7.1 Definition
Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others. This may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. The profile for every child with SLCN is different and their needs may change over time. They may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or social communication at different times of their lives.
7.2 Different forms of communication and interaction difficulties
Children and young people may have difficulty with:
- Receptive Language
- Difficulty in understanding and processing language
- Expressive Language
- Difficulty with the use of spoken language or nonverbal communication
- Pragmatic/social communication
- Difficulty with social interaction, social cognition, and pragmatics.
- Speech sound difficulty
- Difficulty with phonological skills or articulation skills. The difficulty may not be restricted to one area and may be demonstrated at different levels.
7.3 Assessment: Gathering Evidence
Where there are signs that a child/young person may need some support for communication difficulties the class teacher should consider:
- The classroom environment and its potential to interfere with communication
- The child or young person’s individual needs, their presentation and impact on their learning
- An early discussion with the SENCo to provide some suggestions of observations to make or strategies to try.
The Communication and Interaction Audit has some suggestions for considering 'conditions for learning' and individual needs.
There is further information on SLCN, including self-evaluation, available in the Inclusion Development Programme (IDP) (external link). Training can be accessed through the IDP or through the TESS training programme.
The following table provides some indications of difficulties that children and young people may experience.
Difficulties children/young people may experience
| Difficulty | Child/young person shows difficulty in: | Child/young person may show or have: |
|---|
| Receptive Language Difficulty |
Listening
Attention skills
Understanding spoken language
|
Lack of interest in lessons
Negative/disruptive behaviour
|
|---|
| Expressive Language Difficulty |
Conveying information in speech
Writing
Sign language or gestures
|
Not use correct grammar
May produce very short phrases and sentences
May have a small vocabulary
May have limited eye contact
Limited natural gestures
Limited facial expressions
|
|---|
| Pragmatic/Social Communication Difficulty |
Use of social language and social rules of conversation
Making and maintaining friendships
Understanding of others feelings/emotions
Inference
Using non-verbal communication such as eye contact or facial expressions
Sensory integration
Staying on topic in conversations
|
Lack of interaction in lessons
Lack of interest in peers
|
|---|
| Speech Sound Difficulty |
Co-ordination of the tongue, lips and palate
Hearing
|
A family history of difficulties
Delayed language development
Additional diagnosed difficulties e.g. Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia, Down Syndrome etc.
|
|---|
The Communication Trust provides further information:
7.4 Plan and Do: Strategies and Interventions
“Have you tried? - for Communication and Interaction” suggests a number of strategies to improve communication and understanding within the mainstream classroom. Together with the Communication and Interaction Audit this provides some suggestions for initial support prior to an expert diagnosis of a specific need. These are both found in the 'related documents' on the HEFA page.
The table below give some more specific suggestions:
Suggestions to improve communication
| Difficulty | Some support | Lots of support |
|---|
| Receptive Language Difficulty |
Check communication - friendly classroom
Discuss strategies and play memory and listening games
|
ELKLAN
Talking Tables
|
|---|
| Expressive Language Difficulty |
Check communication - friendly classroom
Provide scaffolding and models of language structures
Visual cues help the child/young person to formulate their responses
Vocabulary lists can help with word finding/recall difficulties
|
Give opportunities to discuss what they have seen with an adult or more verbally able peer.
ELKLAN
Talking Tables
|
|---|
| Pragmatic/Social Communication Difficulty |
Check communication - friendly classroom
Provide scaffolding
Try to give the child/young person a routine which they can follow – visual time lines and “Now /Next” board can help to give structure to a school day
Discuss any changes to the routine prior to it happening – back this up with visuals such as a social story
Talking Partners
|
Use social stories to model appropriate social behaviours
Use role play to practice, social skills, imaginary play and turn taking
ELKLAN
Talking Tables
|
|---|
| Speech Sound Difficulty |
Check communication - friendly classroom
Provide scaffolding
Give the child/young person lots of opportunities to hear good roles of the speech sounds they are struggling with
Talking Partners
|
ELKLAN
Talking Tables
|
|---|
For children/young people with higher levels of need the document Activities to Support Communication and Interaction may prove useful.
7.5 Review: Monitoring and Tracking
It is important to establish a baseline assessment of speech, language and communication skills. Tests such as British Picture Vocabulary Scale (BPVS) or Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) could be used to establish a standardised assessment result and support services such as TESS, SALT or EPS could provide advice and/or support for this.
This could lead to a programme of intervention that should be recorded through a provision map, speech and language plan or IEP/Support Plan which enables school to measure the impact of the interventions.
7.6 EHC Criteria
The referral for an Education Health and Care Assessment needs to show evidence of advice sought, acted on and evaluation that demonstrates the need for further intervention and provision.
Children with communication and interaction difficulties will often be identified through the Early Years Pathway. The Code of Practice stresses the importance of early identification, assessment and intervention. Early language difficulties often lead to difficulties with literacy skills, social communication and emotional development.
The needs of children with severe communication and interaction difficulties can only be identified by a detailed assessment of their speech, language and overall communication, cognitive processing and emotional functioning. Communication and interaction difficulties are often a feature of other learning needs and may be considered in other sections of HEFA.
When describing the child's functioning reference should be made to:
- Birth to Three Matters Framework
- Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage
- 'P' Levels
- National Curriculum Key Performance Indicators
For SLCN it is expected that the evidence will include either an EP report and/or SALT report.