Processing and producing speech sounds
Children with SLCN may not be able to effectively process
the speech sounds that make up words. This means they
cannot identify which sounds come at the beginning of words
or break up words into their component parts.
These skills are essential for children starting at primary
school as they learn to read and to spell which involves linking
sounds to letters and breaking up words so that they can
effectively read them. Children who struggle with processing
speech sounds are at risk of literacy difficulties.
An inability to produce speech sounds appropriately can
also have a significant impact on a child’s ability to make
themselves understood, which can mean difficulties
contributing in classroom discussions, making their needs
known, sharing information about themselves, answering
questions and joining in with conversations with peers.
Using and understanding all aspects of language appropriately in different social contexts
Difficulties with pragmatic language – the ability to understand and use language in a social context – can cause significant problems with social interaction. Children may
have difficulty knowing when and how to use their language in different social situations,or knowing the differences in how to speak to adults or peers. They may not understand jokes or sarcasm or may struggle with metaphorical language, taking well-known phrases literally. This can often result in adults and other children misunderstanding reactions from these children as they can seem perverse, pedantic
or unsympathetic.
There is a whole range of well used phrases, which are new to children starting school, that can be very difficult and confusing for children with SLCN to understand. Phrases
such as ‘fold your arms’, ‘line up’ and ‘break time’ can all be interpreted literally. Talk and social interaction among children play a key role in children’s social development and learning and it has been found that improving pragmatic language skills can help prevent problems in later educational performance. In addition to using language socially, using language effectively for a range of functions can be problematic to
many children with SLCN; to infer, debate, reason and predict or to clarify a message to others can be areas of difficulty. Verbal reasoning is at the foundation of many elements of education and difficulties with using language to reason, to investigate and problem solve or to infer meaning has a significant impact on school work.