Speech & Language Therapy
Services in Mainstream School
Parent session – Rosendale school
Marie-Therese Worthington, SLT
Aims
• Discuss areas targeted in speech & language
therapy
• Discuss the current service delivery model
• Outline suggestions for how school & SLT
support children’s speech, language and
communication needs (SLCN)
• Give ideas for how to help your child at home
Terminology
Clear speech sounds and fluency
Lots of praise
Expressive Language
Vocabulary, grammar, narrative
Understanding
Lots of modelling
Attention &
Listening
Social
Motivation
Play
SLT service to Mainstream
Schools in Lambeth
• School caseload is allocated number of SLT sessions
based on clinical need
• SLT liaises with SENCo to plan how to use this time.
• SLT programmes set up after: discussion with CT,
discussion with parents, observation & assessment.
• Typically, SLT models activities for teacher/TA to carry
out at least twice a week.
• Schools use teacher checklists to identify children
who need to be referred
From RCSLT position paper
SLT service delivery in Lambeth
Universal Services
Those services that
are available to all
children and their
families
Training
– re
language
development and
environment
Advice Clinics /
Drop-ins that anyone
can attend
Modelling in the
classroom
Targeted Services
Those services that provide
support aimed at particular
groups of children often within
universal settings
Specialist Services
Those specific SLT
services provided for
newly referred children
and those with high-level
needs
Drop-ins
•Assessment
where those on
caseload are invited
IEP meetings
Communication groups /
programmes run by school
staff with SLT support
(Joint working with teachers
around differentiation and
target setting)
(Training aimed at supporting
specific groups of children)
•Reports
(initial, SA2,
annual review)
•Direct therapy (1:1/group)
•Specialist Outreach
(complex needs, ASD)
Why do you need to support your child’s
language development
So your child can:
– Tell you their needs
– Have a conversation with you!
– Understand instructions
– Make friends
– Access the curriculum at school
Parent Child Interaction
• The way adults interact
affects how children
communicate.
• You as the parent or
carer play a key role in
supporting your child’s
thinking and language
development.
Activity 1
Talking about your holiday
To support your child’s
language development you
need to…
STOP
• Stop what you’re doing
and focus on the child
• Give the child time and
space to speak
LOOK
• Look at what your child
is doing and take an
interest in it
• Listen to what they are
trying to say
RESPOND
• Give your child lots of
praise.
• If your child makes a
mistake, model the correct
word/phrase.
• Ask as few questions as
possible.
• Expand their language by
adding new words.
Special Time
Five minutes each day where you give your child
your undivided attention.
During this time:
• allow your child to choose what to play with.
• Follow their lead at all times.
• Comment on what they are doing.
• Have fun!
Play
• Play is essential to your child’s
development
• It is linked to other skills such as language
and thinking
• To develop these skills children need to
have someone to play with
Tips for playing with your child
• It does not have to be expensive or complicated; it’s an
opportunity to get creative!
• Get together lots of different things for your child to look
at, think about and do.
• Give your child plenty of opportunities to use their
bodies by running, jumping and climbing, especially if
you don’t have much room at home.
• Remember ‘Special Time’!
Activity 2
Following instructions
How can you support
your child’s
understanding?
How can you support your child’s
understanding?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Clearly label objects / actions
Use lots of repetition
Show object at the child’s eye level
Speak slowly
Speak at the child’s language level
Use body language, facial expression and
gesture
• Offer choices to your child
Modelling & Recasting
• ppsxfrequentrecasting2.ppsx
Take Home Activity
Pick one strategy we have mentioned today to
help support your child’s language
development.
Practice the strategy at home this week when
playing with your child.
Summary
• Speech and Language Therapists work in
Primary schools with a range of children
• Parents are key in their child’s language
development – STOP, LOOK, RESPOND
• Having Special Time with your child can
promote language development