Communication and Interaction

Supportive strategies:

• Make sure you are face to face when talking to the child/young person 
• Ensure the child/young person has a quiet space to work in with background noise at a minimum 
• Consider groupings with sympathetic/appropriate peers 
• Support to develop peer relationships when intelligibility is an issue 
• Attention/Listening activities – developing skills (see receptive language section) 
• Total communication approach (symbols, Makaton, signs, gestures) 
• A ‘translation list’ of common or helpful words may be useful if people find it difficult to understand when the child/young person says these. 
• Communication book to and from school to share news/important information 
• Modelling (not correcting) – repeat the word back clearly to the child/young person 
• Value contributions made 
• Praise production of targeted sounds
• Allow time to respond
• Oral rehearsing
• Offer a choice/forced alternatives if you are finding it difficult to understand what the child/young person is saying 
• Ask the child/young person to show you or point if you are finding it hard to understand what they are saying
• Have access to sound symbols during literacy activities if a child/young person can’t articulate – point to letters
• Refer to NHS Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) if there are significant concerns about their speech. Consult the 'Typical patterns of speech sounds' before referring.
• If already known to SALT, follow specific programmes and guidance

Supportive strategies:

• Develop child/young person’s letter sound knowledge using a multi- sensory approach (actions, symbols, sand, dough etc) 
• Compound words – (e.g. pancake, what comes first/last) 
• Syllables - clapping
• Initial sound identification
• Final sound identification
• Understanding of first, middle, last sound (language concepts)
• Blending and segmenting CVC and CVCC/CCVC words
• Practise identifying sounds and words that rhyme
• If already known to SALT, follow specific programmes and guidance
• See the Newcastle NHS SALT website for further information and how to refer

Supportive strategies:

• Ensure the child/young person is listening/attending by using their name before giving instruction (eye contact is not essential)
• Appropriate visual support used consistently (e.g. visual timetable, checklist, symbols, red and green board, Makaton)
• Repeat important information highlighting key language
• Checking understanding (e.g. show me/tell me what I asked you to do, traffic light cards, frequent learning check-ins)
• Allow processing time and time to formulate language and responses
• Be mindful of level of complexity and amount of language used (e.g. how many key words, concepts, abstract words are used)
• Chunk instructions to allow time to process each part
• Use explicit, developmentally appropriate language
• Use clear language to express sequences of learning or events (e.g. first and then)
• Avoid use of non-literal language, idioms, sarcasm and metaphors.
• Be mindful of the child/young person’s ability to infer meaning
• Pre-teach vocabulary and concepts to ensure understanding (e.g. knowledge organisers, word banks, word webs, mind maps, new word jar/book)
• Explain when a word has multiple meanings and exemplify
• Encourage the child/young person to recognise when they do not understand and seek help in an agreed way
• Where possible provide instructions to refer back to (e.g. lists, voice recording)
• Refer back to child/young person’s speech and language report where appropriate
• Be mindful of children/young people who speak multiple languages. Explore strengths/difficulties in their home language.
• If already known to SALT, follow specific programmes and guidance
• See the Newcastle NHS SALT website for further information and how to refer

Supportive strategies:

• Give thinking time for the child/young person to plan their ideas and organise the words
• Allow children/young people to rehearse/practise their response to join in class/group activities e.g., talk partners, role-play, supporting adults
• Allow time to respond for children/young people experiencing dysfluency (stammering)
• Use visual clues to help learners to formulate their responses
• If a child/young person makes a grammatical error model the correct sentence (repeat, extend, rephrase as necessary)
• Pre-teach key vocabulary and encourage its use, display key vocabulary to support expressive language
• Encourage them to explain the meaning of targeted words (e.g. word webs)
• Encourage them to request the first sound of the word or describe it if they are unable to retrieve it
• Use visuals and resources to develop their narrative skills (e.g. cue cards or narrative planner – who, where, when, what happened)
• Encourage them to think about what the character might be thinking or feeling
• Encourage use of alternative and augmentative communication methods (e.g: Makaton) • Consider staff training (e.g. ELKLAN, Makaton, TalkBoost)
• For information on selective mutism see the SEMH section
• If already known to SALT, follow specific programmes and guidance
• See the Newcastle NHS SALT website for further information and how to refer

Resources:

• TalkBoost
• Black Sheep Narrative Programme
• Word Aware

• AFASIC (speech impaired children)
• British Stammering Association
• Inclusive.co.uk (Talking buttons)
• NAPLIC (language impairment)
• RADLD (Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder)
• Newcastle NHS Speech and Language – referrals and information
• Speech and Language UK 
• Speech Link
• Talking Point
• Speech and Language UK The Communication Trust