How to make my setting or school a place that helps understanding, talking and communication

TCT Communication Friendly Checklist

A child or young person's learning environment can have a huge impact on their ability to develop speech, language and communication skills.  This simple checklist has been designed for practitioners to be able to easily review their own learning environment to see how well it supports children and young people. By completing the 15 easy to answer questions about the use of space, light and layout; noise levels; visual support; adult knowledge and interactions; routines, teachers will be more informed about what they are doing well and what they could change to make their learning environment more supportive for communication. 

Cost: Free

Balanced System for Schools and Settings

The Balanced System Scheme for Schools and Settings is a whole system approach to improving outcomes for children across the range of speech, language and communication needs for any setting that supports children. The framework enables a setting to understand existing need and provision for speech, language and communication and develop provision to address the gaps. The framework supports a setting to demonstrate impact of the support for speech, language and communication.

Cost: £

Language for Learning

Language for Learning provides training and resources to support everyone working with children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.

Developed in 2000 by a specialist teacher and a speech and language therapist, Language for Learning is a Worcestershire joint health and education non-profit making project managed by the NHS service.

Language for Learning provides training to the wider workforce in early years settings and schools, equipping practitioners to support children and young people effectively.  A wide range of training courses are available from half day courses to three day intensive courses.  Language for Learning also has a resource catalogue full of practical resources and ideas to support children in their setting.  

Visit the website to find out more 

Cost: Training commissioned by schools and settings

BCTC Toolkit - Visual Support

Blackpool Classrooms That Communicate is a curated collection of resources and advice that puts speech, language & communication at the heart of helping staff to help the children and young people they work with.  This includes a wide range of resources and information on the use of visuals to help support the understanding of written and spoken language. These can used with all children including those who find it difficult to listen, process and remember. 

Cost: Free

BCTC Toolkit - Effective Surroundings

Blackpool Classrooms That Communicate is a curated collection of resources and advice that puts speech, language & communication at the heart of helping staff to help the children and young people they work with.  This includes a wide range of information on how to creative effective surroundings for learning.  

Cost: Free

Signs and Symbols

Widgit provides symbols that can be used to support communication making information, documents and resources to be more accessible and inclusive.  The symbols can be used for a variety of purposes such as creating communication books to share information; visual timetables to support understanding of structure and routine; task boards to support independent learning; pictures to develop vocabulary and to support children learning English as an additional language.

This website has information to support your understanding of how to use symbols including training resources, events and links to a network of organisations around the UK who offer advice and support.

There is also information for parents and carers to help them understand how they can use symbols to support their child or young person at home.

Cost: £