Supporting Children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) Monday 21 st March Emily Alderson – Speech and Language Therapist

Aims: To gain greater knowledge of what is involved in Speech, Language and Communication To understand the impact of Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) on children To understand how to support your child’s speech, language and communication development

What is a Speech and Language Therapist?

What are Speech, Language, and Communication Needs (SLCN)? Speech - sounds, voice, fluency Language – talking and understanding Communication – how we interact

Lots of words Short sentences Praise Help them listen Expand sentences Grammar Sentences wordswords Understanding

Literacy Behavioural issues Poor social skills Low attainments Low motivation Undetected speech, language and communication needs Poor social interaction and conversational skills Vocabulary difficulties Poor understanding Difficulties with explaining Struggles to retell a story coherently Problems remembering what people say Difficulties with self-organisation and planning

Understanding of Spoken Language – How to Help! Teach core listening skills. Gain attention before giving instructions. Repeat instructions. Use natural, visual cues. Check understanding of difficult vocabulary. Check for active listening – ask ‘wh’ questions. Simplify our language.

Understanding of Spoken Language -Task Simplify your language! 1.Cross out the words you don’t need to say. 2.Change words to make them easier to understand. 3.Add pauses where you think they are needed. 4.Stress the key words.

Use of Spoken Language -How to Help! Give time. Show interest in what is being said not how it is being said. Model the correct way. Extend child’s language. Give children a framework to help organise ideas. Prompt to help them to remember words. Encourage gesture / mime.

Use of Spoken Language - Task 1 “What did you do at school today?” 1.Read your child’s response. 2.Which strategy could you use?

Use of Spoken Language -Task 2 Model and extend! 1.Read your child’s utterances. 2.Write down how you could model the correct way of saying them. 3.Remember to extend your child’s utterances by adding words.

Social Communication – How to Help REASON TO COMMUNICATE COMMUNICATION METHOD ADULT CUEING (‘JUST ENOUGH’) Children need a reason to communicate; this can be:  To request something  To ask for help  To comment about something you can see/hear/smell etc.  To give information about something  To answer a question  To get someone’s attention  To show a sense of humour or connectedness with another person Children need a method to convey their message effectively; this can be:  Knowing what word/s to use  Knowing what phrase to use  Using a picture to communicate  Using a sign to communicate  Using non-verbal ways of communicating (e.g. eye contact) The adult can facilitate by cueing the child in. This happens ‘in the moment’ by giving the child just enough prompting. This can be done by:  Verbal prompts (e.g. “say – I need help)  Visual prompts (e.g. modelling a sign or showing a picture)  Steps in to give prompting then steps back to allow the child to communicate themselves

Social Communication – Task Identify a reason. Think about how could you create an opportunity. Discuss what method of communication your child might use. What prompting / cues might you give?

Questions

I feel… (something you liked about the workshop) I think… (something you were surprised to learn or want to know more about) I will change… (something you would change about the workshop) I will take away… (something you will do differently tomorrow) Evaluation