Supporting Speech and Language in the Primary Classroom and Beyond

Course Handouts Module 1 - Understanding and Supporting Speech and Language Development in the Classroom Reflective Model:

What? So What? Now What?

Oral Language:

• Includes speaking and listening skills i.e. expressive and receptive • Enables the communication of thoughts, feelings and opinions • Central to socioemotional development • Crucial in reading and writing skills • Permeates all aspects of school life

Literate Language: The spoken and written language share underlying structures BUT written language:

➢ has more specific and apt vocabulary ➢ has more grammatically complex sentences ➢ is more abstract and decontextualized

Literate Language Vocabulary:

Components of Language:

Oral Language Components:

Phonology Syntax Morphology Semantics Pragmatics

Sound structure of a language (speech)

Sentence structure of a language (grammar)

Smallest units of meaning within a language

Meaning of language (vocabulary and language concepts)

Social uses of language

Supporting Language Learning in the Classroom: Ways in which teachers in the classroom talk with children:

• Using language that is accessible to children yet thought provoking

• Using responsive verbal feedback carefully attuned

• Modelling

• Expansions and recasts

• Open-ended questions Recommended Websites: www.talkingpoint.org.uk www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk www.brightknowledge.org/medicine-healthcare/what-is-reflective-practice www.cambridge-community.org.uk/professional-development/gswrp/index.html www.nuigalway.ie/academic-skills/criticalthinking/downloads/Top-tips-for-reflective-practice-and-writing.pdf

Module 2 - Identifying and Supporting Children with Speech and Language Needs in the Classroom What are SLCN?

• SLCN stands for Speech, Language and Communication Needs. • This is an umbrella term describing children with difficulties in one or many aspects

of speech, language and communication. Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a relatively new term. It used to be called Specific Language Impairment (SLI), so some children in your school might have received a diagnosis of SLI in the past.

Recommended Readings: • NEPS Children with Language Difficulties in Primary School Teacher Guidelines &

Strategies for In-Class Support • NEPS Activities to Develop Expressive Language Skills (primary, 7 years +) • NEPS Activities to Develop Receptive Language and Comprehension Skills (typically

for children aged 7-12 years) • NEPS Language Group Activities (typically for children aged 4-10 years and those at

early stages of language development)

• BISHOP, D. V. M., SNOWLING, M. J., THOMPSON, P. A., GREENHALGH, T. & CATALISECONSORTIUM 2016b. CATALISE: a multinational and multidisciplinary Delphi consensus study of problems with language development. Phase 2. Terminology. (Under review). Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry. (updated preprint available at https://peerj.com/preprints/2484 )

• Boyle, J., McCartney, E., Forbes, J. & O’Hare, A. (2007). Language therapy manual: Health technology assessment. University of Strathclyde.

• Rosemary Curry, Sinead Finn, Carol-Anne Murphy, Anne Tangney. Supporting Children with Developmental Language Disorder in Ireland: Presentation to SSLI SIG on new IASLT Position Paper and Guidance Document 2017.

• Language and Reading Research Consortium (LARRC; 2013). Let’s Know! Columbus, OH: The Ohio State University

• Dockrell, et al. (2012). Communication Supporting Classroom Observation Tool. • Locke, A., Ginsborg, J., & Peers, I. (2002). Development and disadvantage:

Implications for the early years and beyond. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 37(1), pp. 3-15.

• Cregan, A. (2008). From Difference to Disadvantage: ‘Talking Posh’. Sociolinguistic perspectives on the context of schooling in Ireland. Combat Poverty Agency, Dublin.

• DES (2019). Primary Language Curriculum. Support Material for Teachers. Oral Language. www.curriculumonline.ie

Module 3 - Evidence-Based Practice in Language Instruction in Junior Classes Phonological Awareness

Factors to Consider:

• Integrate with letter-sound knowledge and make explicit the links between speech and print.

• Focus on the development of skills at the phoneme level for school-age children. • Use a skill mastery approach or an integrated, multiple-skill approach. • Work with an individual or small group of children to ensure success for children

with significant difficulties. • Monitor on an on-going basis post-intervention. • Be flexible in program implementation is required. • Most effective after a period of general language instruction.

(Gillon, 2018, p. 164 – 171)

Sample Poems:

Open, Shut Them Open them, shut them, Open them, shut them. Give a little clap! Open them, shut them, Open them, shut them. Put them in your lap! Creep them, creep them, creep them, creep them, Right up to your chin! Open up your mouth....but don't let them in! Open them, shut them, Open them, shut them To your shoulders fly! Now like little birdies let them flutter to the sky! Now falling, falling, falling, falling all the way to the ground! Now quickly pick them up again, and turn them round and round. Faster....faster.....faster! Slower.....slower....slower! Open them, shut them, Open them, shut them. Give a little clap! Open them, shut them, Open them, shut them. Put them in your lap.

My Busy Day I run, I ride. I read and write. I pick. I pull. I fly a kite. I open and close. I touch my nose. I carry a sleigh In case it snows I give a gift, I tell a tale, I see a sign, It says ‘for sale!’ I clean. I wash. I eat so I’ll grow. Who makes my food? I want to know. I cut. I draw. My art I show. I sit. I sing. Up high, down low. I look. I jump. I find a nest. I trip. I fall. I need a rest. From day to night I keep on the go, I close my eyes to sleep, Shhh! Tiptoe!

Sample Alliteration Phrases: • Come and clean the chaos in your closet. • The big, bad bear scared all the baby bunnies by the bushes. • Shut the shutters before the banging sound makes you shudder. • Go and gather the green leaves on the grass. • Please put away your paints and practice the piano. • Round and round she ran until she realized she was running round and round. • I had to hurry home where grandma was waiting for her waffles. • The boy buzzed around as busy as a bee. • Garry grumpily gathered the garbage. • Those lazy lizards are lying like lumps in the leaves. • Paula planted the pretty pink poppies in the pot. • Kim came to help us cut out a colorful kite for Chris. • Bake a big cake with lots of butter and bring it to the birthday bash. • Paula's prancing pony out-performed all the others. • Little Larry likes licking the sticky lollipop.

Vocabulary

Factors to Consider:

• Explicitly teach words / concepts • Explore common, generalise words • Examine rare, specialised words • Encourage categorical understanding • Focus on depth of vocabulary knowledge • Employ a variety of word learning strategies • Expose children to key vocabulary frequently

(Roth & Troia, 2005)

Grammar

Comprehension

Recommended Websites:

• Junior & Senior Infant Classes • https://www.starfall.com/h/ • https://www.readingrockets.org/ • http://www.readingbear.org/

• https://readingeggs.com/ • First & Second Classes

• http://www.readwritethink.org/ • https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading.html • https://www.readworks.org/ • https://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/09/5-great-tools-to-improve-

students.html Recommended Readings:

• Beck, I.L., McKeown, M.G. & Kucan, L. (2013). Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction (2nd ed.). New York: Guildford Press.

• Cook, V. (2008). Second Language Learning and Language Teaching (4th ed). UK: Macmillan Publishing.

• Concannon-Gibney, T. (2019). Teaching Essential Literacy Skills in the Early Years Classroom: A Guide for Students and Teachers. London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.

• Gillon, G. (2018). Phonological Awareness: from Research to Practice. New York: The Guilford Press

• Pepper, J & Weitzman, E. (2004). It Takes Two to Talk. Canada: The Hanen Centre. • Quigley, A. (2018). Closing the Vocabulary Gap. London: Routledge Taylor and

Francis Group.

Module 4 - Evidence-Based Practice in Language Instruction in Senior Classes Vocabulary

Grammar

Recommended Websites:

• Check out the following websites for more support with this work in senior classes: • https://www.readingrockets.org/article/phonological-instruction-older-

students • http://www.righttrackreading.com/morepaactivities.html • https://www.readingandwritinghaven.com/5-vocabulary-activities-older-

students/ • http://successforkidswithhearingloss.com/wp-

content/uploads/2016/08/Reading-to-Learn-Vocab-for-Older-Children.pdf • https://www.scribendi.com/advice/grammar_lesson_plans.en.html • http://www.onestopenglish.com/teenagers/skills/games/ • https://www.readingrockets.org/faqs/how-can-i-help-older-students-

improve-reading-comprehension • https://www.thoughtco.com/reading-comprehension-strategies-7952

Module 5 - Exploring Language Beyond the Classroom

Recommended Readings / Websites:

• Gallagher et al. (2019). Engaging multiple stakeholders to improve speech and language therapy services in schools: An appreciative inquiry-based study. Health Services Research.

• Kwon, J. (2019). Fostering relationships with the families of bilingual learners. Literacy Today, (March/April), pp. 10-12.

• Pappas, N. W., McLeod, S., McAllister, L., & McKinnon, D. H. (2008). Parental involvement in speech intervention: A national survey. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 22, 335–344.

• Quigley, D. (2015) Talk Time. [online] Accessible from: www.youngballymun.org/fileadmin/user_upload/2012_documents/ Resources/Literacy_Resources/talk_time_for_YB_website.pdf>

Interventions:

• Wordsworth programme (https://www.wordsworthlearning.com/)

• Toe by Toe (https://toe-by-toe.co.uk/who-is-toe-by-toe-design-for/)

• Precision Teaching and SNIP programmes (http://www.snip-newsletter.co.uk/pdfs/downloads/precision_words.pdf) (http://www.snip-newsletter.co.uk/pdfs/downloads/literacy_programme_1.pdf)

• Write to Read (www.writetoread.ie)

• Write Minded (http://youngballymun.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Item_30_WriteMinded_Overview.pdf)