Download What are Speech, Language, and Communication Needs (SLCN)?

Supporting Children with Speech,
Language and Communication
Needs (SLCN)
Monday 21st March
Emily Alderson – Speech and Language Therapist
Aims:
• To gain greater knowledge of what is involved in Speech,
Language and Communication
• To understand the impact of Speech, Language and
Communication Needs (SLCN) on children
• To understand how to support your child’s speech,
language and communication development
What is a Speech and Language Therapist?
What are Speech, Language, and Communication
Needs (SLCN)?
Speech - sounds, voice, fluency
Communication – how
we interact
Language – talking and
understanding
Lots of words
Short sentences
Praise
Grammar
Sentences
w
o
r
d
s
Understanding
Help them listen
Expand sentences
Literacy
Poor social skills
Low attainments
Low motivation
Behavioural issues
Poor understanding
Vocabulary
difficulties
Undetected speech,
language and
Struggles to retell a
communication needs
story coherently
Difficulties with
explaining
Problems
remembering
what people say
Difficulties with
self-organisation and
planning
Poor social interaction
and conversational skills
Understanding of Spoken Language
– How to Help!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Teach core listening skills.
Gain attention before giving instructions.
Repeat instructions.
Use natural, visual cues.
Check understanding of difficult vocabulary.
Check for active listening – ask ‘wh’ questions.
Simplify our language.
Understanding of Spoken Language
- Task
Simplify your language!
1.
2.
3.
4.
Cross out the words you don’t need to say.
Change words to make them easier to understand.
Add pauses where you think they are needed.
Stress the key words.
Use of Spoken Language
- How to Help!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Give time.
Show interest in what is being said not how it is being said.
Model the correct way.
Extend child’s language.
Give children a framework to help organise ideas.
Prompt to help them to remember words.
Encourage gesture / mime.
Use of Spoken Language
- Task 1
“What did you do at school today?”
1. Read your child’s response.
2. Which strategy could you use?
Use of Spoken Language
- Task 2
Model and extend!
1. Read your child’s utterances.
2. Write down how you could model the correct way of
saying them.
3. Remember to extend your child’s utterances by adding
words.
Social Communication – How to Help
REASON TO
COMMUNICATE
COMMUNICATION METHOD
ADULT CUEING
(‘JUST ENOUGH’)
Children need a reason to
communicate; this can be:
 To request something
 To ask for help
 To comment about
something you can
see/hear/smell etc.
 To give information about
something
 To answer a question
 To get someone’s
attention
 To show a sense of
humour or connectedness
with another person
Children need a method to
convey their message
effectively; this can be:
 Knowing what word/s to
use
 Knowing what phrase to
use
 Using a picture to
communicate
 Using a sign to
communicate
 Using non-verbal ways of
communicating (e.g. eye
contact)
The adult can facilitate by
cueing the child in. This
happens ‘in the moment’ by
giving the child just enough
prompting. This can be done
by:
 Verbal prompts (e.g. “say
– I need help)
 Visual prompts (e.g.
modelling a sign or
showing a picture)
 Steps in to give prompting
then steps back to allow
the child to communicate
themselves
Social Communication – Task
• Identify a reason.
• Think about how could you create an opportunity.
• Discuss what method of communication your child
might use.
• What prompting / cues might you give?
Questions
Evaluation
I feel…
I think…
(something you liked about the workshop)
(something you were surprised to learn
or want to know more about)
I will change…
I will take away…
(something you would change about the
workshop)
(something you will do differently tomorrow)