Service specific questions:Secondary Talk
1. What does your service do?
Secondary Talkis an evidence-based school development programme that helps schools make changes to their practice to better support young people's language and communication skills. These are important skills for literacy and social development.
Secondary Talkincludes consultancy, training, coaching, 'what to do' materials, three levels of standards to aim for and validation, in a package that suits the needs of the school. Together these help schools to make sure students have the best communication skills possible and give them the best environment to learn them. This canimprove the behaviour, attainment and engagement of students.
2. Where is it located and what areas does it cover?
Secondary Talk can be delivered anywhere in the UK. So far, 52 secondary schools in England have used the programme. Contact I CAN for information about providers of Secondary Talk training in your local area.
3. Who does your service provide for?
Secondary Talk gives training and support materials for mainstream secondary staff. It will help them to develop their knowledge and expertise inhelping students’ language and communication skills, including 6th form pupils.
The training and support package is also suitable for use in some special schools.
4. How can I start using the service?
Schools can buy Secondary Talk direct from I CAN or use the services of one of our Secondary Talk Licensees who can deliver the programme. Visit for more information or contact us to find details of practitioners providing Secondary Talk training in your local area.
5. How are decisions made about who can use your service?
Schools senior leadership teamsusually decide to buySecondary Talk as part of their drive to improve teaching and learning, particularly where this is related to whole school literacy improvement. Once underway, the programme has the potential to benefit all pupils in a secondary school.
6. How do you communicate with service users and how are theyinvolved in decision making/planning?
Secondary Talk includes a range of ‘pupil voice’ activities so that the pupils are able to tell teachers about what helps them to learn.
The Secondary Talk programme has a chapter called ‘Engaging with Parents to support Speech, Language and Communication’. This chapter gives guidance and tools for schools to use to improve their communication with parents and help them to support the language and communication skills of their children.
7. What training are the staff supporting children and young people withSEND had or are having?
Secondary Talkgives school staff training in speech, language and communication in the secondary years and includes more specific training in key areas of the programme (vocabulary, behaviour, pupil interaction etc.).
8. Who can I contact for further information?
If you, or your child’s school is interested in finding out more about Secondary Talk please contact .
More information is available at
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