Teach Primary Issue 18.7

Cate Marsden and Rachel Berry suggest ways to support children with communication difficulties I magine not being able to order your favourite snack, chat to the people around you, or explain why you’re under the weather – because you can’t say the words. This is what school is like for many children with speech and language difficulties. It’s an isolating experience, which can affect a child’s progress, happiness and health. To tackle this issue early, we use a range of strategies that can build children’s communication skills and improve their wellbeing. Nurture friendships Children who have communication difficulties often need a helping hand when it comes to relationship-building. If a child is unable to join in at breaktime or take part in games, they quickly become isolated from the social REACHING out aspect of school. A pupil at one of our schools was situationally mute and couldn’t ask her friends to play with her. So, we made ‘Will you play with me?’ cards, which she could use in the playground. This technique enabled her to join in at playtime and gave a significant boost to her mental health and wellbeing. Support emotional regulation When a child doesn’t know why they are experiencing a particular emotion, it’s hard for them to tell us how they are feeling so we can give them the support they need. It’s particularly useful for us to know if there is a reason for a child’s state of mind. When one pupil was feeling tired and upset, we wanted to find out why. We used Widgit Symbols ( widgit.com ) , which are simple illustrations of concepts, object and ideas – such as feeling afraid or being brave – to help the child explain what had happened. The pupil was able to tell us there had been a flood in the household, which had kept everyone awake at night. Without the symbols, we wouldn’t have been able to provide the right type of support. positive home-school partnerships to reinforce everyday routines. “Some children have become used to using visual timetables at school. These are illustrated boards which help children understand what will happen throughout the day; for instance, a visual for outdoor play followed by another one for snack time, then circle time. “We encourage parents to use this approach at home, too. When one family was having difficulties with their child’s bedtime routine, we helped them make a visual timetable with a symbol for each step including getting changed, brushing teeth, and choosing a bedtime story. The family even edited the timetable to make it personal to the child, with a pink toothbrush and a special toy.” When children feel understood, valued and listened to, they can participate fully in the school day rather than standing on the sidelines. With techniques to help them communicate, children become less anxious and more comfortable, so they can flourish at home and at school. TP Reduce anxiety in lessons Some children find it difficult to communicate orally in a classroom environment, which can hold them back from engaging in lessons. Kim Graham, lead practitioner and specialist teacher at Northumberland High Incidence Needs Team, explains how her team helped a child who was unable to speak in class. “One of our students was experiencing anxiety and didn’t want to be put on the spot with a question, or invited to share his thoughts, but he did want to show the teacher he had understood the lesson. To help the student participate in group learning, we gave him some symbols he could show the teacher to say, ‘I know the answer but please don’t ask me,’ or ‘I don’t understand that part, could you explain it again please?’ Even though the student couldn’t speak in the lesson, he could take part and continue learning.” Work with families Parents and carers play a vital role in helping their child develop communication skills; when schools and families share approaches, children make faster progress, which improves their wellbeing. Robyn McGregor is an autism family support worker for the Northumberland High Incidence Needs Team. She recommends developing www.teachwire.net | 29 F EATURE S S END “It’s particularly useful for us to know if there is a reason for a child’s state of mind” Cate Marsden is director of external partnerships at Woodbridge Trust, Bolton and Rachel Berry is a specialist SEND teacher at Ladywood Outreach.