Effective Communication

• Be aware of the attention and memory limitations of the young person

• Chunk - chill - check (Elklan)

  • chunk - give information in smaller parts

  • chill - give 10 seconds to allow processing and thinking time

  • check - check they have understood by asking them to explain in their own words or demonstrate that they've understood

• Modify your words - use vocabulary that they can understand

• Use visuals to support what you say

• Avoid figurative and nonliteral language

• Encourage them to let you know if they don’t understand or have forgotten

• Don’t correct mistakes - simply repeat back the correct form (sound or grammatical structure)

• Model good language structures

• Give them time to think and plan what they want to say

• Ask open ended questions - this gives them a chance to say more

• But don’t ask too many questions - think, one question to 4 comments!

• Use modelling and be a good role model

• Tell them what to do - not what NOT to do

• Use visuals (a picture paints a 1000 words)

• Support group work (make tasks and expectations clear)

• Provide structured activities for break and lunch

• ‘Catch' them using skills in the moment and praise/reward them

How?

Communication can take many forms - making noises, saying words, crying, facial expressions, gestures, pointing, signing, using pictures or symbols.

We need to know a young person's preferred (and maybe only) method of communication - whether that be verbal or non verbal.

We need to ensure that this means of communication is always available and understood.

This may mean use of high tech or low tech material (see section on AAC)

Why?

We need to provide a reason to communicate. The reasons we communicate are to:

• let someone know when we are hungry or tired

• express how we feel

• express our intentions

• give an opinion

• ask for something

• say no

• deliver some complex verbal reasoning

This can be done verbally and/or nonverbally.

Who? Where? When?

Everybody needs an opportunity to be able to express their wants, needs, thoughts and ideas.

We need to give young people from every age group an opportunity/chance to interact successfully and use this as an opportunity to develop their language and communication sklills.

We can use planned activities throughout the school day to ensure this happens - even if we need to add an element of sabotage to be more creative (making mistakes, making things inaccessible, doing the unexpected etc).

We can set up opportunities:

• group/paired working

• structured conversations

• guided group work

• structured opportunities to talk with peers