Speech and Language

Understanding Spoken Language Toolkit

A child needs to be able to understand what is being said to them before they can express it. Understanding language includes other skills, such as attention and listening, understanding vocabulary, verbal reasoning and working memory.

What Difficulties May Look Like:

  • May give irrelevant answers
  • May not respond to questions
  • May need instructions to be repeated several times
  • May watch others to work out what to do.

Impact Of Difficulties:

  • May show disruptive behaviours or be quiet, withdrawn or look lost
  • May appear like they’ve not paid attention
  • May avoid, opt out or abandon activities.
Universal Strategies

Adult Use Of Language

When supporting children with their understanding of language there are many things that adults around them can do in their everyday interactions to help them: 

  • Focus attention - gain the child's attention before giving information, for example by using their name.
  • Questions – be aware of the complexity of questions. Who, what and where questions are easier than why, how and when. Give the child enough time to respond, it may need to be 10 seconds for some children.
  • Consider simplifying your language, such as by using shorter sentences, simpler vocabulary or explicit instructions.
  • Vocabulary may need explicit teaching to be learnt and understood.
  • Instructions – say things in the order you want the child to do them. For example, you could say: "Get your coat then go outside," rather than "Go outside when you’ve got your coats on."
  • Instructions involving “not” can be more difficult for a child to understand than the positive. Consider changing a negative instruction to a positive one. Try saying “Walk” instead of “Don’t run”.
  • Break information into chunks and repeat if required.
  • Slower rate of speech – slow down your talking and pause to allow processing time.
  • Check understanding – by asking the child to show you or repeat key parts of what you said and encouraging them to say when they have not understood.

 

Visual Support

  • Instructions, questions and explanations should be supported visually and referred to explicitly.
  • To gain the attention of the whole group, have a signal that indicates to the children that an adult is going to speak to the group. This can be a hand in the air that the children copy (and are then quiet for) or a particular instrument.
  • Visual timetable to show the structure of the day.
  • Colour-coded symbols and signs to support understanding of questions such as who, what and where.
  • Natural gesture.
  • Demonstrate wherever possible.

Targeted Interventions 

Aims of targeted interventions might include:

  • For the child to understand certain concepts, such as ‘hot’ or ‘empty’.
  • For the child to understand the questions ‘who?’ and ‘where?’.
  • For the child to follow instructions containing two keywords. For example: "Find the big teddy."

Who Can Help?

You can access Speech and Language support by calling Just One Number on 0300 300 0123. Our opening hours are 8am-6pm Monday-Friday (excluding bank holidays).

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