SEND Code of Practice
‘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. Children and young people with ASD , including Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism, are likely to have particular difficulties with social interaction. They may also experience difficulties with language, communication and imagination, which can impact on how they relate to others.’ Code of Practice, 6.28. and 6.29.
Children and young people say:
I can’t follow vague instructions and unplanned events are a nightmare.
Ask and listen. Be curious about who I am.
I struggle with strong smells, sounds and lights.
I have worked with the learning support staff to make things easier for myself.
Expressive language
Children and young people may:
- have a limited range of vocabulary
- use shorter, more simple sentence structure
- only talk about the here and now, rather than things in the past or future
- use simpler forms of words e.g. ‘geen’ instead of ‘green’
- swap some sounds e.g. ‘bish’ instead of ‘fish’
- have difficulty responding to the whole of a sentence
Expressive language – tools for identification of need
- Somerset Inclusion Tool (SIT) pupil profile
- School Age Fact File for ages 4 to 19 years old, pages 64, 111 and 124, free to access
- Universally Speaking Checklist for ages 5 to 11 years old, left-hand column, free to access
- Speech Sound Screener takes you to the Children and Young People’s Therapy page where there is a link to the Speech Sound Screener Word document, for ages 3 and over, free to access
Expressive language – what can help
The view of the children and young people around how they feel has been sought in a child-friendly way.
- Close home/setting/parent carer links/relationship (not just ICT based) so that staff are aware of any changes in home circumstances and environmental factors that might impact on progress. Also to ensure that information is shared appropriately
- Refer to p age 65 in the School Age Fact File for strategies and advice for expressive language
- Test of Abstract Language Comprehension TALC 1 – activities to support the development of expressive language
- Cue the children and young people into what you are saying – start by saying their names and checking back for understanding
- Pre Teaching vocabulary for YouTube links for Whole Class demonstration for Year 4 and Year 6 and access to PDF Vocabulary Manual for the explicit teaching of vocabulary, free to access
- Explicit teaching of active listening. Listening to all of the words, looking in the direction of the speaker (not necessarily requiring eye contact) and remaining quiet so other people can listen.
- Simplifying language and giving increased processing time
- Sequential instruction tasks are chunked and visually supported if appropriate using gestures, pictures, and objects of reference (children and young people’s preference at age/stage appropriate)
- Modelling – adults to model and scaffold appropriate language and conversation skills
- Use of tools of communication – for example, objects, objects of reference, photos, symbols, gestures, signing
- Inclusive Communication is a person-centred, holistic approach to developing functional communication, where verbal and non-verbal skills are combined with other ‘tools’ to enable communication, resources are free to access
- Word Aware is an evidence-based approach to improving children’s vocabulary knowledge, at a cost
Receptive language
Children and young people may:
- find it difficult to follow instructions, follow on part of the instruction
- need more time to understand what has been said
- ask questions to clarify and understand
- copy peers
- echo back question or the last part of the sentence they have just heard
- repetition of words or whole phrases from familiar TV programmes, stories and conversations
Receptive language – tools for identification of need
- Elklan Training – Test of Abstract Language Comprehension: TALC 1 (Primary), TALC 2 (Secondary), at a cost.
- School Age Fact File – Somerset NHS for ages 4 to 19 years old, page 121, free to access
- Universally Speaking Checklist for ages 5 to 11 years old, middle column, free to access
Receptive language – what can help
- Refer to page 122 in the School Age Fact File for strategies and advice for receptive language
- Elklan Training – Test of Abstract Language Comprehension: TALC 1 (Primary) – activities to support the development of receptive language
- The teaching of ‘wh’ questions – such as, what, why, who
- Cue children and young people into what you are saying – start by saying their name and checking back for understanding
- Pre-teaching vocabulary for YouTube links for Whole Class demonstration for year 4 and year 6 and access to PDF Vocabulary Manual for the explicit teaching of vocabulary, free to access
- Explicit teaching of active listening. Listening to all of the words, looking in the direction of the speaker (not necessarily requiring eye contact) and remaining quiet so other people can listen
- Simplifying language and giving increased processing time
- Sequential instruction tasks are chunked and visually supported if appropriate using gestures, pictures, and objects of reference (children and young people’s preference at age/stage appropriate)
- Modelling – adults to model and scaffold appropriate language and conversation skills
- Use of tools of communication – for example, objects, objects of reference, photos, symbols, gestures, signing
- Inclusive Communication is a person-centred, holistic approach to developing functional communication, where verbal and non-verbal skills are combined with other ‘tools’ to enable communication, resources are free to access
- Word Aware is an evidence-based approach to improving children’s vocabulary knowledge, at a cost
Social communication
When in different situations and/or with different people, children and young people may:
- find it difficult to take turns in conversations, or listen to others – for example, they may dominate or withdraw
- find it difficult or not want to change the topic of conversation and repair conversation where it goes wrong
- need support to understand, build and maintain friendships
- need support with changes in routine unsettling
- need support to understand/recognise facial expressions, non-verbal cues and prompts and body language
- need support to give context, and detail, adjust speed of speech and tone of voice
- not always ask for help, or feel able to express their needs
- have an increased need for concrete, precise language. For example, someone may misunderstand jokes and sarcasm, idioms, and synonyms
Social communication – tools for identification of need
- Speech, Language and Communication Needs Progression Tools for ages 4 to 10 years old, at a cost, page 22
- Universally Speaking Checklist for age 5 to 11 years old, right-hand column, free to access
- Access to Inclusion’s Autism and Communication Pages – Support Services for Education Social Communication Checklist, for ages 4 years and over, pages 28 to 32, free to access
Listening and attention
Children and young people may:
- have difficulties following multi-step instructions
- not appear to hear
- not understand information
- appear to forget information
- demonstrate dysregulated behaviour – for example, avoidance, disruption, upset, anxiety, withdrawal
- fleeting attention and difficulties sustaining attention
Listening and attention – tools for identification of need
- School Age Fact File – Somerset NHS for 4- to 19-year-olds, page 83, free to access
- Check with the parent carer when the last hearing test was conducted
- Sensory preferences and differences profile/Environmental checklist – looking for potential distractions
- Access to Inclusion – Support Services for Education
Listening and attention – what can help
- Use the School Age Fact File and refer to pages 83, 84 and 85 for strategies and advice for maximising attention and page 122 for strategies and advice for receptive language
- Elklan Training – Test of Abstract Language Comprehension: TALC 1 (Primary) activities to support the development of receptive language
- Cue children and young people into what you are saying – start by saying their names and checking back for understanding
- Explicit teaching of active listening. Listening to all of the words, looking in the direction of the speaker (not necessarily requiring eye contact) and remaining quiet so other people can listen
- Simplifying language and giving increased processing time
- Sequential instruction tasks are chunked and visually supported if appropriate using gestures, pictures, and objects of reference – children and young people’s preference at age/stage appropriate
- Modelling – adults to model and scaffold appropriate language and conversation skills
- Sensory diet and movement breaks may need to be considered, particularly prior to times when there are increased demands placed on the child. Sensory, fidget and fiddle objects – for example, Therabands, peanut balls to sit on instead of a chair
- Consider the seating position of the young person to promote attention and listening/minimise distractions
- If there is hearing loss, the adult (and peers) will ensure they are facing the child, not covering the face amongst other strategies
- Inclusive Communication is a person-centred, holistic approach to developing functional communication, where verbal and non-verbal skills are combined with other ‘tools’ to enable communication, resources are free to access
- Word Aware is an evidence-based approach to improving children’s vocabulary knowledge, at a cost
More information
See our Communication and Interaction – How can I find out more? page for assessments, learning strategies and provisions.