Speech and Language Interventions
Early Narrative Group
This group comprises six weekly sessions (each lasting approximately 30 minutes). Each session follows a structured format (listening activity, narrative element – activities to support narrative element using rhymes and stories). Homework is included.
Identification of children for intervention:
- Children who have been identified as having delayed language
- Need help understanding instructions
- Have limited expressive language
- Have limited attention and listening skills
Language and Listening Group
This group comprises 10 sessions (each lasting 35 – 40 mins). The group aims to help children develop their listening skills (2 sessions), early phonological awareness skills (2 sessions) and early narrative skills (6 sessions).
Identification of children for intervention:
Children who have been identified as having delayed language and listening skills. They may:
- Struggle to sustain attention at group times
- Flit between activities
- Fiddle and fidget
- Require instructions to be given individually or repeated
- Struggle to express themselves
Word Finding Group
This group aims to teach children strategies for remembering and accessing vocabulary. The sessions focus on strategies involving both semantics (meaning) and phonological awareness (sounds). The group sessions are centred around the ‘word wheel’ with activities that look at vocabulary in terms of: functions, properties, location, category, syllables and initial sounds. The group runs for 6 sessions, each lasting 60 minutes and is suitable for children in both KS1 and KS2. This intervention supports children’s learning of vocabulary across the curriculum.
Identification of children for intervention:
Children who:
- Struggle to learn and/or remember vocabulary
- Struggle to express themselves fully
Learning To Listen Group
This comprises 10 sessions (each session lasting about 40 – 45 minutes) of activities to help children develop their listening skills. This group is most suitable for Reception and lower ability Year 1. The sessions target a variety of attention and listening skills, including awareness of environmental sounds, sound location, sound recognition, sound matching, sequencing and sound discrimination. This intervention will enable children to better access all areas of the curriculum, in particular literacy.
Identification of children for intervention:
Children who:
- struggle to sustain attention
- Flit between activities
- Struggle to complete work independently
- Require instructions to be given individually or repeated
- Fidget and fiddle
Getting Ready To Read Group
This group is aimed towards Year 1 and less able Year 2 children. The phonological awareness group follows a developmental approach to teaching core skills required to develop literacy. Awareness of syllables, rhyme, onset and rime, and alliteration are all covered in the 9 sessions of the group and each session lasts 45 minutes. The sessions use an auditory, visual and oral approach and little emphasis is placed on the children needing to read or write in the sessions themselves. This intervention will enable children to better access all areas of the curriculum, in particular literacy. This is a good foundation for direct phonics.
Identification of children for intervention:
Children who are struggling to acquire early literacy skills
Narrative Group
This group aims to teach children the concepts involved in story telling. These include: the question words who, where, when, what happened, and the concept of an ending. Packs are available, to order, for nursery (20 sessions), reception (18 sessions) and KS1/KS2 (8 sessions). This intervention takes a multi-sensory approach including symbols, signs, colour coding and the written word. There is a progression from looking at each concept in isolation to integrating the concepts. Children are supported firstly to retell stories and then begin to generate their own. Each session lasts between 30 to 45 minutes and is suitable for children in the Foundation Stage, KS1 and lower ability KS2. This intervention supports children with a wide range of language learning difficulties.
Identification of children for intervention:
Children who:
Struggle to learn and/or remember vocabulary
- Struggle to express themselves fully
- Struggle to sequence their thoughts and ideas
- Have jumbled sentence structure
Lego Therapy
This is a Wave 3 group intervention package.
This group aims to develop children’s social interaction and communication skills with their peers. Lego Therapy comprises weekly sessions lasting approximately 45 minutes. The group is most suitable for KS2, but can be adapted for use in KS1. The sessions encourage children to work together to build a Lego model. Each child is given a specific role for each session and a target to focus on. Working together within their defined roles requires children to practice using a range of communication skills, such as looking and listening to others, giving clear and accurate instructions, negotiating with others and turn-taking.
Identification of children for intervention:
Children who:
- Have a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Aspergers Syndrome.
- Have Specific Language Impairment (SLI) affecting their social communication skills.
- Have good social communication skills and can act as positive role models
Social Communication Skills Group – KS1
This is a Wave 3 group intervention package.
This group aims to develop children’s social interaction and communication skills with adults and their peers. The skills focused on in the group sessions include looking, listening, sharing, turn taking and asking for help. The sessions initially focus on developing the social communication skills within a small adult led group setting and then move towards generalising these skills into the class room, playground and at home. The group comprises 6 sessions each lasting 40 minutes and is suitable for children across KS1. This intervention supports children’s integration within the classroom and school life.
Identification of children for intervention:
Children who:
- Have a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Aspergers Syndrome.
- Have Specific Language Impairment (SLI) affecting their social communication skills.
- Are quiet/passive social communicators
- Have good social communication skills and can act as positive role models
Social Communication Skills Group – KS2
This is a Wave 3 group intervention package.
This group aims to develop children’s social interaction and communication skills with adults and their peers. The skills focused on in the group sessions include: listening and turn-taking, self-awareness, initiating and maintaining conversation, and increasing self esteem. The sessions initially focus on developing the social communication skills within a small adult led group setting and then move towards generalising these skills into the class room, playground and at home. The group comprises 9 sessions each lasting 60 minutes and is suitable for children across KS2. This intervention supports children’s integration within the classroom and school life.
Identification of children for intervention:
Children who:
- Have a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Aspergers Syndrome.
- Have Specific Language Impairment (SLI) affecting their social communication skills.
- Are quiet/passive social communicators
- Have good social communication skills and can act as positive role models