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Lincolnshire Parent Carer Forum have many fantastic workshops which are often free to members. These currently include 'Juggling the Joys of Parenting', 'Promoting Positive Behaviour' and Wellbeing workshops.

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Lincolnshire Parent Carer Forum is the official independent parent carer forum in Lincolnshire, seeking to represent parents and carers of children with disabilities and Special Educational Needs (SEN).

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Find out more about how Billingborough Primary School identify, monitor and support children with SEND.

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Times table games

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At timestables.co.uk you can easily practise all of your tables. The arithmetic problems are clear and simple so you can immediately get started on practicing your tables. Select one of the times tables you wish to practise from the list below and show what you can do on the speed test, Multiplication Tables Check or printout great worksheets.

Choose the table you want to practise from the following. First you can practise the times tables in sequence and once you have got the hang of that you can practise all the sums in random order for each table. If you have forgotten any answers, just go back to the 'all tables in sequence' page and practise them again thoroughly before trying again.

Once you have got the hang of a number of tables you can select the speed test and choose the tables you want to practise getting quicker at. If you make a mistake, you came see what the right answer is at the end of the test. This will help you learn all of your tables. The speed test is good practise for getting your tables diploma. On the tables diploma the questions are a bit quicker than on the speed test, but if you get all of them right you will get your tables diploma. There are two tables diplomas. The little diploma is made up of 30 questions. Your little diploma shows you can do the 1,2,3,4,5 and 10 times tables. For the big tables diploma you are given 40 questions which include all the tables from 1 to 12.

Learn the times tables in an interactive way with the free math times tables games KS2 and KS1. The game element makes it even more fun learn.

Practise your times tables

Here you can find additional information about practicing times tables at primary school. The 1 times table, 2 times table, 3 times table, 4 times table, 5 times table and 10 times table are usually the first times tables which have to be learned. The 6 times table, 7 times table, 8 times table, 9 times table, 11 times table, 12 times table and of course all the tables in random order are the next step. This is part of KS1 and KS2.

New is the Multiplication Tables Check, this is a key stage 2 assessment to be taken by pupils at the end of year 4, from the 2019 / 2020 academic year onwards. With this check there are asked 25 questions on the times tables 2 to 12.

Not every child finds it easy to learn all the tables, so it is a good idea to keep on practicing them regularly after year 5. There are a few tricks which make it easier to learn the tables and continue to master them, such as putting the smallest number first, which makes it easier for many children to answer correctly. For example 4 x 9 is easier to work out than 9 x 4. Switching the multiplication sum around makes it easier to answer. What also often helps is to use the tables you know well for answering the sums in the more difficult tables. One example of this is 6 x 7, which is often said to be tricky. If you do 5 x 7 first and then add 1 x 7 it is suddenly easier to answer. You can do this the other way round too. For instance with 4 x 7 you can do 5 x 7 first then subtract 1 x 7.

Why do we put so much effort into learning tables? Well, the times tables keep on coming up in the next primary school years and even when you're at secondary school. You don't see them as tables, but as part of bigger mathematical problems. And it isn't only at school, but in your everyday life it is useful to know your times tables well so you can quickly work things out, for instance when you are buying or selling vegetables on the market. If you have any questions, comments or ideas for timestables.co.uk, please use our contact form. We'd be glad to hear from you.

The 5-step plan

Learn the times tables with the 5-step plan. We developed an innovative five step plan to help pupils learn the times tables in an effective and efficient way. This method has been tested at several schools and is recommended by teachers.
The steps are:

Step 1a: View, read aloud and repeat. To get familiar with the table.

Step 1b: Fill in your times tables answers in sequence and check if you got them all right.

Step 2: Drag the correct answers to the questions.

Step 3: Fill in your answers for the mixed questions and check if you got them all right.

Step 4: Multiple choice questions will help you to improve by looking at the questions in a different way.

Step 5: Proof your knowledge and get the diploma.

When you finished the 5 steps you can play the memory game or exercise with the worksheet. Other way to train more are with the tempo test, the 1 minute test or to play the times tables games.

We advise to exercise daily for 15 minutes for maximum result.

Practise your times tables online

Times tables are important and there are not many places where you can learn them quickly and easily, so we have come up with timestables.co.uk! Practicing your tables online is really easy at timestables.co.uk. The times tables games are clear and simple so you can get started right away. Click on one of the tables to get started right away. Fill in the answers in the lines and when you've finished, click on 'check'. You will see right away which answers are correct and which are incorrect. You can also practise different times tables in one exercise so you can test whether you know them all and yu can also look at the times table grid or times tables worksheets.

You can also practise the tables interactively with the free multiplication games. On the times tables games page we now have an answer-dragging game and a table balloons game.

Times tables form the basis for the calculations that you do in the following years, so it's important that you fully understand them.

Do you want to practise more math? Go to Mathdiploma.co.uk - Here you can practise addition, subtraction, multiplying, dividing and a lot more!

We also have a fraction website! On Fractionsweb.co.uk are lots of exercices about simplifying, adding, subtracting, dividing and multiplying fractions. There are fraction games, worksheets and 5-step plans!

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Times tables games - Learn them all here!

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Come and learn here all times tables with the 5-step plan. Improve with the speed test, times tables games, Multiplication Tables Check, worksheets and get the diploma.

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A different way of learning times tables.

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Many children find it hard to learn their times tables. This book makes it really fun, by teaching the times tables through stories that have been specially developed with visual learners in mind. Recommended for ages 5+

Traditionally, children have been encouraged to learn times tables by rote. And while some children are able to learn their times tables with ease, many others struggle. This can have a devastating effect on a child's learning, often translating into a mistaken belief by the child that they are not good at mathematics.

Written by Jessie Wilson and first published in 2017, Times Fables® is an award-winning right-brain system that helps children memorise times tables with ease. Inspiration for the book came when the author was trying to teach her daughter her times tables. Thinking back to her own school days, she recalled that her 'favourite' multiplication was 7 times 8. Why? Because she lived in house number 56. A lightbulb went off in her head, and she started wondering if the solution to her daughter's times tables woes might be as simple as adding some memory "pegs" to the multiplication facts to aid recall. And with this, Times Fables® was born...

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Times Fables: Learn your times tables in as little as a week [3rd Edition]

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Many children find it hard to learn their times tables. This book makes it really fun, by teaching the times tables through stories that have been specially developed with visual learners in mind. Recommended for ages 5+

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Lumi Nova: Tales of Courage

A therapeutic digital intervention (game) for childhood anxiety: For 7-12 year olds (facing difficulties with anxiety) Therapeutic basis: Psychoeducation and Exposure therapy Embedded outcome measures Built in safeguarding & accessibility features Provides data to Authorised Professionals securely through the VitaMind Hub Available on Android and iOS Co-created with young people, guardians, teachers, clinicians, academics, game experts Lumi Nova does not require constant clinical supervision.

Lumi Nova: Tales of Courage

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A therapeutic digital intervention (game) for childhood anxiety:

For 7-12 year olds (facing difficulties with anxiety)

Therapeutic basis: Psychoeducation and Exposure therapy

Embedded outcome measures

Built in safeguarding & accessibility features

Provides data to Authorised Professionals securely through the VitaMind Hub

Available on Android and iOS

Co-created with young people, guardians, teachers, clinicians, academics, game experts

Points of use:
Lumi Nova does not require constant clinical supervision.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE

Lumi Nova: Tales of Courage is a digital therapeutic that helps with the symptoms of worries or anxiety for children aged 7-12 years with mild to moderate needs, helping them learn skills to self-manage their worries/anxiety in an engaging intergalactic adventure game (app).

This app facilitates CBT (including psychoeducation and exposure therapy) recommended as a treatment intervention by NICE Anxiety disorders Quality standard and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of anxiety disorders.
Lumi Nova is not intended to be used by:

1. Young people who do not have parental or carer supervision

2. Young people who are currently experiencing suicidal thoughts or are at risk of self harm

3. Young people that have severe anxiety or are in crisis

4. Young people with severe mental health symptoms or diagnoses, who are not supported by a healthcare professional.

READ FULL INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE

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A therapeutic digital intervention (game) for childhood anxiety: For 7-12 year olds (facing difficulties with anxiety) Therapeutic basis: Psychoeducation and Exposure therapy Embedded outcome measures Built in safeguarding & accessibility features Provides data to Authorised Professionals securely through the VitaMind Hub Available on Android and iOS Co-created with young people, guardians, teachers, clinicians, academics, game experts Lumi Nova does not require constant clinical supervision.

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A fantastic book about neurodiversity - great for adults and children to read.

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Louise Gooding (Author), Ruth Burrows (Illustrator)

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Wonderfully Wired Brains: An Introduction to the World of Neurodiversity

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Buy Wonderfully Wired Brains: An Introduction to the World of Neurodiversity by Gooding, Louise, Burrows, Ruth (ISBN: 9780241568163) from Amazon’s Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

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Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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Skip to content

We give families the confidence and skills to help their children. If you're concerned about your child's speech and language development, we can help.

We know that it can be hard to know where to start if you are worried about your child's development. If you think your child is having challenges with talking and understanding words, we are here to help you.

Our free resources and services can help with understanding what to look out for, how to get support and even some simple ways you can help your child at home.

Our progress checker will provide short questions you can answer to see how your baby or child is getting on with their talking and understanding of words.

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Help for families - Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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We give families the confidence and skills to help their children. Access our free resources and learn more about ways to encourage children's speech and language development.

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An informative with information to help support a child with dyslexia.

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An explanation of what social stories are and an example of a social story for a day out.

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Social stories can help neurodiverse children understand an event or situation. Here’s how to create your own social stories for days out.

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The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting: Strategies and Solutions (Therapeutic Parenting Books)

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Buy The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting: Strategies and Solutions (Therapeutic Parenting Books) by Sarah Naish (ISBN: 9781785923760) from Amazon’s Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

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This website has a lot of information about what dyslexia is and what it isn't, as well as a what it feels like to have dyslexia.

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Dyslexia and SPLD - Louise Selby Dyslexia Specialist

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The word dyslexia has its roots in Greek. “Dys” means difficulty, while “lexia” means words or language. Many people think it is a difficulty with reading,

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What is dyscalculia? This video clip explains what dyscalculia means.

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What's the definition of dyscalculia? Watch as an expert explains what dyscalculia means and how it impacts children.

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A glossary of SEND language.

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Making sense of SEND language – a glossary

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Make sense of the different terms and acronyms used when discussing special education needs and disabilities with our SEND glossary.

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Since 2016, this group of young people, ages 15-25, have shared their voices and lived experiences to steer, influence and advise the work we do. As well as advising on AET materials and strategy, Panel members speak at events, co-deliver training and support autism education networks.

Find out how this group of young people are supporting, co-producing and advising the AET.

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Helping you support autistic children and young people since 2007

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Our services :: Lincolnshire Children’s Therapy Services

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Each child is unique and individual, and will develop skills at different rates. If your child is having difficulty developing certain skills they may benefit from specialist assessment, support and advice from our service.

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Guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, from 1 September 2014.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

This statutory code contains:

details of legal requirements that you must follow without exception

statutory guidance that you must follow by law unless there's a good reason not to

It explains the duties of local authorities, health bodies, schools and colleges to provide for those with special educational needs under part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

The code, which applies to England, is for:

headteachers and principals

governing bodies

school and college staff

special educational needs (SEN) co-ordinators

early years providers

other education settings

local authorities

health and social services staff

Other SEND guides are also available.

Thank you for your feedback

Report a problem with this page

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Guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, from 1 September 2014.

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Skip to content ↓

Different Together

Unique Together

Working Together.

Inclusion for Children & Young People in Lincolnshire

The Working Together Team is a National Autistic Society Advanced Status Accredited Service. We advocate best practice and provide specialist support to empower mainstream settings to ensure autistic children & young people thrive through collaborative working with families and professionals.

3 Key Areas of Difference

​​​​​​​

Social Understanding and Communciation

Differences in understanding social behaviour and the feelings of others, which informs the development of friendships and relationships.

Flexibility, Information Processing and Understanding

Differences in perception, planning, understanding concepts, predicting, managing transitions, passions for interests, and ability to absorb auditory or spoken information.

Sensory Processing and Integration

Differences in perceiving sensory information. Hypo, hyper, touch, sight, hearing, small, castle, vestibular inner ear and proprioceptive.

The young person is at the heart of every decision. This is evident from the very start of the referral process through to supporting settings to embed person centred strategies that enable autistic young people to succeed in mainstream school settings.

NAS Accreditation Review Team

It was a real privilege to be on the course and have the support my family have received from the team. Thank you.

Parent on Teen Life Course

Thank you all again for the programme. I really enjoyed it and found it so helpful, I'd go as far as to say life changing!!

Parent on Teen Life Course

A really engaging and inspiring session. It was great to see and hear so much passion for inclusion

School leader

X from WTT especially explained Autism perfectly and of all the training I have done over the years, I feel I came away having learnt and understood so much and can't wait to share with my colleagues.

Pre-school SENCO

A huge thank you, our meeting this morning has been an enormous help at refocussing our thinking regards supporting X and how we should move forward. It has also been a valuable reminder at how we need to evidence the smaller steps

Learning Mentor

Training was brilliant and well received, I've already had a thank you from a member of staff and it's heartening to see them reflect and look at how strategies can benefit a whole class.

SENCo

This Autism session is already brilliant. Do all teachers on teacher training get this, they should, as should every teacher or person who comes into contact with young people. This is so informative, accessible and relevant.

Post-16 setting

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Skip to content ↓ Different Together Unique Together Working Together. The Working Together Team is a National Autistic Society Advanced Status Accredited Service. We advocate best practice and provide specialist support to empower mainstream settings to ensure autistic children & young people thrive through collaborative working with families and professionals.

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Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA) is a term used to describe a child or young person who has severe difficulty in attending school due to emotional factors. This can result in prolonged absences from school.

EBSA can present differently across individuals, but can show as:

low or intermittent attendance

high sensitivity or reactivity

low mood and anxiety (fear of talking to teachers, fears around academic performance)

social isolation

signs of emotional distress that affects their ability to function at school, such as difficulties forming relationships with teachers and peers

developmental differences that fundamentally shape perception and action in ways that cause significant challenges in emotional self-regulation and social functioning (autistic spectrum disorder, ADHD).

What isn't EBSA?

It is crucial to have a clear and accurate understanding of EBSA to enable accurate identification of children or young people experiencing EBSA. There is a clear difference between those children or young people that are absent from school as a result of EBSA as opposed to parentally condoned absence (where a caregiver deliberately keeps or supports keeping a child or young person away from school for various reasons) or truancy, which is linked to non-anxiety-based absenteeism.

For situations such as this there are other routes of support and challenge that schools should take.

Why does EBSA happen?

EBSA can occur suddenly or develop gradually over time. Behaviours can also range from occasional reluctance to attend school to complete avoidance resulting in non-attendance. EBSA should not be thought of as a deliberate act of defiance as it is a complex issue with no single cause.

Reasons are often complex and multi-faceted across environmental factors (both at home and school) as well as individual child factors.

Any identified factors are unlikely to be static and fixed. What led to the initial school avoidance may not be what leads to persistent avoidance and non-attendance. What appears to be the cause of the issue may be the consequence.

Risk factors

There are a number of risk factors that can influence EBSA. These can include, but are not limited to, difficulties with managing and regulating emotions, low levels of self-confidence or self-esteem, high levels of family stress, relationship difficulties or academic demands. It is often the interaction between risk factors (across school, family and child or young person) that results in EBSA behaviours.

Resilience factors

While risk factors have been identified that place children at greater risk of EBSA, it is important to also consider, identify and build areas of strength or resilience available for the child, family and school. These resilience factors help to protect children and young people from maintaining EBSA behaviours, and promote successful school inclusion. Resilience factors can include, but are not limited to, emotion regulation strategies, motivation for change, willingness to work in partnership and an openness and commitment to trying to understand how the child or young person may be different and how this may affect them at school.

Push and pull factors

Risk and resilience factors can also be separated into push and pull factors. EBSA is most likely to occur when the risks overwhelm the resilience, and when the pull factors (that encourage school avoidance) take over the push factors (that encourage school attendance).

Anxiety

EBSA is often associated with feelings of anxiety in children and young people. Think of anxiety as the brain's alarm system being overly sensitive (very sensitive to breaking news). It's constantly guessing that something bad might happen, even when there is no real danger. It's like your body sending a red alert that something is not right (an error), but you're not exactly sure what the problem is. This could make a child or young person feel worried, nervous, or scared more frequently than usual. It's like their brain is seeing shadows in the dark and interpreting them as monsters, even though they are safe in their bedroom.

For children and young people who are going through this, these feelings might be so strong and unpleasant that they start to worry about how to make them less intense. Just like how you might feel nervous before a big test or game, it's normal for everyone to feel anxious or unsure at times. But for children and young people who struggle going to school because of their anxiety or experience of error, these feelings are not just a little bit nervous or unsure - they are very intense and uncomfortable and frequently uncontrollable.

Some children and young people experience such heightened levels of anxiety that it negatively impacts on their ability to attend and cope in school. Children and young people's avoidance of school reflects an attempt to preserve emotional security by shielding themselves from the stress, threats or social isolation they feel at school. Their avoidance may increase the certainty of feeling better away from stress and reduce the uncertainty about dealing with challenges at school. However, it also makes it increasingly difficult to return because it strengthens their beliefs about experiencing unpleasant feelings, which cause much distress and limits the opportunities to gradually overcome their difficulties. Moreover, the social network weakens, the academic gaps grow, and the fear of returning to school takes over. The complex context of school feels less and less safe and predictable as a result.

Anxiety may be the triggering, but also a maintaining factor of EBSA. The greater the avoidance of situations that cause fear or distress, the more difficult it will become to deal with it. With each individual situation, it is therefore crucial for schools and involved agencies to work together with the child or young person and their family and as early as possible to understand why the child or young person is reluctant to attend school. Lincolnshire's Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA pathway) enables this to happen.

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Emotional based school avoidance (EBSA) - Lincolnshire County Council

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A decent night's sleep will help children to learn more effectively and make them less susceptible to minor ailments,

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A parent guide from the Autism Education Trust to working with school to support your child.

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The EEF have published the shREC approach to share strategies that support high quality interactions.

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Here are a range of breathing activities which can help children to regulate.

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Here are some ways for children to think about how to manage different emotions.

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Help Your Kids Stay Calm, Be Happy and Make Every Day Amazing Do kids' behaviors leave you confused and frustrated? Dayna Abraham is teaching the world there's a better way. She, too, was baffled by her son's behaviors until she realized the power of using science and child development to see him for the superkid he already was. In this revolutionary book, Dayna bridges the gap between kids and the adults who love them by empowering kids to be their own problem solvers and helping adults understand what kids really need to succeed. As a teacher, writer and mother, she explains that undesirable behaviors are really a cry for help. Kids have a need, but lack the tools and skills to express it. In this book, she gives kids fun projects and tools that boost their ability to control their behaviors, explain how they're feeling and gain confidence. Each of the 75 unique sensory-rich projects in The Superkids Activity Guide to Conquering Every Day will help kids navigate the most challenging times of day. Whether they struggle to get out the door in the morning or hate to sit for homework, this is the book for you. Kids will be begging to clean their room, their dinner plates and more with exciting activities such as: - Magnetic Morning Routines to help kids visualize their time and tasks to stay on track - Race to the Finish Dinnertime Gameboard to help even the pickiest eater find foods they like - Seated Silly Busters so even the wiggliest kid can get their work done - Weighted Snake Lap Buddies to calms fidgety legs and minds - Calming Glitter Slime to squash big worries - No-Sew Weighted Blanket to ensure a good night's rest - ... and so much more The Superkids Activity Guide to Conquering Every Day puts the power into kids' hands to understand themselves, discover their superpowers and have an awesome day, every day.

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The Superkids Activity Guide to Conquering Every Day: Awesome Games and Crafts to Master Your Moods, Boost Focus, Hack Mealtimes and Help Grownups Understand Why You Do the Things You Do

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Help Your Kids Stay Calm, Be Happy and Make Every Day Amazing Do kids' behaviors leave you confused and frustrated? Dayna Abraham is teaching the world there's a better way. She, too, was baffled by her son's behaviors until she realized the power of using science and child development to see him...

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Backed by neuroscience, neurobiology, and her practical clinical experience, Kate offers compassionate wisdom and insight into the inner workings of your child's mind, demonstrating how to help them better soothe their anxiety, regulate their emotions, cultivate resilience, foster empathy and navigate thoughts and big feelings with ease.

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There’s Still No Such Thing As ‘Naughty’: Parenting the Primary Years – Simple Steps to Support Your Child’s Mental Health from 5-12

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In , bestselling author and child therapist Kate Silverton explains that, while our children aged 5-12 are becoming more independent and physically mature, they need us more than ever emotionally. Backed by neuroscience, neurobiology, and her pract…

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A fantastic book which helps adults and children understand the neuroscience of the mind.

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Professor Steve Peters - Consultant Psychiatrist & CEO Chimp Management Ltd

BA, PGCE, MBBS, MEd, MRCPsych, PhD, DSc, Dip Sports Med

Professor Steve Peters is a medical doctor; he specialises in mental health and the functioning of the human mind. He has dedicated his working life to help people get the best out of themselves and to be in a good place.

Steve's work past and present in the field of psychiatry and education includes: Clinical Director of Mental Health Services within the NHS at a district hospital, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist at Rampton, Senior Clinical Lecturer of Medicine and Undergraduate Dean at Sheffield University, and visiting Professor at Derby University. He has spent 20 years as an examination panel member at the Royal College of Psychiatry and has been an expert advisor to World Anti-doping Agency.

He has been a consultant to over 20 Olympic and national sporting teams including Liverpool FC, British Cycling, GB Taekwondo, England Rugby and England Football. Outside of elite sport, Prof Peters works with CEOs, senior executives, teachers, students, hospital staff and patients. Steven Gerrard, Sir Chris Hoy, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Victoria Pendleton, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Lee Westwood, Jonathan Trott and Raheem Sterling are people that have all spoken publicly about how Prof Peters' has helped them during their career.

Professor Peters is also a best-selling author, and his latest book 'A Path through the Jungle' was published in 2021. Steve has also authored 3 other books including the bestselling self-help book of all time in the UK, The Chimp Paradox, which has sold over a million copies - as per Nielsen TCM Chart 2020. Other achievements include attending Downing Street for winning the senate award twice for his excellence in teaching.

For fun, Steve competes in track and field athletics and has held multiple World Masters Champion titles and world records over the 100, 200 and 400 metres.

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the NEW book from the creator of the chimp management mind model and author of the million copy selling . is an effective and powerful new educational book that offers parents, teachers and carers some ideas and thoughts on how to help children to develop healthy habits for life. The sc...

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Self help and emotional wellbeing advice to make it easier for you to get help by having access to straight forward information about issues you may be struggling with. There is also advice on how to improve your health and wellbeing.

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Friendships and relationships often play a big part in our lives, and can have an impact on our wellbeing. Having someone we can turn to, to share a problem or good times with, or even as a distraction when things are busy or overwhelming.

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Reworded info report 2024 - 2025 version 2

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The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity supports parents and carers to understand ADHD and meet the needs of their child.

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The ADHD Foundation is the largest provider of training in ADHD and neurodevelopmental conditions for professionals in the UK.

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In Lincolnshire, you can 'self-refer' to children and young people’s (CYP) services. These services include CAMHS, Healthy Minds Lincolnshire and Mental Health Support Teams

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Self-referral :: Lincolnshire Young Minds

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A referral means “to send someone to a medical specialist for advice or treatment.” In healthcare this is usually done by a GP. In Lincolnshire, you can ‘self-refer’ to children and young people’s (CYP) services. These services include CAMHS, Healthy Minds Lincolnshire and Mental Health Support Teams. This means that if you are struggling with your emotional or mental health, you can self-refer directly to our services, without going to your school or GP.

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What are sensory processing difficulties and how can they be managed? Check out this website to find out.

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Sensory processing difficulties :: Lincolnshire Children’s Therapy Services

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We all receive and process sensory information continuously throughout the day. For most people this is not a problem but for some children this can cause difficulties with behaviour and concentration, as well as carrying out everyday activities.

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Mrs McLeary is the SENDCo for Billingborough Primary School, working in school Wednesday-Friday.

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The Working Together Team have a wide range of information and support. This link is for information about sensory processing differences.

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To understand sensory processing we need to look at all our sensory systems and what they do.

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A Positive Sensory Profiling booklet

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A Positive Sensory Profiling Parent Questionnaire.

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Dyslexia  strategies mind map for parents

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A 'Now and Next' board can help children at home by providing a clear visual structure of what they are doing now and what will happen next, which can reduce anxiety and improve their understanding of daily routines.

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Attention and engagement

Attention and Engagement is an intervention model which aims to develop natural and spontaneous communication through the use of visually based and highly motivating activities. The primary objective is that the sessions are fun and "offer an irresistible invitation to learn"!

Aims of Attention and Engagement

1. To engage attention

2. To improve joint attention

3. To develop shared enjoyment in group activities

4. To increase attention in adult-led activities

5. To encourage spontaneous interaction in a natural group setting

6. To increase non-verbal and verbal communication through commenting

7. To build a wealth and depth of vocabulary

8. To have fun!

Stages of Attention and Engagement

The Attention and Engagement programme progresses through a series of stages, building on each skill level. Each new stage is introduced when the group is ready to expand attention skills.

Stage 1: The bucket to focus attention

A bucket is filled with visually engaging objects and toys, aiming to gain the shared attention of the group. The adult leader shows each item to the group and uses simple repetitive vocabulary to comment on the various objects.

Stage 2: The attention builder

Visually stimulating activities are shown to the group by the adult leader, aiming to sustain attention for a longer period. The activities are fun, visually engaging and can often involve delightful mess!

Stage 3: Turn taking & re-engaging attention

The adult leader demonstrates a simple activity, often modelled with another adult in the group. Some children are then invited to have a turn but only if they are comfortable to do so. Not every child in the group will get a turn, which then teaches important emotional regulation skills, as well as the essential skills of waiting, turn-taking and learning through modelling.

Stage 4: Shifting & re-engaging attention

Stage 4 aims to develop the skill of engaging and shifting attention. The adult leader demonstrates a simple creative task, and then gives each child an individual kit to copy the task. The children take their kits to a table, complete the task independently, and then everyone returns to the group to show their completed tasks.

Parents/carers role:

Within the group:

At home:

Gradually increase the length of activities and the number of sequential activities to include stages 2-4 as advised by the therapist.

Stage 1 vidoes

Level 1 Bucket 1 Wind up teeth, pompom, spinner - YouTube

Level 1 Bucket 2 Popper, vibrating mouse, flow rings - YouTube

Level 1 Bucket 3 Jumping tube, Stretch ball, confetti balloon - YouTube

Level 1 Bucket 4 Rainbow scarves, baby shark, flying spinner - YouTube

Level 1 Bucket 5 Balloon car, beads, windmill - YouTube

Level 1 Bucket 6 Caterpillar, slinky and cup, sing a ma ling - YouTube

Level 1 Bucket 7 Extended bucket - YouTube

Attention and listening

Listening is not the same as hearing. A child may hear an instruction, but they may not be able to listen to it as their attention is fixed on another activity. Listening requires concentration and a child will need practise to establish good listening skills.

A child with attention and listening difficulties may be easily distracted and have difficulty focusing on tasks. Children with a hearing loss (including those with 'glue ear') may require some extra support to establish good listening.

Activities to support the development of attention and listening - level 1

Acknowledging the presence of another person

Looking, following and tracking objects

Activities to support the development of attention and listening - level 2

Identifying a named object from a choice of two

Joining in with nursery rhymes and action songs

Developing anticipation

Activities to support the development of attention and listening - level 3

Identifying one or two named objects

Full size objects; a teddy, a doll and a cup

Listening carefully to sounds

Activities to support the development of attention and listening - level 4

Listening, acknowledging their name and carrying out an action

Remembering and carrying out a sequence of two items or actions

Copying a rhythm

Activities to support the development of attention and listening - level 5

Following a series of instructions

Identifying four to five named objects

Joining in and interacting with a story

Listening for a given sound and recalling a linked action

Activities to support the development of attention and listening - level 6

Developing active listening

Top tips for attention and listening

The development of play is very closely linked to the development of language. Play helps to develop a number of skills including listening and attention, eye contact, turn taking, understanding and using language, problem solving and imagination.

Play is best when it is child led- let them choose, follow their interests and join in! Play enables a child to try out new skills and roles without fear of failure and it provides an opportunity for expressing emotions in an appropriate way.

Above all, play should be voluntary and fun.

The types of play:

There are lots of different types of play. A child may have difficulty in developing these skills for reasons including:

Types of play include:

People play

One of the earliest stages of play a child will enjoy is people play. This involves them interacting with others and can be done without toys. Children enjoy the repetitive nature of these games and they can support the development of turn taking, eye contact, anticipation, joint attention and listening.

People Play Ideas:

If a child does not respond to their name, try touching their arm as you say it.

Children struggle to focus when there is lots of background noise. It's always a good idea to have play times without the TV or radio on during the day.

Give the child one or two toys at a time- too many can be distracting!

Children love repetition! Repeat, repeat, repeat games they enjoy.

Exploratory play

A child will explore objects and toys using all their senses. This helps them to understand the world around them. The child should have access to a range of toys and everyday objects which are of interest to them. Observe how they play and if necessary demonstrate how to use the objects appropriately. Show them how to use objects in real situations e.g. give them a spoon to hold while they are feeding. Let the child explore and take the lead; your role should be to extend and guide their play. Activities should be adapted if the child has physical and/or sensory difficulties. Toys must provide experiences of looking, listening, feeling, smelling and tasting.

Exploratory Play Activity Ideas

Other resources can include

Cause and effect play

Cause and effect play teaches children that their actions have an effect on their environment. This is an important communication skill.

Cause and Effect Resources

Physical play

Physical play is motivating and fun. This type of play is particularly good for active children and for those who find it more difficult to concentrate. It encourages playing with others, sharing and turn taking. The adult can comment on the child's actions and model vocabulary which the child may find more tricky, for example 'jumping', and 'under'.

Physical Play Games

Hide and Seek

Chasing

Action Rhymes such as 'Wind the bobbin up' or 'Head, shoulders, knees and toes'

Ball Games

Racing Games using 'Ready, steady, go'

Peekaboo with play tunnels.

Soft Play Areas

Trampolines

Bikes & Scooters

Parachute Games

Dancing

Constructive play

Children learn to co-ordinate their fine motor skills through a variety of activities e.g. building, threading, stacking, interlocking games, craft activities. It can help them to develop a problem solving approach. The child stores visual information which they use at a later date, thus developing memory skills. Importantly it can give the child a sense of achievement when they complete a task.

Physical Play Games

Building with wooden blocks of varying sizes

Building with interlocking bricks e.g. Duplo, Lego

Train tracks

Threading cotton reels, beads, pasta shapes

Craft activities - cutting and sticking

Junk modelling with cardboard etc.

Stacking beakers or cups

Inset boards and jigsaw puzzles

Den building

Imaginative play

Imaginative play is very important in encouraging children's language development. Early imaginative play begins through imitating familiar events such as drinking from an empty cup. The child will move on by continuing to imitate everyday activities and starting to recognise that dolls and teddies represent people, for example when mum baths the baby, the child baths the doll. The child will then begin to recognise miniature 'small world' toys such as a doll's house. The child will begin to engage in 'make believe' play involving invented people or objects, for example playing 'schools', pretending to be a superhero or pretending an empty box is a spaceship.

Stage 1

Explore a range of everyday items. Carry out real life scenarios and model how to 'pretend' with the real objects. The adult can model this, for example pretending to drink from the child's empty cup, pretending to open the door with a key.

Stage 2

Introduce a teddy, doll or favourite character toy into the pretend play with familiar objects, such as giving the teddy a drink, washing the doll etc

Stage 3

Expand on your child's pretend play by encouraging them to copy sequences of everyday events, such as brushing the doll's teeth, putting pyjamas on and putting them to bed.

Stage 4

The child will begin to understand that miniature objects relate to real objects. Encourage a range of small world play such as playing with cars and a garage, trains and doll's houses.

Stage 5

The child will start to explore make believe play and take on the role of others, for example pretending to be a superhero or a teacher. Encourage dressing up and real life props to support this. At this stage children learn to pretend an object is something else (symbolic play), e.g. pretending a box is a boat.

Social play

Solitary: a child will initially play alone. They explore and learn with the objects they use but do not attempt to play with others. As they become older they may still have periods when they need to play alone but it is important to not become stuck at this stage.

Parallel Play: children start to play alongside each other, for example standing around the water tray. They watch each other and may attempt occasional interactions. Towards the end of this stage they may begin to co-operate with other children by sharing or passing toys and they may take turns with at least one other child.

Co-operative Play: children enjoy the friendship of other children and want to interact with them. They learn to play together, share and take turns in small groups. Disagreements will sometimes still occur. Later the children can take part in activities without close adult supervision. Their play routines become more imaginative and they should be able to take part in meaningful conversations.

Moving from Solitary to Parallel Play:

Moving from Parallel Play to Co-operative Play:

Some information and ideas based on Elklan Language Builders (2009)

Understanding language

Understanding language refers to the ability to make sense of spoken and written information. It is dependent upon a number of skills.

Children who may be experiencing difficulty in the area of understanding may also have problems with attention and listening skills and vocabulary development (see appropriate sections).

Children with difficulties with understanding may:

Need instructions to be given one to one

Need instructions to be repeated

Need support to join in group discussions

Engage in distracting behaviour, of self and others

Appear to follow instructions but are actually using visual cues such as, watching what others do in the classroom

Complete tasks inappropriately

Repeat instructions rather than carry them out

Have poor concentration

Need more time to respond

May try to hide their difficulties understanding e.g. watching other's faces to try to guess the answer, changing the conversation topic

An older child may learn to read but not be able to understand what they have read

May have difficulties storing information and remembering instructions given

Processing language and top tips

Language processing is complex. It is more than listening or understanding and is dependent upon the integration of a whole range of skills which include:

.......And it all happens AT SPEED!.....

For this reason, a child who has difficulties with understanding and processing spoken information will begin to rely on visual prompts and clues. These can be an essential support for learning e.g. Makaton signing to support early understanding.

Visual supports such as visual timetables, pictures and symbols and daily routines should be available in early year's settings to support understanding. In order to cope with busy and often noisy settings, the child will benefit from a range of strategies to support understanding and processing.

You can help by:

Making sure you have the child's full attention (see tip tops from the attention and listening section)

Keeping your language simple - giving short instructions

Giving the child time to think and respond

Emphasising the most important words in the sentences

Use visual supports to aid understanding e.g. gesture, facial expression, objects and pictures.

Early understanding

From around 9 months of age, a child begins to start using all the clues around them to understand what is going on. These include clues such as, gesture and tone of voice, as well as familiarity with the situation. For example, if a mother asks a child to sit down, whilst pulling out a chair, tying their bib on while food smells fill the room, the child is likely to understand what she wants them to do. The child, however, understands few of the words, interpreting them as part of the whole situation.

Strategies to develop early understanding:

Activities to try:

Mealtimes, bedtime, getting dressed, bath time, going shopping, family member arriving home, favourite television programme.

Choose one or two sentences to use consistently

Use gestures and actions to accompany these sentences.

e.g. Show your child their plate and cutlery

Let your child smell the food

Show them their bib, and then put it on

Pull out their high chair

Later, begin to say the sentence before you use the gestures and actions. This will help your child to learn to anticipate mealtimes on hearing just your sentences.

Understanding the key words in a sentence

This tells us the number of key words that a child has to understand in a sentence to carry out an instruction. It involves the child making a choice between objects, places etc.

In order to be sure that there is true understanding at any of the stages, there must be a choice for the underlined words.

For example:

1 word level Where's the car?

Equipment needed: car, brush

2 word level Give the ball to dolly.

Equipment needed: ball, car, teddy, dolly

3 word level Put the spoon in the bag.

Equipment needed: shoe, spoon, bag, box, in/on/under

As language develops, it is normal for a child's understanding to be at a higher level than their spoken language e.g. a child may understand a 3 word level instruction, but may only be joining 2 words expressively e.g. 'daddy car'.

1 key word level

To carry out simple instructions containing one key word.

When carrying out the activity, a choice of objects/people should be available for the underlined words.

2 key word level

To carry out simple instructions containing one key word.

When carrying out the activity, a choice of objects/people should be available for the underlined words.

3 key word level

To download the 3 key word level pack, please click here.

Understanding concept words

Concept words are important for children to learn as we use them a lot in everyday language. Concepts words include:

TOP TIP: When introducing concepts it is important to introduce only one concept at a time. For example: Put together a collection of 'big' items and talk about them being 'big'. The next stage is to introduce 'big' and 'not big'. The final stage is to talk about things being 'big or small'. Make sure that at first the small objects are very small and the big objects are very big, so that it is easy to see and understand the difference. Introduce a colour such as 'blue'. Put together a collection of blue items and talk about them being 'blue'. Next, find a range of different coloured items and describe them as 'not blue'. Using sorting hoops can be particularly effective i.e. blue things in the 'blue' hoop and different colours in the 'not blue' hoop.

The activities below are designed to support the development of concept words. As the child gets older, you will need to expand these activities to give the child an opportunity to learn more complex concept words.

To match up to 4 colours (red, yellow, blue, green)

Language: red; yellow; blue; green; find; same; match; another

To sort objects by colour.

To identify big and little objects.

TOP TIP: Make sure the objects are very short or very long and use gesture initially to help with meaning.

To identify long and short objects.

Language: long; short; Which? Point to; show me; find

Playdough - 'Can you roll a long/short sausage?

Ribbons - Explore and play with long/short ribbons. Use the ribbons in the outdoor play area, watch them flow around in the air as the child runs. 'Wave the long ribbons in the air.'

Make a collage using long and short strips of paper. 'Can you find a long piece?'

Sort a range of equipment and toys according to length e.g. long and short trains, clothes, socks, skipping ropes, toy snakes.

To follow simple instructions involving 'in', 'on' and 'under'.

Language: in; on; under; put

Position words which develop later include: in front of, behind, next to, inside, outside, above, below. These can easily be introduced within the routines of the session e.g. snack time, outside play time etc.

To understand basic concepts of time

TOP TIP: Remember that the child's use of verb tenses is related to the child's awareness of the passing of time. Use the child's personal experiences to develop this for example, 'today you are painting the tree', 'yesterday you painted the house' and 'tomorrow you will do the sky'.

TOP TIP: In a setting, use a velcro picture/written timetable to teach the concept you wish to develop e.g. 'now', 'next', 'later'

Language: next; then; day; night

To understand the concept of negatives

Language: can't, don't, won't, didn't, wouldn't

Model in activities like PE e.g.

TOP TIP: Children need to recognise that 'n't' equals 'not'; 'can't' equals 'cannot', 'didn't' equals 'did not'. You will need to make this explicit for some children.

To carry out a simple request involving possession.

Language: .........'s

Understanding grammar

Grammar is a term used to describe how language is structured and organised.

For a child to understand language, they need to be able to make sense of a range of elements including:

To understand plurals.

Language: Plural 's' e.g. hats, balls, spoons

Give simple instructions throughout the daily routine for example,
- 'Can you put the chairs around the table ready for snack-time?' 'Can you bring me two books please?' Can you bring the paintbrushes?'
- Singing rhymes, songs and finger-plays - e.g. ten green bottles, five little frogs

Dressing up, getting changed/dressed - ask the child to put socks on, jumper on, so that they hear a range of plurals and singular nouns.

Language: Plural 'es' - e.g. buses, brushes, glasses, watches; Plural 'ves' - e.g. knives, leaves, scarves and Irregular plurals - e.g. mice, men, deer, sheep

Model these plurals to children throughout everyday routines and activities.

Children often confuse pronouns when they are developing their language. Examples of pronouns include: me, I, you, he, she, mine, yours, they, them, we, us.

To respond appropriately to a simple request involving pronouns i.e. 'I', 'he', 'she', 'they'

Language: I, he, she, they

To respond appropriately to a simple request involving possessive pronouns i.e. 'his', 'her', 'their'.

Language: his; her; their

To respond to simple questions involving tenses.

Language: painted, painting, going to paint

Language: and, because, but, so, or, if, until

To encourage the use of 'and' start with connecting nouns, e.g. bucket and spade. A simple pair association game or an opposite jigsaw will help to develop this stage.

When the child can cope with this basic level, you can introduce 'and' between phrases, e.g. 'the boy is standing and the girl is swinging'.

Again take opportunities throughout the day to encourage development of joining words.

Understanding reasoning and thinking

When talking to children, you will need to be aware of the complexity of the questions you ask. The Blank, Rose and Berlin (1978) model shows us the development of the types of questions children are able to understand. 3 year olds will generally be developing their understanding at levels 1 and 2. 5 year olds will typically be developing their understanding at levels 3 and 4. It is particularly important to be aware of these levels of questioning in teaching and SLT offer a range of training packages for practitioners which include more information about this model. Please contact us or see our 'professionals area' for more information. Previous learners have reported that this has made a huge difference to their practice.

Level 1- naming things e.g. 'point to the tree', 'what's this?'

Level 2- describing things e.g. answering questions with who, what and where? 'find something I can eat?' 'who is swimming?' 'where is the boy?'

Level 3- talking about stories and events e.g. 'what might happen next?' 'what will Mummy say?' 'tell me the story' 'how does daddy feel now?'

Level 4 - solving problems and answering 'why?' questions e.g. 'what will happen if it rains?' 'what could you do if you there are no paper towels left?' 'why is the boy crying?'

Activities to target specific questions words

To respond appropriately to a simple question involving 'where?'

To respond appropriately to simple instructions containing 'what?'

To respond appropriately to a simple question involving 'who?'

At the last stage of this model, children will start to develop reasoning and thinking skills.

Activities to develop reasoning and thinking for older children

Inference and Deduction are important thinking skills which enable us to work flexibly in the world. They involve using information to work things out.

Inference: basing a decision on an assumption

Deduction: basing a decision on a known fact

Prediction: using available information to suggest a possible outcome

Detective Games

Working from pictures, get the children to be detectives and answer questions which require some thinking

Provide a picture of a room with a high chair and ask the question 'Do you think a baby lives in this house?'

Provide a picture of a girl putting her wellies on and ask the question 'Why is she putting her wellies on?'

Work from pictures first, talking through the possibilities and make explicit the relationships where necessary. Eventually extend the skill into other forms, spoken passages or reading.

Double Meanings

Understanding that many words can mean more than one thing. The context is what helps us to recognise the meaning

I went to the park to play on the swing.

I was fed up because I could not find anywhere to park my car.

Non Literal Language

Understanding that there may be a hidden meaning which isn't made explicit

e.g. 'I've been waiting for this bus for years'.

Comparing one thing with another

e.g. As dead as a doornail.

Application of a word to something not literally possible

e.g. Food for thought.

An expression with a non-literal meaning

e.g. My mum has green fingers.

Sarcasm/Irony

Expressing the meaning by tone of voice/manner of speech where this then contradicts the words

e.g. That's a great idea (with non verbal communication suggesting the opposite)

During adolescence language becomes more sophisticated. It is often abstract and very specific to the subject being taught.

There is increased use of:

When a child or young person is unable to understand spoken language there may be an impact on their behaviour. The child or young person may:

Expressive language

Expressive language is the ability to use spoken words.

Early expressive language starts with early vocalisations progressing to single words and moves through a developmental pattern allowing children to develop skills to use spoken words for a range of purposes including:

The means, reasons and opportunities model (the one with the circles you did for us)- see the text for indication of where to put it.

Plurals, Pronouns, Use of verb tense leaflets: within 'activities to develop early grammar' section

Express needs, wants, feelings

Volunteer information and make comments

Direct others

Give an account

Start and take part in a conversation

Use language to interact with peers

Use of language to negotiate

Ask a relevant question

Use language to imagine

Give an explanation

Use language for reasoning

Use language descriptively

Please explore the following sections for more information:

About expressive language & top tips

Generally a child will be able to understand language before being able to use it expressively. Children who are having difficulties using spoken language may also have difficulties with attention and listening, vocabulary development, understanding and speech (please see appropriate sections).

Children who are experiencing problems with expressive language may:

You can help by:

Making sure that talking is fun and worthwhile for your child. It is mainly through play and real life situations that children learn to talk.

Speaking slowly, calmly and gently. Give the child an easy pattern to follow.

Listening to what the child is saying, instead of focusing on their pronunciation.

Letting the child know you are listening by turning to face them.

Being positive and giving praise and reassurance in order to develop the child's confidence.

Trying to reduce background noise when you want to talk to the child.

Following the child's interests.

Trying not to ask too many questions.

Try not to anticipate your child's needs, wait to see if they can ask themselves or if they need some help offer them a choice e.g. 'apple or banana?'

Repeat back clearly what you think the child has said and add another word for example, child says 'teddy tummy' and the adult repeats back 'tickle teddy's tummy' or 'teddy's big tummy'.

Repeat back grammatically correct sentences to your child to help develop their use of grammar e.g. child says 'he go shop', adult repeats 'yes, he is going to the shop'.

Give the child time to talk without interrupting them.

Provide visual clues to help the child order ideas effectively before expressing them.

With older children, you can explain word endings and why we need to use them e.g. 'when there is more than one, we add an 's' to the end'.

Remember, children get fed up with naming things which they know the adults really know!

Key word levels (expression)

One word level

First words generally appear around 12 months of age and are commonly:

Short phrases such as 'all gone', 'sit down', 'get up' are learnt as one unit and are therefore classed as being at a one word level rather than a two word level.

Two word level

When a child has around 50 words, they begin to join words together e.g. 'Daddy gone', 'want drink', 'Mummy car'. These could have several meanings e.g. 'this is mummy's car', 'mummy has gone in the car', or 'let's go in the car, mummy.'

At this stage, the child begins to use a few action words e.g. cry, sit etc. They try to talk about events using a mixture of jargon and words. They will ask for help (e.g. 'wash hands') and begin to ask questions.

Three word level

At around three years of age, the child begins to join three words together and possibly four e.g. 'Daddy gone work', 'Mummy go shop'.

Gradually the child will begin to use a wider variety of words as their understanding of the world around them grows e.g. descriptions using size (big/little); positions (in/on/under); colours (red/blue/yellow/green); properties (wet/dirty); emotions (happy/sad) etc.

Activities to develop key word levels

To produce a range of play noises modelled by an adult. E.g. shhh; mmmm; ssss

To use a range of early words spontaneously. E.g. more; again; gone; bye bye; fall down, help.

To use an increasing number of single words (nouns and verbs). In developing the use of language, ensure that the child is familiar with the objects/pictures and is able to give them on request (demonstrating one word level understanding).

Introducing 'action' words or verbs is really important to help develop a child's sentence structure. Other activities to help develop the use of verb words are:

To use short phrases containing two key words.

To use phrases containing at least three key words.

Activities to develop early concepts

Children will need to understand concept vocabulary before they are able to use it expressively (please see concept development in the understanding section).

COLOURS

To name up to four colours

Language: Red; yellow; blue; green; colour(s); Which one?

TOP TIP: Begin by focusing on one or two colour names and then increase the number of colours.

SIZE

To describe objects as big or little

Language: little; big; which is..?

(Remember children may use 'small' instead of 'little')

TOP TIPS: Start with big objects and give the child chance to begin to understand the concept of 'big.' Then introduce small items.

Make sure that the small objects are very small and the big objects are very

big, so that it is easy to see and understand the difference.

Use gesture and a 'big' or 'little' voice to emphasise your meaning.

LENGTH

To describe objects as long or short

Language: long; short; which?

TOP TIPS: Make sure the objects are very short or very long!

When you say the word 'long' extend it e.g. 'L-o-n-g'. Say the word quickly to indicate 'short'.

POSITION

To use language to describe position

Language: in; on; under

Early grammar

As a child's understanding of word endings, word order and structure develops, the child begins to use those elements in spoken language. The development of grammar occurs in stages, as the number of words used increases.

Tenses - children begin by using the present tense '-ing' e.g. 'it going'. By around 4 years of age, they are able to use the past tense, though not always correctly e.g. 'me falled down', 'he wented'. Talking about future events is the most difficult for children to learn and to express grammatically in spoken language.

Negatives - children use 'no' at an early stage to refuse/reject an object or action. This later develops into the use of the word 'not' and later still the shortened version e.g. 'don't', 'won't.'

Plurals - 's' is used early on in development to mark more than one of something e.g. 'my cars', 'apples'. Remember if the child cannot produce the sound 's' they will not be able to use plurals. Some children will not develop a clear 's' until they are 5 years old.

Pronouns - children begin to use early pronouns 'you' and 'me' at around 3 years of age. They then begin to use other pronouns such as 'he', 'she' and 'they' before developing 'his', 'her' and 'their' at a later stage.

Possession - at around the age of 3 - 4 years, children begin to use 's' to show possession e.g. 'mummy's hat', 'daddy's book'.

Question words - by age 3½ children are using 'what', 'where', 'who' questions routinely. Later they begin to use 'when', 'how' and 'why' to question. By 4 years of age, sentences are becoming grammatically correct most of the time. For further information on question forms, please see 'understanding reasoning and thinking' in the 'understanding' section.

Activities to develop early grammar

PAST AND FUTURE TENSES

To use the past tense to describe an action

Language: action words ending in 'ed' e.g. jumped, painted, looked

Copy me- perform an action e.g. jump into a hoop and then ask 'What did I do?' be careful to use a verb that in the past tense has an 'ed' form. Repeat this with a variety of actions and ask the children to describe what you have done.

Simon did- ask the child to copy an action as in 'Simon Says', and then ask 'What happened?'

To use the future tense e.g. 'going to.....'

Language: 'going to.., we will'

NEGATIVES

To use 'yes' and 'no' appropriately.

Language: yes; no

To use 'not' + object/action.

Language: not

Encourage the child to describe actions during group games e.g. 'Jonathan is jumping.' 'Katie is not jumping.'

Ask the child to hide an object in the playhouse or around the room/outside. The adults and other children ask questions to help find it e.g. 'Is it in the sand?' Child responds 'Not in the sand'

PLURALS

To use simple plurals.

PRONOUNS

To use simple pronouns e.g. 'he', 'she', 'they'.

Language: he; she; they

POSSESSION

To use possessive pronouns e.g. his, her, their.

Language: his, her, their

QUESTION WORDS

To ask questions involving 'what?' 'where?' 'who?'

Language: what? where? who?

JOINING WORDS

These are the words that we use to join two pieces of information together in one sentence.

Language: and, because, then, so, but

Have a selection of items e.g. pictures/toy foods and model the use of the word 'and' e.g. 'please may I have an apple and some crisps and some chocolate?' Then ask the child to take a turn, encouraging them to use 'and' themselves.

Play silly games with some 'why?' pictures and ask the child 'why?' something has happened to encourage them to use the word 'because'. You can model this for them first.

TOP TIP: You can also use the 'why/because?' jigsaw on the Twinkl website.

Activities to develop expressive language skills in older children

Barrier games

This can be used for both talking and listening. The child or children either side of the barrier have identical sets of equipment.

One child has a picture or constructs an assembly of objects and then gives instructions to the other to enable him/her to duplicate the picture or assembly.

How do I feel?

In a small group imagine a situation and talk about how you would each feel and what you might say (speech bubbles resource is good here).

Silly stories

Collection of objects/pictures, e.g., horse, lady, man, child, dog, ball, pirate, dinosaur. Adult starts story "Once upon a time there was a dinosaur". Next child (house) continues the story "He lived in a house made of chocolate". Next child (ball) "One day he found a ball under his bed" .....

Narrative

Colour Coding approach. Children take one colour question 'Who, What, Where, When' and sequence a story using their own ideas. For more information, visit http://www.talkingpoint.org.uk/resources/colourful...

Mind map activities

An excellent way for supporting new vocabulary and talking.

Defining and describing

Have a range of objects in a bag or a range of pictures. One child takes an object or picture and is allowed to give 3 pieces of information to describe their item. The rest guess.

Question

Barrier game. One child has an object or picture and the rest ask questions to find out what it is. You cannot say the name of the item.

A good resource is guess Who?

What do you know?

Use a composite picture and take turns in the group (mini circle time). Each child gives a new piece of information about the picture. Extend by talking about a particular object or event in which everyone has been involved.

Tell me how to do it

Use a classroom activity or event which has already been experienced and get a child to re-tell the event in his/her own words.

Allow a child to explain to the others how to play a particular game.

Developing story telling (narrative) skills

TOP TIP: Ask your Speech and Language Therapist about the Blacksheep resources to support narrative skills.

Sequencing skills

Sequencing is an essential skill which underpins many aspects of speech and language. It is the ability to recognise and predict pattern and order. We need sequencing skills to give information such as telling someone about a specific event.

Speech and language is all about sequences:

As children approach school age they will need to learn the special vocabulary of sequencing, words such as start, next, finish or first, second, third.

TOP TIP: Some general work on sequencing will be beneficial for all children but particularly for children with specific speech and language difficulties such as dyspraxia.

Visual sequencing activities

There is often more than one word that can be used in sequencing e.g. first or start, middle or next etc. It is therefore important to decide, in planning, the vocabulary you will use. Use this regularly and consistently, allowing for lots of opportunities for repetition. Make sure that everyone uses the same vocabulary. Begin with visual pattern experiences.

Display visual timetables depicting the routine of the pre-school/school. If the pictures are velcroed to the wall the children can sequence the events themselves.

Copy and continue patterns of two items:

Increase the number of objects as the child becomes more competent.

In group games encourage children to copy an action after you. Introduce another one, then see if the child can sequence the actions e.g. wave, then clap. Puppets could also be used to demonstrate the actions.

Dressing and undressing skills are useful to encourage a child's ability to sequence. They need to know the order in which the clothes are put on. This can be practised when getting undressed for P.E. or dressing a doll or teddy. Commercially made picture games can also be used.

Auditory sequencing activities

This involves the child following sequences of information that they have heard rather than seen.

Word finding difficulties

Learning vocabulary is an ongoing, lifelong process. Each new word has to be effectively processed, stored and then retrieved when needed. Some children have difficulty recalling names for people and objects. Many of us experience this from time to time when we say the word is 'on the tip of my tongue'.

Strategies to help with word finding difficulties:

Encourage the child to use gesture or mime to supplement speech.

Ask the child to show you what they mean, by pointing to the object or a picture of it.

Cue the child in with the first letter or syllable e.g. 'It's a ba.....banana'

Give the child choices to help him/her remember the word e.g. is it a carrot or a potato?

Avoid speaking for the child. This may frustrate them or stop them from trying.

Reflect back and question - repeat the child's phrase.

Accept any reasonable attempt at a word. It doesn't have to be perfect. The important point is the child to get his message across - COMMUNICATION in its widest sense.

Closure - use a build up sentence but let the child 'close it' by saying the last word e.g. 'You'd like a drink of........ ' or 'You need to go to the .........'

Please see the 'vocabulary' section for further information and activities.

Vocabulary

Children who:

MAY be experiencing problems with vocabulary.

Children who are having difficulties with vocabulary will benefit from a structured approach to TEACH them the skills to effectively organise, store and retrieve new words. Learning vocabulary is a lifelong experience.

"Vocabulary at age 5 is a significant predictor of educational success at 30" (Feinstein and Duckworth, 2006)

"Vocabulary experts agree that adequate reading comprehension depends on a person already knowing between 90 and 95% of the words in a text" (Hirsch, 2003).

Please explore the following sections for more information:

Vocabulary

In order to effectively process, store and retrieve words, we need to be able to use two sorts of information: semantic (what it means) and phonological (how it sounds).

Semantic (What it means)

Phonological (How it sounds)

Unless we know a range of words our ability to use language to communicate will be limited. Essential building blocks for sentences will be:

TOP TIP: Make vocabulary important in the classroom. Research has shown that even the most able child will not quickly acquire new words without explicit teaching.

Teaching topic vocabulary

For each new topic, the class teacher should categorise new topic words into the following categories:

Essential - These words are integral to the topic and should be words used in everyday conversation.

Desirable - These words are useful for the topic and they will be encountered again.

'Might be nice' - These are less common words which are topic specific.

Have a few sessions before the topic starts to talk about the new words and record which words the child already knows. Ensure the child understands the essential words and then use a word map or vocabulary grid to work on learning the desirable words. This will support the child to learn how the word sounds, its meaning and how to use it in a sentence.

Review how many words the child understands/uses half way and at the end of the topic. Send the list of words home so that parents can talk about the words with their child too.

For example- a 'Rivers' topic:

Using a multisensory approach:

Use a multisensory approach to ensure accurate storage of the words, for example if focussing on the word 'gorilla':

What does the word mean? Can the child describe where we might see/find it. What it is used for etc. Something else with wheels or that is transport.

Phonological Awareness - Can the child say what sound it begins/ends with? How many syllables? A rhyming word (doesn't have to be a real word)

Speech - Ask the child to say it several times

Grammar - Put the word in a sentence

Orthographic - read and write the word.

From the Tall Ships Project

Vocabulary activities to support word learning and retrieval

Use this activity to reinforce the names of items and the categories to which they belong. For example, have a range of food items to sort into fruits or vegetables.You can make it more interesting for younger children by hiding items around the room or by placing picture cards face down so the child does not know which one they have selected.

Use a selection of items from one category and one item from another. Can the child spot the odd one out? e.g. apple, sock, banana

Word association games: finding links

The first person chooses an item, the next person chooses another item to go with it and so on. For example 'sock', 'shoe', 'welly', 'rain', 'puddle'.

Explain a link

An extension of the game above. Ask the children to explain their link and decide as a group if the link is acceptable.

Making sentences

Have a pile of pictures. The first person chooses a picture and has to say a short sentence containing the target word. To help children develop flexibility several children could make up a sentence for the word. At the higher levels this could be used to explore words with double meanings.

Silly or sensible

The adult says a short sentence containing a target word. The child or group have to decide whether the sentence is acceptable - SENSIBLE or not - SILLY.

To extend this activity, can the children sort out the silly sentences by changing words to make more sense? Again this activity can help children develop flexibility by seeing that a silly sentence can be corrected in more than one place.

e.g. I like to eat worms
Correction- I like to eat toast
Correction- I like to hold worms

Alphabet names

Have a sheet with the alphabet listed. Take a category e.g. animals and then think of an animal for each letter of the alphabet. This can be really hard - encourage the children to seek help and use the opportunity to send them to another area to ask a teacher if they know the item you are stuck with.

Children listen to clues about the item they have to guess. Remember that this game is much easier when the items are physically present.

e.g. This is something we use to open the door. It is silver and shiny.

Role reversal of the above. Young children find it impossible not to say the name of the item, but with practice, can learn to play this game. As a group you can work together to think about which clues work well and which are not very helpful.

e.g. target word: cat
clue: it says miaow
clue: it has a tail

Pick a category and see how many words you can come up with in one minute i.e. animals, transport, parts of the body, vegetables, things you can wear. This can be done individually or in a group. Repeat this category again after a week or 2- can you beat your score?

TOP TIP: Encourage children to use strategies if they cannot think of the word they need. For example:

Speech sounds

Children start to listen to sounds before they are even born. Babies begin to play with sounds through babbling, this then progress to using real words. A child's speech sound development is gradual, some sounds develop much later than others so they will not be able to say them all straight away. For example the "m" sound is usually present by 3 years of age whereas the "r" sound may not develop until the age of 7.

Phonological awareness

Phonological awareness is our ability to hear and recognise the sound patterns in words. It involves rhyming, identifying the syllables in a word and breaking words up into individual sounds e.g. c-a-t. Phonological awareness skills are very important for speech sound production and are essential for the development of reading and writing.

A guide to typical speech sound development

Some speech sounds are usually developed earlier than others. This table can be used as a guide for typically developing children.

Children who have additional needs can be expected to develop sounds later. This should be taken into account before referral. Please speak to your named therapist for further advice.

Typical speech errors and when to refer
Some speech errors are commonly made by typically developing children. They will usually resolve without intervention as the child matures.

Some examples are listed in the table below along with when to refer if the error doesn't resolve on its own. Remember children with additional needs may need longer.

Some errors are more unusual (see below) and it is a good idea to refer to speech and language therapy for assessment if they are present

Top tips

Speech-Sound-Record-Images1 (2)Speech-Sound-Record-Images1 (2)Accept the child's attempt at a word but also repeat the correct version back to them. For example, if they say "tup, mummy" (meaning "cup"), adult says: "yes, there's your cup". Avoid asking the child to try again or repeat after you as they may not be able to do this at the moment and it may cause frustration. Giving a clear model will help.

Try not to correct the child as this may make them anxious. We want to encourage them to talk as much as possible to help to practise these sounds.

If you have not understood, describe the difficulty as yours. For example 'sorry- I'm not listening very well today'. Ask them to show you instead.

Make quiet times. Turn off the television or radio when you are talking, playing or looking at the books together. This will help the child to listen to your speech more easily. Face the child when you are talking together. Sit opposite each other when playing or talking. This helps them listen and see how sounds are made.

Speak simply in short sentences, for example, "here's teddy", "cuddle teddy". This gives the child time to listen to words and how they sound. It's easier for them to copy if you keep it simple.

Listen to the child with patience however unclear they are. Focus on what they say rather than how they say it.

Ask relatives or friends to do these things too. Talking should be fun, not hard work.

Get interested in sounds! Find some fun sounds that you hear every day e.g.

In the street: car starting, fire engine siren, bicycle wheels

In the park: ducks quacking, dog barking, children playing

Inside sounds: clock ticking, vacuum cleaner, mobile phone ringing

All about dummies:

Dummies can be comforting for babies, but overuse may result in:

Activities to support: syllables

Level 1: Moving to Sound

LEVEL 2: Copying Patterns

Nursery Rhyme Rhythm - Beat out the rhythm of a known nursery rhyme or song on a drum or tambourine.

Me then You - In small groups practise clapping loudly, softly, quickly and slowly. Introduce the idea of clapping/tapping patterns, e.g., three short sounds followed by two short sounds. Talk about the pattern as you are clapping/tapping it. Encourage the children to repeat or echo the pattern.

LEVEL 3: Clapping the beats

LEVEL 4: Clapping the beat/s in a given word

Activities to support: rhyme

LEVEL 1: Exposure to rhyme

LEVEL 2: Rhyme Play

Variations: Children can do it in turns round the circle. Introduce the idea that the same 'end bits' are rhyming. At the end, run through all the "words" you have made.

LEVEL 3: Finish the Rhyme

Rhyming Pairs - Make up some silly rhyming couplets with children:
I like rice - it's very nice
I like fish - on a dish
I like jelly - it wobbles in my belly

Forgetful Puppet - Sing or say nursery rhymes using a 'forgetful' puppet who sometimes forgets to say the rhyming words, for example:
'Jack and Jill went up the .....?'
Sometimes the puppet could accidentally put in the wrong word!
'Jack and Jill went up the stairs!'

Talk about how some of the words sound the same - they rhyme!

LEVEL 4: Making a rhyming string from a given word

LEVEL 5: Rhyme Detection

Activities to support: alliteration

LEVEL 1

Recognising Sounds

LEVEL 2

Recognising Differences in Sounds

Butterflies and Elephants - Shake a tambourine and the children run like butterflies. Bang the tambourine and the children stamp like elephants.

"Spot the Difference" - Introduce two identical shakers to the child. Talk about how they look and sound the same. Let the child play with them and listen to the sound they make. Put the shakers to one side and repeat the above with two identical drums. Next choose one shaker and one drum, play them and point out how they sound different. Explain to the child that you are going to play a listening game. Place either a shaker or drum in front of the child but out of reach. Place the other shaker and drum behind the screen. Make sure the child is ready and ask them to listen carefully. Play one of the instruments behind the screen. Ask the child if the instrument makes the same sound as the one in front of them. If it does talk about them being the same, if not then talk about them being different.

LEVEL 3

Introducing Speech Sounds

LEVEL 4

Identifying initial sounds in easy words

Sound plays videos

Top tips videos

Social communication

Social skill is the term used for relating to and interacting with others. It involves social understanding, social communication and social relationships. Social skills include an awareness of self and others, an understanding of the communication process, a desire to communicate and a means to communicate with others. The skills of social communication include:

Joint (shared) attention

Proximity

Eye gaze

Interpreting and using facial expression

Understanding and using body language

Prosody (volume, speed, tone of voice)

Turn taking

Conversational skills

Understand implied meaning

Using language for a range of functions

TOP TIP: Whilst we have split these skills into separate areas, in everyday life these skills overlap and are not used in isolation. Children need to understand the social meaning behind each aspect of good social communication. This is more important

than prompting pupils to use the skills. Simply teaching the children 'the what' will not be enough as they will also need to understand 'the how, where and why' of social communication, demonstrated within situations that are meaningful to them.

Advice and activities to develop social communication skills

JOINT ATTENTION

The foundations of early interaction involve learning to share attention, wait, and take turns. This can start with early activities/games a parent and child do together e.g. blowing bubbles, tickling games.

Please refer to the Play and Attention and Listening sections for more ideas.

Some good strategies to remember:

Reduce the clutter. Only have the activity you want to work on available.

Use visual means to help the child focus e.g.

Objects of reference: Show real objects to your child to help them make sense of what is about to happen, for example, show them the same plate every time they are due to have their dinner. The child can then begin to associate objects with a routine or activity.

Now/next board: these boards can be used with the child to indicate what is going to happen but also highlights the end point of the activity by showing them what is going to happen next. For example: "Now painting then play with cars".

Visual timetable: put photos/pictures in order on a timeline to help the child understand what is happening over a period of time/throughout their day.

Finish box: Once an activity is finished you can put the symbol/work activity in a finish box to signify it has ended.

Start from where the pupil is at - join their focus of attention.

Use the pupil's name first to attract their attention before you speak.

PROXIMITY (personal space)

Children with social communication difficulties may feel uncomfortable when others are within their personal space.

Be aware of the child's tolerance of the proximity of others - stay outside their personal space.

Be aware of any sensory needs the child may have and adjust for these as much as is possible.

Children with social communication difficulties can find it tricky to understand social rules. They may need help to know where it is appropriate to: say hello, shake hands, kiss, cuddle, hold hands. Teach socially acceptable alternatives.

Having a carpet can help the child understand where it is appropriate to sit and can protect their personal space.

EYE GAZE

Good timing of eye contact is important for social interaction and communication.

Children need to learn when, why and for how long to look at others.

Holding objects at eye-level may encourage a pupil to look at you, or prompting with a 'Look' symbol or gesture.

Make sure you are at the right level for the child to make eye-contact - 'get your face in the right place!' (Dave Hewitt, Intensive Interaction). Some children may find eye to eye contact uncomfortable, encourage them to turn towards others rather than look at their faces.

Give praise as appropriate e.g. 'good looking'.

FACIAL EXPRESSION

Facial expressions can be difficult to 'read', especially for children with social communication difficulties. Sometimes we give mixed messages - what we say may not be what we mean, for example, saying 'no' whilst smiling. For older children, social skills programmes, like the Social Use of Language Programme and Socially Speaking contain a range of teaching activities.

Some ideas to consider:

BODY LANGUAGE

Teach social gestures, including: head nod (yes); head shake (no); handshake (hello); wave (bye); finger-point (requesting and responding); thumb up (like or good); thumb down (don't like or not good); standing alongside (to gain attention) hand up (to speak in class); raised palm (stop/wait); shrug (don't know).

Use real contexts and video clips to explain the meaning of body language, linked to facial expression and tone of voice.

Use visual cues such as signs or symbol cards to prompt appropriate body language and social gestures such as, helping children to show 'good listening'.

E.g. Here are 5 ways to SHOW that you are LISTENING to people:

1. Turn towards the person who is speaking.

2. Nod your head.

3. Say "Mmm", "Aha" or "Yes".

4. Ask a question about the speaker's topic.

5. Make a comment (say something) about the speaker's topic:

PROSODY- volume, speed, intonation, emphasis

Volume:

Speed:

Use a video or tape recorder to provide feedback as to whether the speed of the child's speech is too fast / too slow / acceptable.

Use a gesture or symbol card e.g. to remind the child to speak more slowly.

Turn-Taking:

SOCIAL USE OF LANGUAGE

Language can be used for a range of reasons:

Express needs, wants, feelings

Volunteer information and make comments

Direct others

Give an account

Start and take part in a conversation

Use language to interact with peers

Use of language to negotiate

Ask a relevant question

Use language to imagine

Give an explanation

Use language for reasoning

Use language descriptively

Supporting social communication skills in older children

As children get older, they may present with:

You can help by:

Restricting your language to short unambiguous phrases.

Trying to keep children 'on topic'.

Keeping your instructions direct and in the order you wish them to be carried out e.g. 'first go and get your history book then go to the library' instead of 'before you go to the library, go and get your history book'.

Be clear in what you want the child to do e.g. 'I want you to go and fetch Mr Smith' instead of 'Would you like to fetch Mr Smith for me?'

Make instructions e.g. 'please sit down' rather than 'don't wander around'.

Make use of the child's motivations and real life experiences to help their learning.

Help the child through demonstration to understand appropriate conversational rules e.g. how to ask for help, how to request clarification.

All children respond well to a clear system for rewards e.g. a visual sticker system. Consistent use of this is important, particularly for a child with social communication difficulties.

Certain situations such as, transitions between lessons and/or activities can cause an element of anxiety. Try to maintain a routine that is safe, calm and predictable. Consider the use of pen portraits to support children in an unfamiliar situation.

Work to the child's strengths such as, use visual means of teaching and learning e.g. written instructions, information and key words; diagrams; tables; charts; maps; illustrations; photos; objects.

Provide extra support for subjects with a high language content e.g. English, RE, History.

Group tasks can be difficult because of the social demands of working with others- support by:

Allocating students carefully

Working with the same person / people where possible

Making sure the student understands what to do within the group

Supporting and withdrawing gradually

Making sure the others are listening

Giving time to organise and settle

Home-school communication is important. Families can supply useful information about the pupil's anxieties and coping strategies. Try a home school diary.

Children may need to be forewarned of changes in routine or planned events.

Children with social communication difficulties can at times say something that can be misinterpreted as being rude. Carefully explain the rules/social requirement- you can use social scripts to support this. A social script will support a pupil's understanding of a particular issue and explain how to respond in a socially acceptable way.

Children may find unstructured times difficult e.g. break times, school holidays. Help them to plan their time, such as by using visual schedules, calendars, diaries or planners. Other suggestions include:

Provide a safe haven where the student can go

Introduce a buddy system

Encourage them to attend clubs/games

Yr 11s could help in Yr 7 clubs

Undertake Role Play

Give defined options - give them choices about what they can do at break

Structure / separate the key stages

Rotate or stagger lunch breaks

Provide activities to be getting on with

Teachers to get there before students

Teach the cues that indicate unstructured time

Pre-teach through role play

Use Buddy systems

Pre-teach through using social scripts

Work on friendship skills - concept, strategies for making and keeping friends. 'Friends' club and special interest groups can help.

Explicit discussion of class rules including 'good listening' behaviour and a visual display of these.

Stammering

Learning to talk, like learning to walk, is never completely smooth and does not happen straight away. Young children often stop, pause, start again and stumble over words. Between the ages of 2 and 5 years it is normal for a child to repeat words and phrases and hesitate with "um's" and "er's" when they are sorting out what to say next. Approximately 5 in every 100 children stammer for a time when they are learning to talk. Many find it easier to talk fluently as they get older.

What is stammering?

A child who stammers may:

More information can be found on the British Stammering Association website .

Means, reasons and opportunities

Research has found that children and babies learn to communicate when they have a means, a way of communicating, opportunities to communicate and reasons to communicate. They also need adults who are responsive to how they communicate.

Means

Reasons

Opportunities

For example: if your child is in the garden playing on their own and everything is available to them, they do not have any reason to communicate as they are happy and can meet their needs independently. You are not there so there is no opportunity for them to communicate and a means of communication will not be developed as this is not being modelled to them by an adult.

Means of communication

Everyone needs a means to communicate but there is a lot more to communication than just talking! Think about Pingu and Mr Bean, they do not not use many words but everyone understands what is happening including what they are thinking and feeling. Communication can be verbal, for example babble, making noises, saying words, phrases and sentences or non-verbal for example; crying, facial expressions, showing emotions, pointing, gestures or using signing or symbols. Research show that only 7% of communication is verbal, even for adults, therefore developing non-verbal communication is really important. It is also importamnt for all of the adult in the childs environment to be aware of their preferred method of communication whether its verbal and/or non-verbal.

Observe your child: How do they communicate?

Spend some time watching and observe your child to see what methods of communication they use. Do they make eye contact, pass you things, tap you, take you by the hand, point, reach for items or gesture.

Just because they might not be talking does not mean that they are not communicating. Interpret their attempts at communication as meaningful.

Reasons for communication

Everyone needs a reason to communicate. Children are unlikely to communicate unless they really want to and are motivate otherwise there is simple no point.

Children may communicate to:

express feelings; e.g. tired, hungry, poorly, happy, etc.

indicate wants and needs e.g. to make requests, choices, reject items or to gain attention

Later children may communicate to greet, instruct, comment, ask questions or for the pleasure of chat, socialising, forming relationships and to share information.

What is your child motivated by?

Identify the things that motivate your child. For example; they might love certain food, toys, activities, songs, TV characters, rough and tumble play, numbers or letters, materials such as sand and water, ordering, filling and emptying.

We much encourage communication by creating opportunities for children to request the things that motivate them.

Opportunities to communicate

As parents and carers and adults we need to provide opportunities for children to communicate. Strategies to help include:

Activities to develop requesting

Offer choices

The easiest choices to make are between something that you are really motivated by and something that you are not; don't be afraid to offer items that you know your child does not want/like as this will help them to develop their cause and effect understanding and their ability to choose (e.g. 'Do you want broccoli or car?').

Hold up the objects so that they can see them and say the words.

When they become good at indicating their choice, make the choice harder by offering 2 motivating things e.g. 'Do you want car or train?'.

If this becomes too frustrating for your child offer choices in less motivating situations (e.g do you want to wear the yellow t-shirt or the blue t-shirt?, do you want red bubbles or blue bubbles in the bath?).

Remember to offer a choice, wait for your child to respond and then reward them.

Watch this video for further information: https://youtu.be/sh7RcN9Hoyo.

Offer items bit by bit

Give your child a small amount of something motivating, for example; one piece of jigsaw, one brick, one crisp, one piece of train track, one slice of banana, etc.

Ensure that they can see that there is more available and wait for them to respond.

Then model a key word such as more, chocolate, bubbles, etc. and reward them with more.

Watch this video for further information: https://youtu.be/nYAAt2xEpLg.

Place items out of reach, but in view

Put a highly motivating toy or snack in a clear bag or box and wait for your child to communicate to request it. For example; put your child's comforter in a clear bag or box, put out all of the train set but have the trains in a clear box , put an out Inset puzzle board but keep pieces in clear bag.

Place their favourite toy on a shelf and wait for them to respond - this may cause some behaviours and frustrations (please consider that if your child likes to climb it may be safer to put their toy in a clear bag/box that they cannot open instead). This behaviour is a means of communication from which you can model how to respond (e.g "want", "open", "more").

Watch this video for further information: https://youtu.be/yKGBsIVSZiU.

Use toys that they need help with

Use toys that your child can not operate on their own such as: wind up toys, pop up toys, bubbles, balloons, jack in a box, spinning tops, music boxes, etc.

Watch this video for further information: https://youtu.be/KyVjZAyjKHY.

Create people games

These are games that you play together without toys, for example peek-a-boo, chasing, tickling, rough and tumble play, etc.

Establish a simple play routine and then pause and wait for them to respond.

When your child responds reward them with more of the activity

Watch this video for further information: https://youtu.be/bu2_ElaFmZ8.

Pause a familiar activity or routine

Sing a familiar interactive nursery rhyme or song such as Row Row Row the boat, Horsey horsey, Round and round the garden, This little piggy, The Grand Old Duke of York, etc. Then pause, and wait.

Look for opportunities at the park or in the garden: For example: When pushing them on a swing, catch the swing to stop it, and wait, or when on the roundabout, see-saw or slide.

Develop a play routine at bath time or during water or sand play; fill a jug and lift it up up up and then pour. Repeat the routine but pause before you pour and wait for our child to communicate. Try pausing at the end of the play routine to see if you child can request more or again

Watch this video for further information: https://youtu.be/9w7zzbF0uhw.

Use Sabotage: give all but one item

Think about routines that your child is familiar with such as snack time, toy play, leaving the house, bath time etc. Think about what you could change to create an opportunity for communication.

Give all but one item. Hold the item out of reach but in sight, and wait

For example:

Give the bubble wand, but not the bubbles.

Give the tools and cutters but not the playdoh

Give a cup but not the drink

Give road mat but not the cars

The train track but not the trains

Some paper but no pens

Their coat but no shoes

Give then the tablet but don't turn it on

Put the TV on but not one of their programmes

A battery operated toy that's turned off

Watch this video for further information: https://youtu.be/-JBxlgq1nKw.

Top tips

Introducing these new strategies may initially cause some frustration because your child is no longer getting their needs and wants met immediately and will now have to work for these. It's important to choose the right time to introduce the strategies (e.g. not when they are playing with their favourite toy/when they are tired/ hungry or frustrated).

Strategies can be introduced gradually; for example, at one point in the day initially and then build these into more activities throughout the day until it becomes part of your daily routine.

When carrying out the recommended activities, remember to:

Model: To support development; encourage family members to model requests so the child can

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Attention and Engagement is an intervention model which aims to develop natural and spontaneous communication through the use of visually based and highly motivating activities. The primary objective is that the sessions are fun and "offer an irresistible invitation to learn"!

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Times Tables Rock Stars – Times Tables Rock Stars

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Barrington Stoke For over 25 years, we have been publishing super-readable, dyslexia-friendly fiction to help every child become a reader. Our award-winning short novels are expertly designed to ensure an accessible read for those who struggle and a quick win for more confident readers. Discover the range

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Teaching and learning resources for primary, KS3, GCSE. IGCSE and A level. Revision, practise and exam preparation for all levels. Including Letts revision and home learning, books for Scottish education from Leckie, and Keen Kite resources for primary schools.

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Dyslexia Friendly Books

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We have collated what we think are some of the best Super-Readable titles all of which are also dyslexia friendly. They are all specifically written to help readers who have visual stress and for dyslexic readers to enjoy reading. The age ranges shown 5+, 7+, 9+, 11+ and 14+ represent the interest age applicable, whilst the reading age for each title is detailed within the review. This generally ranges between 5 and 8 years. The Interest Age (IA) and Reading Age (RA) are also shown subtly on the back of every book running down the right hand edge of the barcode.

Browse dyslexia friendly books by interest age

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We have collated what we think are some of the best Super-Readable titles all of which are also dyslexia friendly. They are all specifically written to help readers who have visual stress and for dyslexic readers to enjoy reading.

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We support anyone who is unable to see, read, manipulate or comprehend printed text due to difficulty or inability. This can include:

A learning disability, such as dyslexia;

A brain injury or cognitive impairment such as head trauma or stroke;

A visual impairment or blindness;

Physical dexterity problems, including multiple sclerosis (MS), Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Parkinson's disease, arthritis, paralysis, or terminal illness.

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Since 1974, Calibre Audio has brought the joy of audiobooks to anyone struggling to access print, so they can immerse themselves in wonderful stories, memorable biographies or travel the world in their mind.

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The Lincolnshire Parent Carer Forum is a charity who provide an experienced, supportive ear for parents, to promote their skills, knowledge and resilience.

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My name is Carol Gray. My career began in 1976 as a teacher with four children with autism at Jenison Public Schools, in Jenison, Michigan.

I developed Social Stories in 1990 and will be your guide to their history. We'll explore the philosophical roots of Social Stories and the events that led to their discovery and continuing development.

I have spent a lot of time going through file drawers and old corrugated boxes of articles to piece together the history of Social Stories. It has added detail to - and in some cases corrected - my understanding of Social Story history. For example, prior to this backward search through time, I would have told you that a conversation with one of my students initiated Social Stories. I now understand that Social Stories developed over several years. This does not dismiss the importance of the conversation, instead it fills in important vacant spaces in Social Story history. This four-part summary is an opportunity to set the record straight, to share the events, setbacks, and thoughts that led to the development of Social Stories with unprecedented documentation.

I have divided the Social Story history into four sections. This is the first, followed by:

2. The Historical Context of Autism and Social Stories (Up to 1987);

3. The Origin of the Social Story Philosophy (1986-1990); and

4. The Discovery of Social Stories (1990 - 1993).

I suggest reading and exploring sections 1-4 in sequence. They are summaries with links to original documents. You'll notice that the Social Story history section covers from the early 1950s until 1993, when the first Social Story Book was published.

Many of the original articles and documents have been unavailable for several years. For example, in the first chapter, "The Historical Context of Autism and Social Stories", you'll find an unpublished article from 1980 and excerpts from a journal that I kept during my first year of teaching. In the third chapter, "The Discovery of Social Stories", there's a ink to the hard-to-find first formal journal article describing Social Stories that I wrote with Joy Garand. Similar resources are in each chapter. Together they are an accurate and detailed account of the context, opportunities, experiences, and ideas that resulted in the development of Social Stories and other ideas and instructional techniques.

Most of the documents in this Social Story history are Morning News articles. Our program received a federal Challenge Grant (Grant) in 1986. It enabled us to place our secondary students in general education classes and vocational training experiences in the community. The Grant also made it possible to print and distribute a newsletter to keep others informed of our activities. Initially, the newsletter was printed on a mimeograph machine in the school office. The quality and 'look' of The Morning News improved as time went on. The Morning News became the Jenison Autism Journal in the fall of 2002. In 2004, the Jenison Autism Journal became Autism Spectrum Quarterly with a new editor, Diane Twachtman-Cullen, Ph.D., CCC-SLP.

You'll notice my summary of the history of Social Stories covers from the middle of the last century until 1993. After that, the articles tell their own story. Simply go to The Morning News/Jenison Autism Journal on this website. There you will find two things: The Best of The Morning News/Jenison Autism Journal, a topical list of selected articles with a short description of each. You will also find, Back Issues, a sequential list of all of the existing issues, from 1993-2004. They are available for you to review or download with my compliments.

Every resource on this tour of documents is unaltered. Please keep age and historical context in mind as you encounter outdated terminology or long-since discarded attitudes and ideas. For example, some of the earlier Social Story information is no longer true today. As you proceed, you'll see how ideas and values transformed into our more current vocabulary, values, and understanding.

The resources are original in another way, too. Some of them have fuzzy school-mimeograph machine text, and others are not in the best of shape. At one time or another they each shared my desk or work area with iced tea or Diet Coke®. There are some stains, smudges, rips, and tears. No matter, they were the best copies available, and I scanned them in for this come-as-you-are documented history.

In some articles, you may encounter blacked out areas or handwritten notes from me. These are to clarify any confusion resulting from mention of materials that are no longer available. Please trust that I have tried to find as many of these missing materials as possible, many of them unfortunately without success. There is a link or ordering information for each available resource.

Before you get started, I want to explain why and when I capitalize the term 'Social Stories'. 'Social Stories' has been routinely capitalized as a proper noun for several years to distinguish the 'genuine' Stories that meet all of the current defining criteria. The word 'Story' or 'Stories' is also capitalized if used in reference to a genuine Social Story. I am following suit in this history; when 'story' or 'social stories' appears without capitalization, it means that the story or stories met the requirements of the definition at one time, but would not be considered Social Stories today.

My goal is to provide you with a helpful history of Social Stories. I hope it meets your needs, whether you are seeking a general overview or extensive detail, a few key pieces of information or a specific article. If you prefer to skip around, it is possible to start with any section. In this way, you can tailor your tour to fit your time and interest.

Whatever has brought you to this part of the website, thanks for taking the time to learn about the times, events, and efforts that led to the discovery of Social Stories.

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Social Stories - Carol Gray - Social Stories

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My name is Carol Gray. My career began in 1976 as a teacher with four children with autism at Jenison Public Schools, in Jenison, Michigan. I developed Social Stories in 1990 and will be your guide to their history. We'll explore the philosophical roots of Social Stories and the events that led to their discovery [...]

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A new school year social story.

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This book will help explain that there are always

Designed to help build emotional awareness, this book offers friendly support for children aged 9-12 who have attachment disorders, anxiety or are overcoming early trauma and is an invaluable tool for anyone supporting children with extreme emotions or attachment issues, including parents and carers, support workers, teachers, and therapists.

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Help! My Feelings Are Too Big!: Making Sense of Yourself and the World After a Difficult Start in Life - for Children with Attachment Issues

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Buy Help! My Feelings Are Too Big!: Making Sense of Yourself and the World After a Difficult Start in Life - for Children with Attachment Issues Illustrated by K. L. Aspden. Foreword by Louise Michelle Bombèr. (ISBN: 9781785925566) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

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Happy - A Children’s Book of Mindfulness

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This book encourages young readers to explore their emotions and the world around them. ‘We breathe deep and expand like the galaxy, we breathe out many thousands of stars, and if ever we start to feel panicky, this reminds us of just who we are.’ This poetic journey to a place of happiness and calm introduces children to the practice of mindfulness. Paperback
Recommended age 3-6 years
Dimensions: H275 x W225 x D40mm 100% of the profits from this product goes towards helping us provide physical, financial and emotional support to people with Cancer, allowing them to live life as fully as they can

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Targeting the Positive with Behaviours that Challenge: Empathic Strategies for Working with Children and Adults

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Targeting the Positive with Behaviours that Challenge: Empathic Strategies for Working with Children and Adults : Baker, Andy: Amazon.co.uk: Books