1. HELPING EARLY LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION
Carmel Johnson-
Link Speech & Language Therapist (SLT)

2. Why is communication/language important?
One in a Million- A short film by the Hello Campaign (2.25)
‘One in a Million' explains how learning to communicate is one of the most important things a child will ever do and how children can struggle immensely unless they are supported by adults to develop strong talking and listening skills. The film highlights that as many as one million children and young people (2-3 in every classroom) have a long term and persistent speech, language and communication difficulty.

3. Why is communication/language important?
Communication is key and fundamental to learning and social interaction.
Communication underpins everything that we do.
The importance for children
Communication helps children to
develop friendships
enjoy life
Learn as language and communication are essential for learning
Learning depends on understanding what someone says, thinking and responding.

4. Importance continued?
In areas of poverty over 50% of children start school with delayed speech, language and communication skills.
50-90% of children with persistent speech, language and communication difficulties go on to have reading difficulties.
Two thirds of year olds with serious behaviour problems have language impairment.
At least 60% of young people in young offender institutions have communication difficulties.
Those with a history of early language impairment are at higher risk of mental health problems e.g. 2.7 times more likely of having a social phobia by age 19.
The Bercow Review (2008) found that at the end of primary school just 25% of children with long term communication difficulties achieve the expected level in English.
At the end of Key Stage 4, the ‘attainment gap’ between children with communication difficulties and their peers is marked. Just 15% of children with communication difficulties achieve 5 GCSE A*- C or equivalent compared to 57% of all young people.

5. Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
The EYFS has 3 prime areas of learning and development.
Communication and language is one of them!
Prime areas are seen as being the most essential for a child's healthy development and future learning.
There are 3 elements to the communication and language area
Listening and attention: developing a child's ability to listen to others, focus attention and develop concentration.
Understanding: A child needs to understand what is said to them, understand words/use of objects, follow instructions and respond to questions.
Speaking: this is a child's ability to express themselves effectively, hold a conversation, ask questions, re-tell events and stories.

6. We are all communication experts, but how do we communicate?
What is communication?
We are all communication experts, but how do we communicate?

7. (93% = 55% body language and 38% tone of voice)
What is communication?
Verbal vs Non Verbal
7% vs 93%
(93% = 55% body language and 38% tone of voice)

8. What is needed for successful communication
The 3 M’s

9. What is needed for successful communication
A child who has lots of opportunities to communicate
but who does not have the language skills or motivation to communicate
A child who has the language skills but who is not given opportunities to communicate and who is not motivated to communicate
MOMENT
Opportunities to communicate
Where, when and with whom
MEANS
How we communicate
A child who can communicate, has lots of opportunities and is motivated to communicate
A child who has opportunities to communicate and the motivation but who doesn’t have the means
A child who has the means to communicate and the motivation but
no opportunities
MOTIVATION
Reasons why we communicate
A child who wants to communicate but doesn’t have the skills or the opportunities.

10. The Language Development Pyramid
Attention & Listening
Play and Interaction
Use of Language
Speech Sounds
Understanding of Language

11. Attention and listening
Attention and listening forms the foundation for language.
Attention and listening develops in stages- don’t expect too much to soon!
Starts with single channelled attention at 12 months old and develops into two channelled by 4 years old.
A child who has difficulty listening and concentrating may have difficulty;
Sitting still and focusing on a task (easily distracted).
Attending to the person talking (can appear to ignore the person talking).
Remembering what they have been told (may rely on peers and copy actions).
Switch off during language activities.
Following instructions.
Appear not to comply because they have not listened or understood.

12. Attention and listening
Strategies
Ensure your child is LOOKING at you
Call your child's name BEFORE you talk to them / give instructions
Use visual prompts wherever possible (children are likely to find it harder to attend to highly language-based activities).
Keep it structured - give an agenda and tell them when it will be finished.
Keep your talking to a minimum - what do they really need to know?
Write or draw main points.
Give key points and add on more if they can cope with it.

13. Play is the base of a child’s learning, children learn through play!
Play and Interaction
Play is the base of a child’s learning, children learn through play!
Play builds a child's confidence as they learn to explore, think about problems and relate to others. Children learn by leading their own play and taking part in play guided by adults.
Language plays an important part in forming and maintaining relationships and relating to the world.
A child who has difficulty playing and interacting may have difficulty;
Understanding the rules of conversation e.g.. turn taking, eye contact, topic maintenance.
Initiating play or interactions
Engaging in imaginative play or play with others.

14. Play and Interaction Strategies
Play alongside your child as often as possible, commenting on their play and modelling play to them.
Limit screen time
Talk to your child as frequently as possible. Even if they are watching TV or playing a computer game, sit by them and get them to retell you what happened or explain the game to you.
Have set times of the day where you all sit down together and talk about your day. Useful time for problem solving difficult situations.

15. Understanding of Language
(Receptive Language)
Understanding underpins language development.
Children have to learn words before they can use them to talk. By six years old a child should understand approximately 14,000 words!
A child who has difficulty understanding language may have difficulty;
Understanding words, sentences, questions or instructions (especially when there are no clues available e.g. pictures or gestures).
Understanding changes to the routine even if explained as they haven't understood.
Slow at starting and finishing tasks
Need longer than expected to process verbal information
Giving appropriate responses; responses may be ‘off topic’ or they may look blank or confused.
Listening and attending.

16. Understanding Questions
Children have to learn to understand 4 different levels of questions and directions
Level 1
Naming things
Level 2
Describing/ listening to information & answering
who, what and where questions
What is the cat doing?
What colour is the cat
Where is the cat?
Where was kitty sleeping
Level 3
Talking about stories and events
What happened in the story?
What did the boy say?
What will happen next?
How is the boy feeling?
Level 4
Solving Problems- all Why questions
Why did the cat chase the mouse?
How will daddy get the boy dry?
What else could daddy do?

17. Understanding Questions
60% of 3 year olds understand level 1 and 2 questions
60% of 5 year old understand level 3 and 4 questions
So bear this in mind the next time you ask your child a question.
It will help your child to understand and feel confident if 80% of questions are at their level. .

18. Understanding of Language
Strategies
Ask your child to repeat the instruction to check their understanding – then fill in anything they have left out.
Try using visual strategies to support understanding (e.g. gesture, pictures, objects, charts, mind maps or symbols)
Break information down into chunks
Limit use of abstract or figurative language
Beware of inferred meaning – spell it out.
Keep your own language short, simple and appropriate for the student
Give time for the child to process the information before repeating or asking another question
Slow down your own rate of speech and repeat when necessary (but don’t keep repeating if they clearly haven’t understood).

19. (Expressive Language)
Use of Language
(Expressive Language)
Use of language is how a child is able to express themselves.
A child who has difficulty using language may have difficulty;
Expressing their wants, needs, feelings, ideas and thoughts.
Learning words or accessing them so presents with a limited vocabulary or knows lots of words but has difficulty finding the word they want to say.
Building sentences and using grammar; sentences may be muddled or they miss out the ‘little’ words
Use short or muddled sentences leaving out ‘little’ words e.g. is, and, the.
Talking fluently; may sound slow and hesitant.
They may appear to ‘give up’ with talking or resort to physical means.
Present as quiet or shy.

20. (Expressive Language)
Use of Language
(Expressive Language)
Play alongside your child daily commenting on their play and actions as this helps them to map language.
Offer choices to expand language use.
If your child doesn’t know the name of an item (or gives the wrong word) for example, calling a squirrel a ‘rabbit’, try giving a forced alternative so they can experience success (i.e. is it a rabbit or a squirrel?) or give them the first sound of the word to help cue them in.
Try to develop their language by extending their sentences (the +1 rule)
Try pre-teaching new topic vocabulary giving opportunities for your child to use the words.
Use visual strategies such as ‘word-webs’ wherever possible to support the learning of new vocabulary and understanding the links between words.
Ensure your child has LOTS of opportunities to use language for a variety of purposes (e.g. to question, comment, describe, explain).
Positively reinforce ALL communication attempts (verbal and non-verbal).

21. Speaking clearly is the icing on the cake!
Speech Sounds
Speaking clearly is the icing on the cake!
Unclear speech can be very frustrating for children and adults. Speech develops in stages and some speech sound substitutions are part of typical speech development.
A child who has difficulty with speech may;
Use a limited range of sounds or substitute some sounds for others e.g. “Tat” for cat.
May be unintelligible or not. May be more intelligible to familiar people than unfamiliar people.
Resort to using non verbal means to communicate.
Withdraw from talking.
Experience frustration due to not being understood.

22. How you can help
Lets look at some top tips for helping your child's speech, language and communication development
Chatter Matters DVD- Top Tips For Early Years Practitioners (6.33)
Any thoughts…..

23. Thank you for listening and participating today