NELI
(Nuffield Early Language Intervention)
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What is it?
NELI is a structured, evidenced-based intervention developed by researchers at the University of Oxford.
Why it matters
NELI is aimed at pupils in Primary 1 with delayed oral language skills, who would benefit from additional language support. The programme targets children’s understanding of the meaning of words, their ability to understand coherent spoken language, and also their ability to use language to express ideas, skills that are often referred to as narrative skills. NELI does this by focusing on direct instruction of the meanings of words and activities for children to practise by listening to stories and then discussing them as well as generating their own narrative stories. The aim of NELI is to target children’s ability to understand language and their ability to express themselves in spoken language.
What it looks like in practice
The intervention is split into two blocks, each lasting 10 weeks. The first half of the programme focuses on developing:
- active listening skills to enable children to engage fully with learning.
- vocabulary skills, to enable children to develop their understanding of words.
- narrative skills, to enable children to both follow and tell a story or sequence of events.
The second half of the programme includes work on phonological awareness and letter sound awareness to increase understanding of the links between written and spoken sounds.
Feedback from Staff and Pupils
“Being involved with NELI has greatly increased my knowledge and self-confidence in developing oral language skills in our pupils. I’ve found that the pupils have gained far more self-confidence and there has also been a noticeable difference in their behaviour, particularly their concentration and listening skills.”
"Our pupils are very engaged in our NELI sessions. They love coming to share their learning with Ted and very much respond to his listening rules. They are extremely motivated to achieve the best listener award." - School Support Assistant
“I feel that the NELI programme has developed the children's vocabulary and they have become more confident when interacting with others and being able to explain their wants and needs.” - Teacher
“NELI has greatly increased the pupil’s confidence. It has given them a voice and encouraged them to socialise more with their peers. They use knowledge gained during sessions in the classroom. They really enjoy the sessions and participate enthusiastically.” - NELI Lead
"I like telling Ted my stories. Ted is my favourite toy and I like telling him the listening rules."
"I like playing the listening games with Ted. Ted has good listening rules and I can listen to my friends now."
“NELI is so much fun. It helps me learn new words.” - P1 Pupils
Further Information
The NELI website is an excellent resource to support staff with the implementation of NELI.
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