When working with young children and their families, you will encounter children with a wide range of speech, language and communication (SLC) strengths and needs. You are in an ideal position to make a difference every single day. The everyday things you do, e.g., noticing, responding, adapting, and modelling language, can help children become confident and effective communicators.
Throughout this topic, you’ll explore what SLC is, why it matters, what typical development looks like, and how to support all children in developing their communication potential.
To help you learn all about the different aspects of speech, language and communication, this module has been created in collaboration between Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), Early Years Professionals and Speech and Language Therapists across Greater Manchester (GM).
This course is aimed at anyone in the Early Years workforce and is open access and free to use.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain the importance of speech, language and communication for children’s learning, wellbeing and life chances.
- Describe how speech, language and communication develop from birth to five years and recognise typical patterns of development.
- Understand how to use effective interaction and communication supporting strategies within everyday play, routines and environments.
- Recognise when a child may need additional support and describe the graduated approach to identifying and meeting speech, language and communication needs.
- Identify appropriate communication adaptations that support inclusion and participation with a range of communication strengths and needs.
- Identify effective approaches for working in partnership with parents and carers to support children’s communication development within the home learning environment.
- Recognise typical multilingual development and identify strength-based approaches that support multilingual children and families.
The course has been designed for you to work through the online content at your own pace and can be completed in short sessions.
- Staff Member: Jess Willsher