Jo Wells, Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist has been building awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) in a mainstream school, providing training and support to enable them to provide support to a child with DLD.
By providing them with this support, linking in the universal approach (strategies implemented into the classroom for all children), SEND champion training (a training for school staff to develop their understanding and knowledge of SEND), and seeing the advice being implemented in school. This has developed the collaborative approach working with the school, enabling the child to receive appropriate support, and ensuring he will continue to receive the support and intervention required in the future.
Read more about how Jo developed this in the school to support children and young people with DLD:
- Jo took a child on to her caseload previously known to her in the NHS, where he was seen as part of the Specialist Language Disorders clinic service. Once he reached the end of year 3, he was discharged from the NHS due to him no longer meeting the service criteria because of his age.
- Jo then took on monitoring his progress and seeing him termly in school to ensure support continued and to set and review targets. This was facilitated through the use of the school’s traded package.
- Jo already knew the family and they were pleased to have contact and support from the Therapist, as they had been very concerned about their son after he had been discharged from the NHS.
- Jo met with the class teacher and support staff to discuss what DLD is and the child’s specific needs. Key information was shared with school, including resources from the latest DLD awareness day.
- Many strategies were then implemented by school staff, including adaptive teaching in class
- He now receives support from a dedicated and trained member of the school team who carried out the Therapies SEND champion training, of which Jo was involved in creating and delivering parts of.
- The child has continued to make steady progress but will require ongoing support to ensure this progress is maintained
A great example of the collaborative work that the therapy team undertake to support schools and settings and children and young people and their families in the local area.
For more information and advice for supporting children with DLD: