Language and Communication

This area is given considerable emphasis. At Stanley School there is a team of five language specialists.

• two speech and language therapists
• a speech and language therapy assistant
• a specialist teacher
• a specialist Learning Support Assistant

Speech and Language therapists specialise in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of all disorder of communication and other associated problems. They are employed by the Health Authority. The therapists see all the children who are statemented as requiring speech and language therapy or any other child referred to the service. They are involved in the planning of appropriate and achievable communication objectives. The assistant works under the guidance of the therapists.

The aims of the language and communication teacher and her assistant are to complement and reinforce the work of the speech and language therapists by looking at communication difficulties in a wider ssense.

The children chosen for extra language and communication teaching are selected by the specialist teacher through discussion with the speech and language therapists, the class teachers and parents, and also through classroom observation and reading pupils' records.

The language and communication teacher contributes to the annual reviews of all the children with whom she and her assistant work to develop communication skills.

In addition she is responsible for the drawing up and implementation of the speaking and listening policy and schemes of work for Stanley School.

How does the team work together?

The team of language specialists work closely together, consulting each other every week about individual children, exchanging ideas, discussing different approaches and sharing resources. They also meet regularly with class teachers to discuss pupils in their class.

They are involved in helping class teachers write the child's speaking and listening IEP and advise on how best to help the child achieve it. An important element of the work of the team is to provide advice for school staff on the use of resources and the environment to encourage children's functional communication in their everyday setting. The members of the team work together with parents and other primary carers to develop the child's communication at home.