Working with the Speech and Language Therapist at Primary Level

1. Working with the Speech and Language Therapist at Primary Level Jeanne Reilly Speech and Language Therapist Helen Arkell Centre Southampton Conference May 2007 JR/HADC/07 Working alongside teachers in the classroom and in school through career. Already doing a good job to support children because you are here, open mind.Working alongside teachers in the classroom and in school through career. Already doing a good job to support children because you are here, open mind.

2. How do you work with the Speech and Language Therapist? Face to face On the phone Report or written advice Practical resources Long wait for help You haven�t got one! WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE? Have you wowrked out the best way to work with the Therapist? Listening and talking groups Demonstration days Inservice Have you wowrked out the best way to work with the Therapist? Listening and talking groups Demonstration days Inservice

3. What children say �Sometimes my words are a bit wobbly� �My mouth said �juggle� when I wanted it to say �jungle�.

4. What children say �I can�t actually find it � I lose it whenever I think of it.� �My brain�s full.� �After this day backwards one.� (yesterday)

5. Language & Communication �Children who are unable to communicate effectively through language � are further handicapped socially, educationally and, as a consequence, emotionally.� Byers-Brown & Edwards 1989

6. Language and Literacy �Children with dyslexic difficulties often have associated speech and language problems. ��.� Quote: Joy Stackhouse 1996, in Snowing and Stackhouse Written language spoken language interface Quote: �Dyslexia, Speech and Language� Whurr Written language spoken language interface Quote: �Dyslexia, Speech and Language� Whurr

7. Language and literacy �It is therefore not surprising that young children with speech and language problems are at risk for later literacy difficulties.�

8. Shared skills between teachers and therapist How children learn Social and emotional issues Communication Memory Vocabulary Phonological awareness

9. Help with Speech and Language.Where should the focus be? Often focus on what we hear or see the child do, when it is the understanding of language which is the real difficulty.

10. Early language problems Bishop: 40% of language problems at 4 years resolved half way through 5th year.

11. Risk If language problems persisted at 5 years, high risk of problems at 10 years

12. Clues to language difficulties. Is he angry because he can�t do it? Does he fight as a way of communicating, getting back at teasing, because he is frustrated. Is he the class clown which diverts attention from his terrible feelings of failure? Is the quiet withdrawn child who cannot describe what the problem is and what he wants to do about it? Is he angry because he can�t do it? Does he fight as a way of communicating, getting back at teasing, because he is frustrated. Is he the class clown which diverts attention from his terrible feelings of failure? Is the quiet withdrawn child who cannot describe what the problem is and what he wants to do about it?

13. Later consequences Cohen (1998) 40% of children aged 7-14 who were described as �aggressive delinquent� behaviour had undetected Speech and Language difficulties. Not to say that the speech and language problem was the only reason for the aggressive behaviour EXCLUDED CHILDREN? WHAT OF THEIR COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS?Not to say that the speech and language problem was the only reason for the aggressive behaviour EXCLUDED CHILDREN? WHAT OF THEIR COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS?

14. Speech, language and communication difficulties Child might: not take part in class discussion get very little done in class not understand all that is going on have poor speech sounds act immaturely have other difficulties besides speech and language Other difficulties: Social emotional Other difficulties: Social emotional

15. What�s the problem? - 1 �He needs to speed up as he finds it hard to finish work in the allotted time� (Organising ideas?) �She struggles with vocabulary� (Vocabulary and concepts?) Teachers have written these comments and these are good clues to look for in your description to think again as to what may be happening that you havenot considered.Teachers have written these comments and these are good clues to look for in your description to think again as to what may be happening that you havenot considered.

16. What�s the problem? - 2 �She�s a good reader compared to her written work.� (thinking and organising) He disrupts others in literacy (organisation, self esteem)

17. What�s the problem? - 3 �When problems are too word centred he cannot work out what to do.� (vocabulary, organisation) �He must make every effort to listen carefully so he can follow the instructions.� (listening and vocabulary)

18. Listening and UnderstandingSkills: Listening and Attention Phonological Awareness Memory Vocabulary and Concepts Understanding Communication Input, understanding, comprehensionInput, understanding, comprehension

19. Thinking and SpeakingSkills: Thinking of ideas Organising ideas Finding the right words Speaking in sentences Speaking clearly Thinking and speaking in conversation Expression, talking and writingExpression, talking and writing

20. Thinking If a child can�t think it, he won�t be able to say it, and consequently he won�t be able to write it. Thinking is turned into words, thinking and organisation are linkedThinking is turned into words, thinking and organisation are linked

21. Listening and AttentionA Key Skill at Primary level

22. Attention attention is like the conductor of an orchestra who .......controls a vast number of �thinking players,� Mel Levine

23. Good listeners: Look Listen Understand Have good short-term memory

24. Poor listeners: Don�t know what to listen to. Don�t know who to listen to. May not make eye contact Easily distracted. Unhappy and bewildered.

25. Listening and Attention Strategies to help: Think of ways to make the class quiet. Get eye contact before you speak. Tell the child what to listen out for. Write important words in different colours. Ignore minor fidgeting. Let the child sit comfortably. Those with Speech and Language Difficulties will find it very hard to impossible to sift through noise to �hear� what is relevant to them, COMPREHENSION is compromised. Telling him why he must listen can turn up the ATTENTION, and MOTIVATION � gives him time to get ready to use a STRATEGY More ,movement and breaks �VERY IMPORTANT Nicky - said that she now is much more tolerant of the child fidgeting at the back. ACTIVITY - in the room, what are the noises in and around the room? Identify them and write down how many there are. Which ones are constant, which come and go? Which are loudest? Which are closest? Which ones annoy/distract interfere with thinking? Which ones are the important ones to pay attention to? How do we come by this information? How much is now subconscious? Which ones over time will you ignore. Thinking about your classroom. Oliver C who said how he found my lesson at 3.45 fine to concentrate on for 1 hour, because he did not have to compete with the other noises in school and what a relief it was. Those with Speech and Language Difficulties will find it very hard to impossible to sift through noise to �hear� what is relevant to them, COMPREHENSION is compromised. Telling him why he must listen can turn up the ATTENTION, and MOTIVATION � gives him time to get ready to use a STRATEGY More ,movement and breaks �VERY IMPORTANT Nicky - said that she now is much more tolerant of the child fidgeting at the back. ACTIVITY - in the room, what are the noises in and around the room? Identify them and write down how many there are. Which ones are constant, which come and go? Which are loudest? Which are closest? Which ones annoy/distract interfere with thinking? Which ones are the important ones to pay attention to? How do we come by this information? How much is now subconscious? Which ones over time will you ignore. Thinking about your classroom. Oliver C who said how he found my lesson at 3.45 fine to concentrate on for 1 hour, because he did not have to compete with the other noises in school and what a relief it was.

26. Memory, organisation and language Child: Poorly organised Forgets homework and belongings Confused about time and sequences Can�t remember instructions Can�t repeat information

27. Helping Memory and Organisation with Language Talk Make links Record information, write, draw, act it out �Memory is primarily a process of making links, connections and associations between new information and existing patterns of knowledge.�Memory is primarily a process of making links, connections and associations between new information and existing patterns of knowledge.

28. Organising ideas Making sense of the world Memory Planning for thinking talking writing Without organisation, planning cannot occur and memory is compromisedWithout organisation, planning cannot occur and memory is compromised

29. The National Literacy Strategy Year 2, Term 1, Text level, Writing composition Objective 11 �to use the language of time to structure a sequence of events, e.g. �when I had finished��, �suddenly��, Now have to put organised ideas together in a cohesive way using appropriate language. A HUGE TASK.Now have to put organised ideas together in a cohesive way using appropriate language. A HUGE TASK.

30. Time and organisation Specific: On Friday tomorrow yesterday the next one January at 4 o�clock last week Non Specific: soon/later Once upon a time then in a while in the summer at some stage at the weekend Days Weeks Months seasons Words, ago a year, before, afterDays Weeks Months seasons Words, ago a year, before, after

31. National Literacy Strategy Year 4, Term 1 Word level, vocabulary extension objective 11 �to define familiar vocabulary in their own words, using alternative phrases and expressions�

32. Sophie, Age 7 Poor at expressing ideas. Limited vocabulary. Very little written work produced. Reading OK. Weak attention.

33. Sophie - how to help Talk through the work/story. Ask lower order questions. Offer vocabulary and write it down. Talk through how to organise he vocabulary and ideas. Make a plan with her.

34. Questions Lower Order What? Where? When? Who? How many? What does it mean. Higher Order Why? How do you know? What reasons? Can you think of another solution? What do you think?

35. Tim, Age 9 Clumsy, poor pencil control Speech problems Reading average can�t decode words Good vocabulary High non-verbal skills Dyspraxic Very anxious, Speech therapy not available for his speech problems Knows he has problems and sensitiveDyspraxic Very anxious, Speech therapy not available for his speech problems Knows he has problems and sensitive

36. Tim � how to help Focus on his language strengths (vocab and knowledge) Teach spelling through meaning, not decoding. Scribe for him when possible. Teach touch typing. Let him use PC to create work. Spelling will be a problem as will speech � dyspraxic speech and general Handwriting a real hang up so relieve the pressure by finding other ways of helping him to record is ideas, drawing pictures not the answerSpelling will be a problem as will speech � dyspraxic speech and general Handwriting a real hang up so relieve the pressure by finding other ways of helping him to record is ideas, drawing pictures not the answer

37. Why? Family history Hearing problems Pregnancy and birth trauma Childhood illness Childhood trauma Lack of stimulation Don�t know

38. Conversation

39. Conversation A social activity Listening, understanding, thinking and speaking all at once. Sticking to the topic Finding the words Adapting to the audience Non-verbal clues.

40. Helping conversation Improve the individual skills. Practise in a safe environment. Make expectations very clear.

41. Ask the Speech and Language Therapist to: Explain the tests used. Demonstrate an activity Organise a group e.g. vocabulary, listening, conversation Do an in-service Talk at a staff meeting Suggest a resource/book Advise on any speech articulation problem.

42. Finally Speech, language and communication supports thinking & literacy. Understanding before expression. JR/HADC/2007