Speech and Language Services

Speech and language therapy in schools works to support and enhance children's speech,

language and communication development in the areas of:

● Speech sound production and fluency, and the understanding of speech sounds

● Understanding of spoken language

● Use of spoken language

● Use of language for thinking and reasoning

● Social understanding and communication

This also can take into consideration play skills, attention and listening skills and behaviour

and interaction. Children may present with communication difficulties for a wide range of reasons, including:

● Developmental delays and disorders (including specific language impairment)

● Learning difficulties

● Autistic spectrum disorders

● Various syndromes

They may require speech and language therapy when these difficulties impact on their ability

to access learning in the classroom, participate in social and everyday activities, or negatively affect their emotional well being and behaviour.

Following a referral, in order to determine an individual plan of intervention, children are

usually seen for:

● Formal or informal individual assessment

● Class based observations

● Parent and teacher background and planning

Therapy may work in various ways:

● To directly improve a child's level of language/communication skills

● To enable others in the home and school environment (family, teachers, peers etc) to support a child's communication

● To increase participation in learning and social settings

● To adapt the environment according to a child's needs

● To provide alternative means of communication where appropriate.