Expressive Language
| SKILL | WHAT TO DO FIRST Identifying and supporting need | ASKING FOR HELP Starting Assess, Plan, Do, Review | WHEN MORE HELP IS NEEDED Targeted support |
| Expressive Language | Whole School: Access to a robust, consistent symbol-based system to support all children and provide communication opportunities. Examples of these include Boardmaker, Twinkl and Widget (cost included to purchase) Follow ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy team’s Language and Communication Standard for Reception aged children:Language and Communication Standard Access Mainstream Schools Forum for general advice and strategiesneed Access Early Years Forum for general advice and strategies (for reception children) Refer to specialist services (ISCAN SALT) for any immediate concerns e.g. Breakdown in placements, risk of exclusion, complex safeguarding issues. Classroom Create a communication friendly classroom offering opportunities to continue to develop children’s expressive language, vocabulary, grammar and participation in learning and social activities. Creating a communication supportive environment: Early years – Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives Creating a communication supportive environment: Primary – Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives Access Language Friendly Classrooms Training delivered by ISCAN SALT team: ISCAN Language Friendly Classrooms training A Language Friendly Classroom Handout Access Supporting Language in the Primary Classroom Training delivered by EP team Encourage a total communication approach and accept all forms of communication (e.g., spoken, gesture, signs, written word, Alternative and Augmentative Communication, AAC). Refer to advice sheets and visual support resources for expressive support and embed into all classroom activities. Visuals available for: Creating communication opportunities: Creating opportunities to communicate Activity specific communication boards for aided language modelling: Supporting vocabulary knowledge and vocabulary checklist: Supporting narrative skills Individual Pupil If struggling to embed and apply strategies, or more personalised, bespoke communication systems required, consider accessing further help from SALT team. Consider referral to ISCAN Speech and Language therapy for further support: Children’s Speech and Language Therapy :: Tameside Children and Young People | Continue to embed Communication Friendly Classroom strategies Embed more targeted approaches to the whole classroom and support carry over to curriculum-based activities within the classroom. Access Supporting Language in the Primary Classroom Training delivered by EP team –Supporting Language in the primary school classroom – 10/11/25, 26/01/26 Tickets, Mon, Nov 10, 2025 at 3:30 PM | Eventbrite Consider carrying out targeted interventions in small groups to support expressive language and communication. Examples of these may include: Using Narratives: Narrative Training 2023 Developing Spoken Vocabulary: Vocabulary training Part 1 Vocabulary training part 2 Colourful Semantics to develop sentence structure: Colourful Semantics demonstration – YouTube Introduction to Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) (part 1): Introduction to AAC – YouTube Modelling and demo of AAC (part 2): Augmentative and Alternative Communication Training Consider purchasing a targeted evidence-based language intervention to support use of language e.g. Wellcomm screening toolkit and intervention (The Big Book of Ideas). Age ranges available 6 months – 6 years (Early Years) and 6 -11 years (Primary) WellComm – GL Assessment Word Aware(supporting the understanding of new vocabulary) Word Aware – Thinking Talking Blacksheep Press resources BSP, speech & language resources for schools, therapists & parents Talk boost Key stage 1/ Key stage 2 https://speechandlanguage.org.uk/educators-and-professionals/programmes-for-nurseries-and-schools/talk-boost/talk-boost-ks1/https://speechandlanguage.org.uk/educators-and-professionals/programmes-for-nurseries-and-schools/talk-boost/talk-boost-ks2/ Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) https://speechandlanguage.org.uk/what-works/nuffield-early-language-intervention-neli/ 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. Tales Toolkit An online package of resources to develop children’s skills in story development and sequencing in small groups. Victoria Joffe Narrative Intervention programme – This resource helps support the understanding and telling of stories in secondary school students Colourful Stories (ELKLAN) is 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. For all students requiring access to alternative communication systems, referral to ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy is required. Additional resources and support for aided language modelling, choice boards and core word teaching are available on: The Ace Centre: Resources | Ace Centre AssistiveWare: AAC Resources – AssistiveWare Complete a one-page profile on communication styles to share with all members of staff. Access Mainstream Schools Forum for further, specific advice and strategies Access Early Years Forum for further, specific advice and strategies (for reception children) Consider referral to ISCAN Speech and Language therapy for further support and advice around targeted resources Children’s Speech and Language Therapy :: Tameside Children and Young People Consult with/refer to specialist services (ISCAN SALT, SEND, TSOSS) for any immediate concerns e.g. Breakdown in placements, risk of exclusion, complex safeguarding issues. Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) When children experience persistent difficulties with using and/or understanding language with no known cause, this is referred to as DLD. This can affect up to 2 in every 30 children and often impacts on children’s learning and overall communication skills from starting in childhood and persisting into adulthood. Link to PDF ‘Fact sheet RADLD’ Support children with DLD by working alongside the Speech and Language therapy team including following advice and strategies and carrying out advised targeted interventions. Refer to the DLD website for further guidance: www.RADLD.org www.speechandlanguage.org.uk/help-for-families/developmental-language-disorder-awareness |
