![Peer Mentoring Project Banner [An advertising banner for the universal services Peer Mentoring Project. Text on banner reads 'Peer Mentoring Project The peer mentoring project supports leaders in mainstream schools that, following an Ofsted inspection have been identified as requires improvement.']](https://asset.nasen.org.uk/styles/1110_auto/public/media/2023-01/Peer%20Mentoring%20Banner_0.png?itok=1vx17qu9)
![Specialist spotlight sessions web advertising banner [banner reads "Specialist Spotlight. Free online discussions. Book Now"]](https://asset.nasen.org.uk/styles/1110_auto/public/media/2023-09/Specialist%20spotlight%20web%20advertising%20banner_0.png?itok=oj9cCLJn)
Communication & Interaction
Within the code of practice, communication and interaction is defined as follows:
Paragraph 6.29
‘Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others. This may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them, or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. The profile for every child with SLCN is different and their needs may change over time. They may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or social communication at different times of their lives.’
Children and young people with ASD, including Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism, are likely to have particular difficulties with social interaction. They may also experience difficulties with language, communication and imagination, which can impact on how they relate to others. Communication and interaction needs could include:
- difficulties with producing or responding to expressive or receptive language
- difficulties uttering speech sounds
- difficulties understanding spoken and other communications from others
- difficulties with understanding age-related social conventions of interaction, such as turn-taking during conversations or appropriate level of physical contact during play
Universal
‘Inclusive education and high-quality teaching for all children in the classroom’
Speech and Language UK website contains a ‘What Works’ section, where practitioners can access up-to-date information on types of universal strategies and their efficacy
The Speech, Language and Communication Framework (SLCF) is a free online professional development tool which sets out the key skills and knowledge needed by the children and young people's workforce to support the speech, language and communication development of all children and young people.
Also of interest is the downloadable ‘Communication Supporting Classroom Observation Tool’ to assess whether classroom provision is supportive of children with SCLN.
The progress checkers will provide short questions a parent or practitioner can answer to see how a baby or child is getting on with their talking and understanding of words.
![Speech and Language UK Logo [black text that reads "Speech and Language UK. Changing young lives." alongside a blue cartoon of a face.]](https://asset.nasen.org.uk/styles/690_auto/public/media/2022-11/Speech%20and%20Language%20UK%20%28small%29.png?itok=DkmbfUl2)
Speech and Language UK
The Autism Education Trust (AET) has a number of useful free resources including the Schools Standards (plus Post 16 and Early Years version) which helps schools to audit their whole school provision for children with Autism.
The Schools Standard Framework is also full of helpful links to resources.
There is also a School Competency Framework to support staff in being skilful and knowledgeable.
The Autism Education Trust (AET)
Targeted
‘Specific, extra, time-limited support in-school for children with additional needs’
Speech and Language UK provide the following resources for targeted provision:
Speech and Language UK website contains a ‘What Works’ database, offering an assessment of approaches suitable for young people with speech, communication and language needs.
Audience: Early years professionals, Primary professionals, Secondary professionals
Universally Speaking is a series of booklets for anyone who works with children and young people. The booklets show where children should be with their communication skills at any given age. Practitioners can use the booklets to find out whether the children you work with are on the right track, what helps them learn to talk and listen and what to do if you have concerns about any of their communication abilities.
Speech and Language UK
The Speech, Language and Communication Framework (SLCF) is a free online professional development tool which sets out the key skills and knowledge needed by the children and young people's workforce to support the speech, language and communication development of all children and young people.
The Progression Tools are not free, but inexpensive photocopiable tools for schools to identify likely SCLN needs in pupils. The tools are in three sets; one for Early Years, one for Primary and one for Secondary. They are based on research with clear information about expected milestones.
Each Tool contains a colour booklet with instructions on how to use it, questions to ask the children, guidance on how to observe their behaviour, and methods to track the results. It also contains black and white versions of the questions and observations sections and the scoring tables for you to photocopy as many times as you wish for the number of children you use the Tool with.
Speech and Language UK cont...
The Autism Education Trust (AET) provide the following resources for targeted provision:
The Schools Standard Framework enables schools to evaluate their practice in addressing the needs of pupils with autism. Teacher Competency Frameworks which offer a personal development framework for practitioners working with pupils in all school settings.
There is also a free Progression Tracker to assess and monitor pupil progress across all settings.
The Autism Education Trust (AET)
Specialist
‘Services offered by external professionals such as occupational therapists, speech and language therapists or health professionals on or off the school site.’
Social Care: The 'What does good look like' guide is a resource for observing in services for people with learning disabilities and/or autism and consists of a booklet and checklist designed for inspectors (e.g. CQC), experts by experience, researchers and other professionals who might need to observe a service for people with learning disabilities and/or autism.
The resource outlines what good practice looks like and provides a set of observable practices that can indicate that a service is implementing person centred approaches such as Person Centred Active Support, The National Autistic Society’s SPELL Framework, Total or Alternative and Augmentative Communication, and Positive Behaviour Support.
