Linking’ words such as ‘because’ and ‘therefore’ Concepts such as ‘before’ and ‘after’ Complex sentences such as ‘the man that ate the doughnut was fat’ Reversible sentences such as ‘fish was eaten by the crab’ 6

Receptive Language Difficulties May have difficulties understanding: – Words Abstract words Unfamiliar or unusual words 7

Difficulties understanding: Why would these sentences be difficult for someone with SLCN? 8 The woman was pushed by the man You are going there on Saturday because it’s part of your order The wallet that was in the car was stolen Before you fill in that form, put your coat away? It is alleged that the defendant acted without provocation

Difficulties understanding: – The woman was pushed by the man – This is a reversible sentence which relies on understanding of complex grammar. – Using word order, it would be interpreted as a ‘the woman pushed the man’ 9

Difficulties understanding: – You are going there on Saturday because it’s part of your order – Needs understanding of ‘because’ to understand that there is a causal relationship (e.g. The order lead to the visit on Saturday). – Also need to understand the meaning of ‘order’ in this context. Words with multiple meanings can be difficult for people with SLCN. 10

Difficulties understanding: – The wallet that was in the car was stolen – This includes complex grammar – The last bit of the sentence could be understood as ‘the car was stolen’ 11

Difficulties understanding: – Before you fill in that form, put your coat away – ‘Before’ is an abstract word which many people with SLCN find difficult. – Following word order, ‘fill in form’ comes before ‘put your coat away’ – This is confusing – avoid by presenting tasks in the correct order (e.g. ‘put your coat away then fill in that form’) 12

Difficulties with expressive language (talking): The young person may have difficulties with talking 13

Difficulties with expressive language (talking): The young person may have difficulties: 14 Using long sentences Organising sentences so that they are in the right order Explaining why something happened Using the right words

Difficulties with expressive language (talking): The young person may have difficulties: Saying how they feel They may only have the basic emotion words (happy, sad, angry) 15 Furious Angry Cross Irritated Fine

Difficulties with expressive language (talking): This will effect: – Their understanding of how they feel and why – Understanding how other people feel – Associations between actions and emotions 16

Difficulties with the social use of language Communication – how we use language to interact – may also be an area of difficulty 17

Difficulties with the social use of language A person may be unable to: – Vary language according to the situation 18

Difficulties with the social use of language A person may be unable to: – Take turns in conversation (may ‘hog’ all the chat, make lots of interruptions, or seem unaware that someone wants to change the subject) – Stick to one topic for long enough – Start conversations – Make appropriate eye contact 19

Difficulties with speech A person may also have difficulties with making speech sounds. They may: – Stutter – Speak unclearly – Have difficulties varying volume – Have difficulties with some sounds, e.g. ‘s’ (lisp) – Find it hard to pronounce longer words 20

SLCN and thinking skills Can impact on ability to: 21 Understand cause and effect Predict consequences Link actions and emotional responses Plan

Who has SLCN? 22

Different labels The young people you work with may have: – A statement of special educational needs which includes ‘communication’ or ‘SLI’ – An assessment report from a speech and language therapist However, if they missed a lot of school and/or are likely to have missed health appointments, they probably have undetected SLCN.

Types of SLCN 1.Specific Language Impairment (SLI) 2.SLCN associated with other difficulties 3.More general SLCN, sometimes associated with lack of education and/or social disadvantage 24

1. Specific Language Impairment SLI means: – language (talking and understanding) is difficult – but other skills are ok (e.g. nonverbal ‘intelligence’, like seeing patterns in shapes, co-ordination). Approximately 7% of all young people will have a specific, severe difficulty with speech, language and communication. 25

2. SLCN can also be associated with... Autistic spectrum disorder Hearing difficulties Learning difficulties Dyslexia Many genetic disorders Acquired disorders (e.g. Head injury) Exposure to drugs or alcohol during pregnancy Motor impairments such as cerebral palsy 26

So % of all young people have severe difficulties with language Either SLI or language difficulties associated with other conditions (see slide above) 27

3. General SLCN SLCN is also associated with: Social disadvantage / difficult home situation Missing a lot of school – Reduced exposure to reading – Reduced experience of formal language Up to 60% of young people in some areas have SLCN 28

3. General SLCN SLCN is also associated with: The Youth Justice System 58 juvenile offenders Tests of understanding and talking found: – 90% scored below average – 67% had low scores 60% had severely delayed literacy skills Bryan, Freer & Furlong (2007) Language and communication difficulties in juvenile offenders. IJDLC, 42.

67-90% of young people in the youth justice system 60% SLCN in some areas of social disadvantage 10% SLCN + other difficulties e.g. autism 7% SLI 30

Language and Behaviour There is a close link between language and behaviour – Humber E, and Snow PC. (2001). The language processing and production skills of juvenile offenders: A pilot investigation. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law 8, Low education and speech and literacy difficulties are risk factors for offending 31

32 Speech, Language and Communication Behaviour

Language and Behaviour Research has shown that young people with SLCN are more likely to have behaviour difficulties. Research has shown that young people in the youth justice system are more likely to have SLCN. 33

Language and Behaviour Children with SLCN have behavioural difficulties: Lindsay, Dockrell, Strand (2007) Longitudinal patterns of behaviour problems in children with specific speech and language difficulties Children in the youth justice system have SLCN: Bryan, Freer, Furlong (2007) Language and communication difficulties in juvenile offenders. IJDLC,

Language and Behaviour Potential Reasons: – Frustration unable to explain yourself – Confusion unable to understand what is expected of you 35

Language and Behaviour Potential Reasons: – Being unable to say clearly why something happened – (make excuses quickly!) 36

Language and Behaviour Potential Reasons: – Being able to verbally predict causes and consequences: ‘If I do this, this will happen to me’ ‘That happened because I did this, so next time I will...’ – This requires us to think things through in our head using complicated, abstract language. 37 XYbad

Recap SLCN is a label which covers a wide range of difficulties This includes difficulties with talking, understanding and communication. SLCN can be: – Part of a specific impairment (SLI), – Associated with other difficulties (e.g. ASD), – General difficulties with speech, language and communication. It can be difficult to identify young people with SLCN. There are strong links between SLCN and Behaviour. 38

Test your learning Think about: 1.What difficulties are associated with SLCN? 2.Why is it difficult to identify a young person with SLCN? 3.How will SLCN affect behaviour? Extend your learning: – What strategies can you use with young people with SLCN? 39