1

Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)in a

range of Special Educational Needs (SEN)

By Glenn Major, Communication Adviser

2

I CAN is the children’scommunication charity.

Our mission is that no child should be left out or left behind because of a difficulty speaking or understanding.

33

1. Raise awareness of the importance of children’s communication

2. Provide information about children’s communication development

3. Deliver evidenced-based solutions that help children

4. Run specialist schools for children with complex needs

What we do

4

Output or

expressive

language

skills

Input or receptive language skills

Processing, knowledge

and awareness

The communication chain

Speech, Language and Communication

5

Pragmatics The use of language

(Non-verbal aspectsConversation rules

Register)

SemanticsThe meaning of

language (Vocabulary

IdiomsInference)

FormThe ‘rules’ of language (grammar,

morphology etc)

Speech

(Bloom & Lahey 1978)

5

Speech, Language and Communication

6

Pragmatics The use of language

(Non-verbal aspectsConversation rules

Register)

SemanticsThe meaning of

language (Vocabulary

IdiomsInference)

FormThe ‘rules’ of language (grammar,

morphology etc)

Speech

(Bloom & Lahey 1978)

6

7

10% with

SLCN7% SLI including1% severe and complex

3% as part of other condition

Good language and

communication skills

Difficulties arising from genetic risk factors

Difficulties arising from environmental risk factors

Poor language skills

Between 40 and 50% of children growing up in areas of deprivation are starting school with delayed language (Law, J et al 2011)

Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD)

8

Pragmatics The use of language

(Non-verbal aspectsConversation rules

Register)

SemanticsThe meaning of

language (Vocabulary

IdiomsInference)

FormThe ‘rules’ of language (grammar,

morphology etc)

Speech

(Bloom & Lahey 1978)

8

Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder

9

Pragmatics The use of language

(Non-verbal aspectsConversation rules

Register)

SemanticsThe meaning of

language (Vocabulary

IdiomsInference)

FormThe ‘rules’ of language (grammar,

morphology etc)

Speech

(Bloom & Lahey 1978)

9

Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in Asperger syndrome and autism

10

Pragmatics The use of language

(Non-verbal aspectsConversation rules

Register)

SemanticsThe meaning of

language (Vocabulary

IdiomsInference)

FormThe ‘rules’ of language (grammar,

morphology etc)

Speech

(Bloom & Lahey 1978)

10

Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in Specific Language Impairment (SLI) during primary years

11

Pragmatics The use of language

(Non-verbal aspectsConversation rules

Register)

SemanticsThe meaning of

language (Vocabulary

IdiomsInference)

FormThe ‘rules’ of language (grammar,

morphology etc)

Speech

(Bloom & Lahey 1978)

11

Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in Specific Language Impairment (SLI) during secondary years

12

Pragmatics The use of language

(Non-verbal aspectsConversation rules

Register)

SemanticsThe meaning of

language (Vocabulary

IdiomsInference)

FormThe ‘rules’ of language (grammar,

morphology etc)

Speech

(Bloom & Lahey 1978)

12

13

Positive environment through lots of good quality talk and interaction with the child

Born with genetic make-up enabling the child to be good at language

Whatever the cause, good language skills need ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’

14

Humans have a need to form close bonds from birth

15

‘Sensitive periods’ in early brain development

Binocular vision

0 1 2 3 7yrs

654

High

Low

Habitual ways of respondingLanguage

learningEmotional controlPeer social

skills

Central auditory system

16

Responsive interactions

Still face experiment (film clip)Dr Edward Tronick

17

No responsive interactions?

Depriving children of responsive interactions in first months leads to lasting impact on physical, emotional and language development  

Children who had been reared in a Romanian orphanage (for between 6-30 months after birth):• grew up stunted (typical 3yr old was size of

average 2 yr old)• had extremely low IQs (MLD range)• displayed more behavioral and emotional

problems than children raised by their parents

18

No responsive interactions?Some damage could be repaired once children were put into foster care:• They went through astounding growth spurts• Their IQs improved markedly• Their language skills developed• They became able to express positive emotions• The risk of emotional disorders such as

depression and anxiety were lowered• However, they remained highly prone to

psychiatric and behavioral problems such as aggression and hyperactivity 

Study by Charles Zineah of Tulane University in New Orleans, 2006

19

Secure infants (60%)

Insecure avoidant

infants (20%)

Insecure resistant

infants (15%)

Disorganised infants (5%)

Development of Theory of Mind -

Empathy and understanding of

others

Development of Executive Function ability to focus, plan thinking and actions, and inhibitory control

Development of early language

skills through talk with care-giver

Oral language competence, communication skills, social behaviour, emotional well-being, resilience and school success

Neglectful, withdrawn or

Intrusive, excessively stimulating care giving

Unpredictable and insensitive

care giving

Consistent or inconsistent

danger

20

Secure infants

Insecure avoidant infants

Insecure resistant infants

Disorganised infants

Substantially greater concentration More positive emotions More positive perception of self Greater social competence and

language skills Better performance on achievement

tests Greater school adjustment in general

Unpredictable and insensitive

care giving

Consistent or inconsistent

danger

Neglectful, withdrawn or

Intrusive, excessively stimulating care giving

21

Secure infants

Insecure avoidant infants

Insecure resistant infants

Disorganised infants

• Poor language skills• Hyper-vigilance (can be confused with ADHD)• Problems with impulse control• Fearfulness - basic need for safety not met• Over familiarity with strangers • Depression • Irrationality • Disorganisation • Poor control of anxiety, tendency to catastrophic thinking Problems recognising facial expressions

Consistent or inconsistent

danger

22

Secure infants

Insecure avoidant infants

Insecure resistant infants

Disorganised infants

In addition, these children are likely to• Have substantial problems at school• Were more likely to show extreme levels of

aggression• Were more likely to express substantial fear

and or dysphoria (a feeling of emotional and mental discomfort) miserable-ness

• Poor control of anxiety, tendency to catastrophic thinking

Problems recognising facial expressions

23

Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in Attachment Disorder

23

Pragmatics The use of language

(Non-verbal aspectsConversation rules

Register)

SemanticsThe meaning of

language (Vocabulary

IdiomsInference)

FormThe ‘rules’ of language (grammar,

morphology etc)

Speech

(Bloom & Lahey 1978)

23

24

So what helps children with SLCN?

Changes to the way adults use language and interact with young people who have communication difficulties

25

• Model the correct form of what children say and extend it: Child : she were runnin’ hall’Adult: ‘Okay, she was running down the

hallway’ orAdult: ‘she was running down the hallway

because she was late for her lunch’• Active listening, following the child’s lead.

Understand the world from the child’s point of view (mind-mindedness). E.g. ‘this looks like a really good game, tell me what happens here’

Adult language

26

Adult language

• Speak slightly slower than usual - ‘If people talk too fast and I can’t understand them, it makes me feel stupid’

• Set the scene before going into detail – ‘e.g. last week, we talked about good body language, today we’re going to practise joining in a discussion’

• Give information in small chunks – ‘When people are saying too many things all at once, I try to remember and then forget. Then I get worried about forgetting and panic so I won’t try’

27

Adult language

• Give thinking time when you ask a question – ‘I get muddle up with my words my brain want to say but my mouth don’t. It makes me angry because when you walk away it comes back to you’

• use visual support – spoken words leave little trace so providing visual support (written key word reminders, symbols, a flow diagram, quick doodles to accompany talk, a time line, etc) will make concepts easier to understand and information easier to process and remember

28

Adult language

• Ask the young person to ask questions and tell you when they don’t understand, and reinforce this with praise – ‘e.g. That’s a good question. I bet everyone else wanted to ask that, but only you were brave enough’

• Simplify the grammar and put events in the order they happen – e.g. ‘first we’ll read the story, then remember the new words’ NOT ‘before we read the story, we’ll remember new words

• Write and explain new vocabulary – ‘The worst is when people use big words I don’t know’

29

All sorts of things can get in the way of responsive interactions!

Questions and discussion:Are you aware of

communication difficulties in children you support?

Thanks for taking an interest30

W: www.ican.org.ukE: info@ican.org.ukT: 020 7843 2510

31

Get in touch

W: www.ican.org.ukE: info@ican.org.ukT: 020 7843 2510