The importance of supporting children and young people s communication skills and what The Communication Trust does to enable this Shona Crichton,

Transcription

1 The importance of supporting children and young people s communication skills and what The Communication Trust does to enable this Shona Crichton, Professional Advisor, The Communication Trust

2 Our vision......is that every child and young person is enabled to communicate to the very best of their ability.

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4 Speech, language and communication are foundation skills Enjoyment Achievement Attainment Literacy Learning Social & Emotional Speech Language & Communication

5 Speech, language and communication Listening and attention LANGUAGE Talking Understanding Words, grammar, syntax, narrative... SPEECH: Using sounds Volume, intonation, fluency... COMMUNICATION Using language to interact with other people Conversations, non-verbal skills

6 Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) Most children follow the expected pattern of development for their speech, language and communication at the expected times. Some, however, do not. These children are described as having speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)

7 Why is it important to be aware of speech, language and communication development and SLCN?

8 SLCN - The scale

9 The scale SLCN is the most prevalent type of SEN in state funded primary schools 31.6% of all state-funded primary school pupils at SA+ or with statements with SLCN. This represents 107,955 pupils The number of pupils categorised by primary schools, with SLCN as a primary need has increased by over 11% since 2012 SLCN is the 4 th most prevalent need in secondary schools - 11% of all state-funded secondary school pupils at SA+ or with statements with SLCN. This represents 25,620 pupils The number of pupils categorised by secondary schools, with SLCN as a primary need has increased by over 5% since 2012

10 The impact Pupils achieving Level 2 or above at the end of KS1: Reading Writing Maths Science SLCN pupils Pupils without SEN 51% 42% 60% 56% 96% 94% 97% 96%

11 The impact Pupils achieving Level 4 or above at the end of KS2: Reading Writing Grammar, Spelling & Punctuation Maths SLCN pupils Pupils without SEN 42% 30% 23% 43% 94% 95% 86% 93% 13.8% of pupils with SLCN gain GCSEs A* - C including Maths and English compared to 60.6% of their peers

12 The impact On behaviour More than 50% of children at risk of exclusion have undiagnosed SLCN On emotional wellbeing and social relationships - Research over many years has found that children who have SLCN are at risk of developing emotional and social difficulties, and sometimes mental health disorders On employability 41% of employers in England report skill shortage vacancies as a result of difficulty in finding employees with an appropriate level of oral communication skills

13 What role does the education workforce play in supporting speech, language and communication development and children and young people with SLCN?

14 What can you do? Include a strong focus on language and communication in your classroom for all Early Identification Early support/intervention 2014 SEND Code of Practice Every teacher as a specialist

15 Communication is crucial for learning Communication is the vehicle for learning and language is the fuel. This means, regardless of what is being taught, every lesson is a language lesson and communication is everyone s business.

16 Communication makes a difference for all - according to research There is a compelling body of evidence that highlights a connection between oral development, cognitive development and educational attainment. National curriculum expert panel The ways in which teachers talk to children can influence learning, memory, understanding and the motivation to learn. Cambridge Primary Review

17 But it can be difficult to spot those who are struggling... Although more children are being identified as having SLCN in primary and secondary schools, under-identification continues to be an issue The statistics that we have around the prevalence of children with SLCN don t match the data from schools

18 What resources are available to help you to prioritise communication and identify and support those who are struggling?

19 Identification

20 Professional Development The SLCF outlines what you need to know and be able to do in order to support children's communication An online self-audit tool which, once completed, signposts to training to help develop skills in specific areas

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22 Intervention The first ever interactive database of evidenced interventions to support positive outcomes in children s speech, language and communication.

23 Developing a whole school approach to communication: Communication Supporting Classroom Observation Tool Developed as part of the Better Communication Research Programme for use in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms, and other Early Years learning environments, by someone other than the adult working with the children Includes 3 dimensions: Language learning environment, Language learning opportunities, Language learning interactions

24 Developing a whole school approach to communication: The Communication Commitment Focuses schools attention on five priority areas: School leadership, Workforce development, Communication friendly schools, Support for pupils with SLCN, Engagement with parent, families and employers

25 Developing a whole school approach to communication: No Pens Day Wednesday No Pens Day Wednesday encourages schools and early years settings to put down their pens and pick up their language by running a day of speaking and listening activities

26 Other resources In house expertise School networks Local services/organisations Other national organisations TCT consortium members

27 Thank you! Any questions?