Children hear, attend and listen

Children use words to share meaning - TALKING

Using language to interact with other people – COMMUNICATIONChildren have to want, need and be confident to communicate

A simple model:What is speech, language and communication?

Children put together what they have heard, and UNDERSTANDChildren plan and organise what they will say

Children make and use sounds to form words - SPEECH

Speech, language or communication?

Babbles Puts his arms up when he’d like you to pick him up Says ‘teddy gone’

Smiles at you Asks for a drink Tells a story

Answers a question Takes turns in conversation Follows a story

Says that spider starts with ‘s’Gives you the right toy when

you ask for the big teddy Says ‘tat’ for cat

Possible answersSpeech Language Communication

Babbles Says ‘teddy gone’ Takes turns in conversation

Says ‘tat’ for cat Tells a story Puts his arms up when he’d like you to pick him up

Says that spider starts with ‘s’ Asks for a drink Smiles at you

Answers a question

Follows a story

Gives you the right toy when you ask for the big car

Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)

• Most children follow the expected pattern of development for their speech, language and communication at the expected times. Some, however, do not. These children are described as having speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).

SLCN: Quick quiz

1. How many children have SLCN?

1. Around 10% of all children have long-term SLCN

− In areas of social disadvantage, 50% or more may have delayed language

2. Many different factors e.g.− Hearing difficulties− Learning difficulties− Autism− Cleft palate− Limited stimulation− Poor adult modelling and interaction− For some, we don’t know

2. Why might children have SLCN?

First steps in identifying SLCN

• Does the child make the sounds you’d expect for their age?• Can you understand the child’s speech as you would expect for

their age?Speech

• Does the child understand the words, information, questions and stories you would expect for their age?

• Does the child use the words and the length of sentence you would expect? Can the child get across what they want and need as you would expect for their age?

Language

• Does the child get involved in communicating with others as you would expect for their age?

• Do they make eye contact, take turns and enjoy talking with others as you would expect for their age?

Communication

How do speech, language and communication skills support development

• In pairs choose one of the areas of development Note down 2 ways in which you think speech,

language and communication skills are important for this area

−Share these with your group.

Activity 1b: Speech, language and communication skills support these areas...

Speech, language and communication skills

Learning Behaviour

Emotional developmentSocial development

What are the impacts of SLCN?

• Given the close relationship between speech, language and communication and all areas of development, the impacts for children with SLCN may be significant and wide-ranging• As a group, think of any impacts for children with SLCN.

Activity 1c: Potential Impacts

Speech Language Communication

Activity 1c:Potential Impacts – possible answers

Speech• People misunderstand what’s

being said

• Have to repeat things a lot

• Can get frustrated, or aggressive

• Don’t enjoy talking, so can opt out

• Struggle to learn to read – can’t work out what sounds are at the beginning of words

• Struggle to understand or recognise rhyme

• Struggle to work out patterns in words to help learn to spell

Language• Don’t understand what’s said,

so do things wrong

• Miss out on learning

• Tune out –working out language can be so tiring

• Copy other children so hide difficulties

• Limited talking - their message doesn’t get across

• Can’t share ideas or express needs

• Can become passive

• Can get frustrated

• Other children don’t want to play with them

• Doesn’t have a solid base for future learning

Communication• Don’t know how to join in

• Have difficulty making and keeping friends

• May get chosen less to play in games

• May get invited to fewer play dates or parties

• Other children may avoid them

• Finds playing with others difficult

• Following rules can be difficult, so problems in settings/school

Why is it important to support children’s speech, language and communication development?

• Because of its relationship to all areas of learning• Because of the impacts for children if we don’t.

What affects language development? Research evidence shows:

• The amount of language children hear is important

• What adults say to children is also important

• Co operative interactions are very important

• The more they hear, the more time their parents spend talking with them and the more types of words they are exposed to, the more children use.

• Children seem to develop strong language skills when parents ask open-ended questions, ask children to elaborate, and focus on topics of interest to the child. Responding to what the child is talking about and having familiar routines also promote shared understanding.

• Conversations about how people feel and how that affects what they do, are important in learning social communication skills.

Making a big difference

• The skilful communication of practitioners with children is seen as an indicator of quality in early years provision.

Quick quiz

1. When can you support speech, language and communication?

2. When should you extend children’s speech, language and communication?

• Any time – all the time!• From when children are tiny babies• In everyday routines• In all activities and play• 1:1 and in groups• Set up specific opportunities/activities

• Use your judgement, based on knowing the child and what they need

• Where you can and it is appropriate

Techniques and approaches

Exploring different ways of talking with childrenThere are 5 different ways of supporting and extending talking:1. ‘Enforced repetitions’2. Two choice questions3. ‘Wh-’ type questions4. Personal contributions5. Phatics

1. Enforced questions

• Child says: “Biscuit”• Adult says: “Say ‘please can I have a biscuit’”• Child says: “Biscuit”

2. Two-choice questions

• The adult asks the child a question where there are only two choices – this includes either yes/no answers or ‘forced alternatives’

Adult: “Is that an elephant?”Child: “No”ORAdult: “Is that an elephant or a giraffe?”Child: “Giraffe”

3. Wh Questions

• Adult asks a question starting why, what, when etc

Adult: “Who’s that?”Child: “Daddy”Adult: “Where’s he going?”Child: “Shop”Adult: “Why?”Child: “Car”

4. Personal Contributions

• Adult avoids asking questions, but gives their personal contributions around something that the child is interested in.

Adult: “I went to the park at the weekend”Child: “Me too!”Adult: “I played football with Rosie”Child: “I played on the swings”Adult: “Oh, I’m a bit too big for the swings”Child: “Not me, I can go so high”Adult: “So high you touch the clouds…”Child: “Even higher…”

5. Phatics

• Adult tries to say nothing with any ‘content’, just “makes the right noises”. They try to avoid questions and take the child’s lead

Adult: “Hey, look at that…”Child: “It’s a princess”Adult: “Aha…”Child: “She’s gonna get eaten by the dragon “Adult: “Oh no, scary …”Child: “But she doesn’t taste so good”Adult: “Yuk…”Child: “She tastes like slugs”Adult: “Disgusting – even for a dragon”Child: “Yeah, cos he likes marshmallows”

Activity 2d:Techniques and approaches

• For each one, consider…• How well does the approach support and extend the

child’s language?• How could the adult improve their questioning or

interaction?• How often do you currently use each approach in your

talk with children?

Activity 2d: Follow up – Which work well to support and extend language?

Interaction style What was the child’s language like?

Does this work?

Why/ why not?

Enforced questions

Two-choice questions

Wh questions

Personal contributions

Phatics

Activity 2d Answers: Which work well to support and extend language?

Interaction style What was the child’s language like?

Does this work?

Why/ why not?

Enforced questions

No different The adult’s language was too complex for the child to copy

Two-choice questions

Only one word answer The questions are very restricting

Wh questions One word – directly answers question Can make child passive

Useful if child understands question words

Personal contributions

Longer sentencesMore involved Child was interested and had time and

space to make contribution

Phatics Child says more than adult

Lots of space for child to leadAdult leaves options open for childStarts to sound like a story

Summary: what works well to support speech, language and communication?

Techniques with a child

• Encouraging the quieter children

• Using many different types of words

• Taking child’s lead• Routines for understanding• Conversations about feelings• Open-ended questions• Children asked to elaborate.

What settings can do

• Training for practitioners• Language interventions• Language embedded

throughout the day• Structured activities• Communication groups• Parent programmes

Portfolio task 1

• Choose either personal contributions or phatics and try this technique out in your setting• Make a note of the activity, context and child you were

working with• Record (or ask someone else to) a short section of yours

and the child’s language in this activity• What do you notice?• Evaluate how well this worked and make a note in your

portfolio.

Portfolio task 2

• Choose 3 different activities or daily routines from your setting• Show ways that adults can support speech, language

and/or communication• Include at least one supporting method and one

method which extends speech, language or communication• Explain why these methods will help speech, language

or communication.

Portfolio 3

• Identify one thing which you feel has been particularly interesting or useful• Identify one thing in your practice that you will change

as a result of what you have learned• Comment in your portfolio on how it changes your

practice and what the outcome was for the children you are working with.

2011 is the National Year of Communication

‘Hello’ is a national campaign run by The Communication Trust, complementing the Government’s commitment to support children with speech, language and communication needs.

Please visit www.hello.org.uk for more information on how you and your setting can help improve the communication skills of children and young people – so that they can live their life to the full.

Hello