ICAN, the children’s communication charity, offers help and advice for parents and schools who work with children with (SLI).

According to the charity children with speech and language difficulties are often described as having speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). This is a general term used to describe any kind of difficulties with speech and language. Children might have SLCN for a whole range of reasons, e.g. associated with a learning difficulty or physical difficulty or because their language is delayed.

SLI fits under this umbrella term, but these children have very specific difficulties with language. They don’t have any underlying syndrome, e.g. Down syndrome; or physical needs, e.g. cleft palate; sensory impairments, e.g. hearing impairment; or general learning difficulties. Sometimes children with other conditions such as dyslexia or autistic spectrum disorder, will have language difficulties. These language difficulties may look similar to the difficulties a child with SLI has but they are actually very different.

When children are very young it can be difficult to be sure which type of problem they have.

What schools can do to help

 

ICAN suggests that all schools need to make sure that they provide the best learning environment for children and young people with SLI, regardless of the type of school that they are. This means that they need to make sure they provide a communication-supportive environment.

They need to have the following features that would be considered to be good practice in providing support for children and young people with SLI:

  • Lots of visual support systems to help with understanding. Things like timetables on the wall, targets shown on the whiteboard, picture cards and photos are really good

  • A speech and language therapist who has spoken to the staff in the classroom, to explain SLI and what it means for a child in their school

  • Teaching assistants that have received training from a speech and language therapist to support children with SLI

  • Information is presented in a variety of ways. This means that teaching would include the use of real objects, practical activities, pictures and video

  • Teachers who have received training on how to make the classroom environment – and their own instructions, questions and comments – communication-supportive

  • Lesson planning that includes explicit opportunities to build speaking and listening skills for all children and which incorporates therapy goals for individual children

  • Information that is shared about pupils with SLI between teachers and schools

  • Information given to parents about the way the school supports special educational needs and how to contact people who support their child, like the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)

This text is taken from the SLI handbook.

Go to www.ican.org.uk to read the SLI Handbook for more information about SLI.

Visit www.rcslt.org for more information on SLI.

Written by Rachel Harrison, speech and language therapist, on behalf of Integrated Treatment Services.

 


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