Assess
Once concerns about a young person's speech and language have been identified, more detailed assessment is likely to be needed to identify the specific areas of concern and potential barriers to learning. Screening tools for young people in Reception and key stage 1-3 are available from South Warwickshire Foundation Trust.
It may be useful to consider Elkan’s Communication Chain in order to identify the specific areas of language that are causing concern. More details about Elkan’s Communication Chain can be found on the AFASIC website.
Each area of concern regarding language needs further assessment and monitoring. Assessment over time is needed to assess progress and the effectiveness of any interventions that has been put into place.
The following assessments may need to be used:
- Normative assessment - standardised tests to show how the young person performs compared to other young people the same age, e.g. BPVS, YARC
- Curriculum-based assessments – assessment that show how the young person is achieving to show how his/her language skills are impacting on their access to the curriculum, e.g. school Speaking and Listening curriculum assessments, WELLCOMM, Teaching Talking etc.
- Ipsative assessment - assess/plan/do/review cycles to show how the young person is progressing compared to their previous performance
- Further assessment of the classroom environment may be needed e.g. using the Better Communication Classroom Audit Tool (infant schools)
It is also important that the young person's hearing is checked (by recommending that the parent/carer contacts their GP).
The information gathered from these assessments should be collated and used to provide outcomes for the young people and to devise an appropriate intervention.
More detailed/specialist assessment may be required from the Speech and Language Therapist, in line with the Speech Language and Communication Needs Pathway, who can complete more detailed tests
If concerns are about selective mutism, useful information can be found on the SMiRA (Selective Mutism Information and Research Association) website which includes lots of information for professionals and a recommended resource is the Selective Mutism Resource Manual (Johnson and Wintgens) .
Fact sheets about speech, language and communication and associated conditions can be found on the SWFT Speech and Language Therapy website and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists website.