Issue 30, Pages 12-13: Getting SLCN support right

There is currently a focus on the speech and language skills of children starting school. This is a good thing; these skills are essential for learning, friendships, social interaction, mental health and the development of oracy and literacy. There is considerable evidence of the scale of the problem and there are assessment and intervention tools available that help schools to support children with speech, language and communication difficulties on school entry.

However, as SEND professionals are aware, these difficulties don’t all magically resolve in the school entry year. This is why primary school SLCN support options should be available from school entry to age eleven.

The Speech & Language Link whole school approach is one such integrated option, (created by the publishers of your Link Magazine, who have been helping schools to support speech and language since 2004). Provided as packages covering Infant Language (age 4-7), Speech (age 4-8) and Junior Language (age 7-11) each one contains age-appropriate interventions, one-to-one programmes, standardised or norm-referenced screeners, classroom strategies and unlimited staff training. Available individually or together, the combined cost of all these packages per year is less than a single pupil premium/deprivation grant, and within your school, there are no limits on the numbers of pupils who can be assessed and have interventions provided.

School entry

There are continuing calls for the screening of language on school entry. This approach is facilitated by the school entry screener in Infant Language Link, which identifies those children who would benefit from the in-school strategies and small group interventions provided, and those who should also be discussed with a speech and language therapist where possible. Assessment and interventions for the next two years in school (KS1 in England) are also included, allowing tracking of those identified and further intervention where required. Where a child has a speech sound production problem when starting school the problem may be obvious, but whether it will resolve or need intervention, what can be helped in school and what really needs discussion with a therapist, is often less clear. This is where the Speech Link speech sound assessment and speech programmes can help in the school entry year and beyond.

Through the school

As noted, language problems won’t always resolve in the early and infant years. Further up the school the demands placed on a child’s language also increase, this means a child assessed as not having language difficulties early on may start to experience these later. For these children there is a possibility that the underlying language component of any social and behavioural issues is overlooked. Junior Language Link includes an age-appropriate standardised assessment which looks at the language areas vital in the junior years. Classroom strategies, small group interventions and one-to -one activities to support junior level language are included and of course, staff training in the use of these tools. In the later junior years there are interventions focusing on the language required for the statutory assessments which take place at this time, to help children with language difficulties reach and show their full potential.

Training included

There is no extra charge for training. Each of the aforementioned packages includes all the training needed to carefully deliver the assessment and interventions, record the progress measures and understand the reasons behind what you are doing. This is accomplished through video guides and live termly webinar training. If a member of staff leaves, you can book another onto the webinars, plus our Help Desk and therapy teams are SCAN ME aways available for advice.

Across the school

A ‘whole school approach’ means that school-wide support for language beyond the classroom environment is important. All our language packages come with the Spread the Word pack. This includes posters, stickers and resources with activities suitable for breakfast clubs, breaktime and wet play.

Beyond the school

Every package of our whole school approach includes relevant activities which parents and carers can do with their children to support the schoolbased interventions. In addition, all schools and parents can access our Parent/Carer speech and language portal which can be found at tinyurl.com/yw7xtkd2

Support for you

All aspects of the Speech & Language Link whole school approach are supported by our Help Desk and team of eight speech and language therapists. Real support from helpful people, by phone or email, five days a week throughout the year.

CONCLUSION

Getting SLCN support right in schools is not only about identifying difficulties early but also about providing ongoing, structured, and integrated support throughout pupils’ education. Speech & Language Link offers a whole school approach that aligns with these needs, providing screening, tailored interventions, unlimited staff training, and a supportive community network. http://www.speechandlanguage.link/wsa