Communication and Interaction: Understanding of Language
WHAT TO DO FIRST
- Consider referral to ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) for further support.
- Early Years practitioners to refer to specialist services e.g. ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) for any immediate concerns e.g. breakdown in placements or complex safeguarding issues
- Early Years practitioners to create a communication friendly classroom/setting offering focused support and prompts or cues from adults to supplement children’s understanding and participation in activities. Creating a communication supportive environment: Early years – Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives.
- Early Years practitioners to access Language Friendly Classrooms training delivered by ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) team.
- Early Years practitioners to refer to visual support advice sheets and resources, make appropriate resources and embed into all classroom activities. If struggling to embed use of visuals across all environments, consider accessing further help from ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) team. Included in the visuals pack are examples of first and then boards, visual timetables, traffic lights and communication boards.
- Early Years practitioners to have access to a robust, consistent symbol-based system to support all children. Examples of these include Boardmaker, Twinkl and Widget (cost included to purchase).
- Early Years practitioners to follow ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) team’s Language and Communication Standard.
- Early Years practitioners to access support from Early Years Quality Team (EYQT), including:
- Baby training
- Speech, language and communication visits to support language and communication standard.
- Early Years practitioners to have access to information to support communication development including:
- BBC Tiny Happy People from CBeebies Parenting Tiny Happy People.
- Parent/carer and Child Interaction Strategies from Greater Manchester Combined Authority Parent Child Interaction Support Package (18 months – 2.5 years) – Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
- Early Years practitioners to access Early Years Forum for general advice and strategies (for reception-aged children).
ASKING FOR HELP
- Early Years practitioners to continue to embed Communication Friendly Classroom strategies.
- Early Years practitioners to access Language Friendly Classrooms training delivered by ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) team.
- Early Years practitioners to embed more targeted approaches to the whole classroom and support carry over to curriculum-based activities within the classroom.
- Early Years practitioners to consider carrying out targeted interventions in small groups to support understanding of language. Examples of these may include:
- Understanding Information carrying words (see link for training).
- Early Years practitioners to consider purchasing a targeted evidence-based language intervention to support understanding of language e.g.:
- WellComm screening toolkit and intervention using The Big Book of Ideas.
- Blacksheep Press speech and language resources for teachers, speech therapists and parents/carers.
- Communication Trust what works database of evidence-based speech language and communication interventions.
BLAST auditory skills and talking programme.
- Complete a one-page profile to share with all Early Years practitioners.
- Early Years practitioners to access Early Years Forum for general advice and strategies (for reception-aged children).
- Early Years practitioners to have access to information to support communication development including:
- BBC Tiny Happy People from CBeebies Parenting Tiny Happy People.
- Parent/carer and Child Interaction Strategies from Greater Manchester Combined Authority Parent Child Interaction Support Package (18 months – 2.5 years) – Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
- Consider referral to ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) for further support and advice around targeted resources.
- Early Years practitioners to refer to specialist services (ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT),) for any immediate concerns e.g. breakdown in placements, complex safeguarding issues.
WHEN MORE HELP IS NEEDED
- Early Years practitioners to continue to embed Communication Friendly Classroom strategies and communication opportunities throughout the day.
- Multi-agency assessment to identify persistent and complex needs e.g. access advice from external services such as ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) and Tameside Educational Psychology Service (EPS), to tailor programmes and activities to support their speech and language development, including attention and listening skills and understanding of language skills.
- Early Years practitioners deliver and support daily, individualised targeted interventions, based on support and guidance from external services. Certain interventions may require specialist training from the ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Team.