The Graduated Approach - a guide for professionals (HTML) - Provision to support language and communication needs

Under the Graduated Approach, all students receive inclusive support for their language and communication needs. This includes:

• whole setting awareness and understanding of communication and interaction needs
• speaking and listening skills being taught as part of a wider literacy curriculum
• introducing and explaining key vocabulary as part of new learning
• adapting spoken language to make sure all students can understand it
• adjusting the pace and order of activities to maintain interest and motivation
• staff being aware of their tone of voice and their body language
• staff remaining calm and avoiding use of sarcasm, figures of speech and idioms
• using different modes of communication in teaching (such as visual, auditory and kinaesthetic)
• making sure there are opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills in a group
• accepting and celebrating the different ways students interact
• making sure there are processes in place to enable parent carers to understand typical speech, language and communication development and support by signposting to resources

For more information you can visit the Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Some of their resources for language and communication support include: 

• the speech and language therapy service for children and young people
• communication and hearing resources
• the SEND code of practice
• early language development workshops
• the neurodiversity in schools video series
• the children, young people and families referral service

Under the Graduated Approach, some students receive personalised support for their language and communication needs. This includes:

• appreciating all attempts to communicate
• pre-teaching or providing key vocabulary on an individual or small group basis, for example by sending the vocabulary home or reviewing it at the start of lessons
• actively developing listening skills through structured small group interventions
• allowing extra time for the student to process information received and giving them additional time to respond
• using the student’s name first to draw their attention before delivering information or instructions
• using visual aids in a planned and structured way to help students access work
• using structured small group interventions to actively develop language skills
• making adaptations to the timetable to allow students to access personalised support, where needed
• developing social understanding and awareness using social stories and comic strip conversations
• making sure visual structures and strategies that support transitions and preparation for change are readily available at an appropriate level, for example:
  • timers
  • objects of reference
  • visual timetables
  • now and next boards
  • colour coded planners

Under the Graduated Approach, a few students receive highly personalised support for their language and communication needs. This includes:

• adapting teaching and learning opportunities to incorporate highly bespoke work and, where appropriate, address targets agreed with an external professional
• providing individual or small group support to help the student achieve targets agreed with an external professional
• seeking appropriate advice from a:
  • speech and language therapist
  • specialist teacher (for example the Autism Advisory Support Service)
  • educational psychologist
  • Child Development Centre
  • academy trust specialist
  • other SENCOs (peer-to-peer support)