Page 34 - SEN106 SEN Magazine May-June 2020
P. 34

Potential signs of DLD at school or college  Schools should refer children with signs of DLD to speech and   language therapy services for an assessment. But what are   the signs to look out for?  Signs of DLD  •  Difficulties learning and remembering new words such   as curriculum subject words. For example, the language   of science and maths can be challenging.  •  Problems with reading comprehension (which can be   masked if the child has good decoding skills).   •  Spoken explanations or written language can be hard to   follow and the child may make grammatical errors.   •  Apparent difficulties with listening or paying attention.  •   Appearing to understand but having difficulties   carrying out instructions, “forgetting” information or not   completing language-based homework tasks.  •  Misunderstandings with peers, for example due to not   understanding the rules of a new game.  •   Frustration, avoidance or withdrawal.  Tips for teachers supporting    children with DLD  Consider spoken communication and written materials   How quickly do you speak and how complex is your language?   Do you explain things explicitly for children who may not “read   between the lines”? Changing our own communication takes   self-reflection, intention to change, feedback from others, and   practice. Professionals are likely to need specific and structured   coaching to make adjustments to their own communication.   Simple changes to the language of written materials may mean   a child can follow instructions and attempt a task rather than   getting stuck interpreting what they are required to do.  Use visual and practical strategies  Consider if the use of visual support or practical demonstrations   can take the place of or supplement spoken instructions.   Provide pictures, symbols or key words on the board for the   children to see and refer back to. Demonstrate activities where   possible rather than relying on wordy explanations. Check   the child has understood by asking them to tell or show you   what they need to do. Most importantly, create a classroom   environment where not understanding is OK, and asking for   repetition or explanation is seen as a positive strategy.  Support language development   Simplification and visual/practical supports for understanding   need to be complemented with methods to purposefully   support and scaffold development at the child’s current level.   Techniques include asking open questions, extending the   child’s answers and modeling language structures using visual   support where possible. Schools need to identify the vocabulary   essential to accessing a topic and provide additional and   explicit teaching of words.  The future for DLD   Given the relationship between language and outcomes for   education, literacy and mental health, it is essential DLD gains   a high level of attention within education. Schools should draw   upon the expertise of speech and language therapists and   specialist teachers, develop expertise within their schools and   develop the knowledge and skills of all teaching staff.  It is encouraging to see the progress made with awareness   of DLD in recent years. Children with DLD deserve our   understanding and schools are increasingly recognising the   relationship between language skills and good outcomes. We   need to keep talking about DLD.   Create a classroom environment   where not understanding is OK  SEN  106  senmagazine.co.uk  34  SLCN  Given that many children will have persistent language   difficulties, we need to consider how we can best   support children from early years to post-16 and   prepare young people for adulthood. I use “five Ss”   to explain five key focuses of speech and language   intervention.  Support for DLD  Five Ss of speech    and language therapy   S  kills  For example, word   knowledge, sentences,   making inferences  S  trategies for learning  learning strategies,   and communication  For example, vocabulary   strategies to use to help   understanding  S  elf-awareness  Supporting the child   or young person   to understand their   difficulties with language   in the context of their   strengths   S  upport  Advice from speech   and language therapists   so parents/carers and   professionals can support   with skills, strategies and   self-awareness   S  elf-advocacy  A focus on skills,   strategies and self-  awareness to help the   child or young person   develop their ability to   self-advocate in relation to   their language difficulties


































































































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