Highbury Infant School and Nursery
Supporting speech, language and communication at our school
We have a communication supportive environment which ensures that children’s speech, language and communication skills are planned for and supported throughout the day, it covers three broad aspects:
- The school environment
- The strategies that adults use
- The opportunities that children have to practise and develop their communication skills
In our school environment, you will see:
- Visual timetables and visual cues in the environment (e.g. vocabulary walls, targets/learning objectives written on the board, visual reminders of vocabulary) so that children know what to expect.
- A classroom environment that is not too cluttered and where equipment is clearly marked with a label saying what it is.
- Planned seating arrangements so that children are encouraged to work together and communicate with each other. Children with challenges are sat closer to the front and facing the teacher.
- Additional resources that are available if needed, for example IT software, alternative recording sheets with less information or where less writing is needed, vocabulary lists with visual support, narrative/work planning sheets.
- Managed background noise levels so that children are able to listen and think when needed.
- Labelled resources to help children to be more independent in accessing resources and organising themselves.
- Book corners – these are important throughout children’s education, not just in the early years.
- Clear and consistent routines –which help children to know what to expect and when.
The way adults talk to children can have a big impact on the development of their speech, language and communication skills. Key strategies in our school includes:
- Using visual supports and practical teaching approaches including use of real objects, practical activities, pictures, video.
- Using gestures, pointing, showing and other visual cues to support children’s understanding at the same time as talking.
- Giving children thinking time so that they can plan how they want to respond or plan how to complete a task.
- Giving short instructions in the order that they should be followed (avoiding using terms such as ‘before’ and ‘after’)
Finally, a communication-supportive environment means that our children have lots of opportunities to practise using their speech, language and communication skills throughout the day. These could include:
- Talking partner activities, planned frequently throughout the day so that children have the opportunity to discuss thoughts and ideas with each other before sharing with the wider group.
- Small group activities where children work together and group roles are given to support children to contribute in different ways.
- Group discussion activities where children are supported to discuss ideas as a group. Adults can support children to contribute in different ways by giving children different roles or providing sentence starters and word lists.
- Chances to present or talk to the class as individuals, such as show and tell or projects.
- Trained ELKLAN staff who are able to support individuals or small groups with specific speech and or language targets.
- Teachers and support staff who have had CPD around spotting the signs of speech language and communication needs in our pupils.
If you have any concerns around your child’s speech, language and communication development come and talk to us or start with looking at some of the useful links below.
Links and references
https://www.hct.nhs.uk/children-and-young-people-speech-and-language-therapy-parents
https://www.elklan.co.uk/Training/Parents/
https://speechandlanguage.org.uk/help-for-families/
https://speechandlanguage.org.uk/help-for-families/resource-library-for-families/
https://thrivebyfive.org.au/ideas/
Here is a wonderful Ted talk for those of you with younger children. The power of Peek-a-boo! How every child can thrive by five:
https://www.ted.com/talks/molly_wright_how_every_child_can_thrive_by_five