Portland Academy
Communication Policy
Date of policy: March 2015
Date to be reviewed: February 2017
Person responsible: Elaine Dixon and Speech and Language Therapist
Speech and Language Therapist (SLT): Dionne Steadman
Rationale / Aims
Communication is vital to the development of educational opportunity and life skills. We advocate a Total
Communication approach; this means that students and staff are encouraged to use every available form
of communication, with a particular emphasis on what is relevant to individuals. This means in practice that
all students’ communication systems and methods are respected and promoted.
Communication permeates the whole curriculum and therefore every opportunity should be used to
develop pupils’ skills in communication.
Definitions
Augmentative Communication – refers to an approach which is in addition to natural speech
Alternative Communication – refers to an approach which is clearly a substitute for natural speech or
handwriting
Augmentative and Alternative Communication – typically shortened to the term AAC, includes both of the
above definitions.
Curriculum content
Communication is taught formally through the speaking and listening elements of the English Curriculum
(see Literacy Policy).
It is taught through all other aspects of the curriculum through constant reinforcement of a variety of
specialist and individualised approaches such as:
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Visual timetables and supports
Makaton signing
Objects of reference (OoR)
Object cues
TaSSeLs (whole body signs)
PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System)
Colourful Semantics
Communication books
Communication software (Switch it series, Choose it series, Communicate in Print, Symwriter,
Clicker, etc)
Verbalisations
Speech Therapy
Facial expression
Gesture
Low-tech Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCA) (Big Mack, Little Mack, Go Talk, Super Talker,
etc)
High-tech VOCA (DynaVox, iPad, etc)
Environment
Symbols: The school has a site licence for Communicate in Print 2; this should be used to produce Widgit
symbols for PECS, visual timetables, visual supports and labelling of equipment and areas around school,
unless stated by the SLT (some students will require photographs depending upon their level of
discrimination). Room labels around school and lunch time menu board will consist of the written word, a
Widgit symbol and a photograph.
Signing: All staff are to use Makaton signs throughout the school day when communicating with all
students and staff. No other signing system is to be used. We need have a signing environment to
encourage students to use signs to support their expression.
Planning
For planning during English lessons see the Literacy Policy
Support for planning for specific pupils or groups is provided by the Speech and Language Therapist who
also works alongside pupils in classes to develop good practice.
Differentiation is planned for to ensure inclusion of all students e.g. pace, language level, language
content. Communication targets and means of communication in lessons must be planned for and evident
on teacher’s planning
Delivery
The delivery of communication to groups and individuals across school will vary widely depending on
pupils’ needs. Some pupils may require visual support to enable them to access the auditory information
being given, whereas others may require a full multi-sensory approach to gain meaning from the topic or
skill being taught. Pupils’ ability to respond to their experiences and contribute discussions should be
paramount, with methods being taught in a structured way during these sessions. Some pupils may prefer
to communicate using different body parts, with some operating communication aids in this way. Some
may choose to offer pictures or symbols or to use sign language to show their understanding or make
choices. More able pupils should be encouraged to develop their ability to speak to an audience and amend
their language according to the needs of the listener. The speaking and listening element of literacy should
be taught in discrete lessons and across the curriculum to encourage two-way communication and foster a
communication rich environment.
Access to communication systems for individual pupils must be available throughout the day.
Staff must model, encourage and provide opportunities for pupils to use individual communication systems.
Communication throughout the curriculum
Effective communication is a vital component of learning and life and as such is an important aspect of
everything we do within the academy. All teachers are required to include speaking and listening levels for
each pupil in their planning. This information enables teachers to plan appropriate subject activities at the
correct language levels for their pupils. The development of pupils’ communication skills should be central
lessons and a fundamental aspect of the school day.
Assessment and objective setting
The majority of pupils at Portland are working at P-Levels/Milestones or early National Curriculum levels,
with many pupils learning through a multi-sensory approach.
Individual pupil assessment is completed on a daily, termly and annual basis by class teachers through
lesson evaluations, assessment against priority targets, evaluation of medium term plans, photographic
assessments, annual review reports and assessment against PIVATS/Milestones six times per year. All
progress is monitored against each pupil’s own developmental progress and individual objectives are
incorporated into class planning. After the collection of all PIVATS/Milestones scores, school-wide data is
produced and analysed allowing the Literacy Leader to identify pupils who may be underachieving and put
plans in place to support them.
The Speech and Language Therapist completes her own clinical assessments to support class teachers.
Resources and support
A wide range of resources are available on shared work in the Communication folder and from the Speech
and Language Therapist.
Visual supports (timetables, cue cards, etc) can be found on shared work.
PECS books and symbols should be regularly checked, updated and kept in order; this should be done by
classroom staff. PECS symbols should be made using CiP with a grid size of 4x6.
All staff have had intensive Makaton training both in house and through external courses and further
training is on-going. There is a bank of resources designed specifically for Makaton available from the
communication room and new and updated signs are being introduced on a regular basis.
For those students whose communication is supported through intensive interaction, the Speech and
Language Therapist is available to support class staff with recording, assessment and target setting.
Objects of reference, object cues and TaSSeLs will be decided upon by the Speech and Language Therapist
and classroom staff. The Speech and Language Therapist will support staff the implementation of these
systems.
Support is available from the SLT for all aspects of communication development such as:
Training for parents, staff and any other outside agency who supports our students
Suggestions for incorporating AAC into lesson planning, delivery and assessment
Producing resources
The role of the Leader for Literacy
The Literacy Leader across the secondary department is Elaine Dixon. Judith Knox is the Literacy leader
across the 6th form
They are responsible for securing high standards and quality through:evaluating
ving Literacy across the academy.
This will include keeping up to date with current changes in the Literacy curriculum and using this
knowledge to inform practice across the Academy.
The role of the Speech and Language Therapist (SLT)
Identification, assessment, target setting, programme design and review are the responsibility of the SLT.
The school SLT will set targets for each student on their caseload and support staff in their achievement.
The role of school staff
Implementation of a total communication environment is the responsibility of all school staff to enable all
students to practice, reach individual targets and communicate effectively with each other.
It is both the responsibility of the SLT and Portland Academy staff to work in collaboration with parents to
implement individual communication systems and to liaise with any other professional to promote a
student’ communication needs.
Monitoring and evaluation
Literacy Leaders will use the process of self- evaluation to keep records of work completed relating to the
subject improvement plan.
Termly monitoring of medium term planning will take place.
Termly moderation of pupils levels will take place and work from this will be collated
Monitoring of specific pieces of work will take place in staff meetings
Annual monitoring of pupil progress will occur using PIVAT data, Milestone data and information from
accreditation
Documents to be read alongside this policy
Literacy Policy
Teaching and Learning Policy
Quality Assurance of Teaching and Learning
Marking Policy
Assessment, recording and reporting pupil progress policy
References
Chinner, Hazell, Skinner, Thomas & Williams (Eds.) (2001) Developing augmentative and alternative
communication policies in schools.
FINE AAC NETWORK (2008) Developing a Total Communication Environment Policy.
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (2006) Communicating Quality 3.