Here are practical ways to support children and young people with speech, language and communication.
Accept and validate all forms of communication
Acknowledge and respond to all forms of communication, whether it's a spoken word, a gesture, a sound, or a movement.
Show that their communication is valued.
Notice how and why children and young people communicate
Take a bit of time to notice children’s communication. Notice how they let you know something. Then consider why this is important to them.
This can help you respond to their needs.
Follow their lead
Observe and respond to their interests and preferred topics.
Engaging in topics they are passionate about can facilitate more comfortable and joyful communication. This can also increase motivation.
Use clear and direct language
Be specific and avoid sarcasm, non-literal language, or abstract language that can be confusing.
Explain exactly what you mean, especially if some words can have more than one meaning.
Give instructions or tasks in smaller steps
Break down complex instructions into smaller, manageable steps.
Allow processing time
Give plenty of time for the child or young person to process what you've said and to formulate their response.
Avoid interrupting, repeating lots of times or filling silence. Children and young people often need lots of thinking or processing time.
When you say something or give an instruction, try counting up to 10 before saying or doing anything else. This will give them the chance to process what they have heard and decide how to respond.
Use visuals to support
Children and young people process information differently.
Spoken language disappears very quickly, but visuals are concrete and can be looked back at lots of times. They can help us know what is happening, even if we are confused by the words that are said.
The visual could be an object, gesture, photo or picture.
When we are familiar with a routine we know what is likely to happen next. This can help us to feel more confident in a situation.
Routines don’t rely on understanding lots of words or sentences. Even if understanding words is tricky, a routine can help a child understand what is likely to happen.
Reduce questions
Asking lots of questions can be overwhelming.
Try to reduce questions and swap to comments, keeping the interaction more balanced. This reduces pressure and demand on the person.
Recognise and respond
Respond when the child or young person gives you a signal that they’ve had enough or that they would like the communication or interaction to end. Communication can take lots of effort and be tiring.
Share what works
Children and young people might have multiple communication partners.
It can be helpful for parents, carers and professionals to share any supportive strategies or ideas. For example, if something works well at home, share this with school so they have chance to embed this approach too (if appropriate).
