Effective language skills are essential for children to access the curriculum. In the classroom, spoken language is the primary medium through which teachers teach and children learn. Language development is accepted as being critical to cognitive development and learning itself is seen by many as a social activity.
1The specific links between language and literacy are well documented in research literature and the Rose Report highlights the importance of language, not only
for accessing literacy, but across the whole of the curriculum and the child’s development.
“The development of speaking and listening skills requires
fuller and more intensive attention to make sure that children acquire a good stock of words, learn to listen attentively, and speak clearly and confidently. …they are prime
communication skills, hugely important in their own right and central to children’s intellectual, social and emotional development.”
It is expected that when a child starts primary school, they will be able to understand much of what is said, express
themselves clearly, share their feelings and make their needs known. This level of proficiency in speech, language and communication is critical to the development of a child’s cognitive, social and emotional well-being.
In many ways our ability to communicate defines us, it is one of the ways we are judged and measured by others and the means by which we forge our relationships. Children starting school with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) may struggle with any aspect of communication and they can become withdrawn or present with challenging behaviour within the primary school environment.6 Based
on recommendations from the Rose Report, the renewed Primary Strategy for Literacy and Mathematics recognises the importance of speaking and listening in order for children to learn.
Starting primary school is a huge transition in a young child’s life. Children need to find their place in a new social and learning environment. Entering this new environment with SLCN can have a resounding, long-term impact on a child. Children may struggle to make friends, to learn, and to be themselves as part of their new community.
Terminology in the area of SLCN represents a source of unlimited confusion. To clarify the use of terminology, The Communication Trust has written a report highlighting
how terminology is used, with examples. Therefore although in education SLCN is used to describe a primary communication need, it is used by The Communication Trust
and in this paper as an umbrella term that covers all children with SLCN.8
SLCN therefore may be a primary need – i.e. speech, language and / or communication needs in the absence of any other impairment, the group of children known as having
specific language impairment (SLI) an accepted 5-7% of the population.
It may be a secondary need – i.e. speech, language and / or communication needs as secondary or co-occurring with other impairments, for example, cerebal palsy, autism and learning disabilities etc.
Or it may be the group of children coming into school with delayed language.
This report outlines the nature and extent of SLCN in our primary schools, what this means for children and their families and what can be done to ensure primary school
is a positive, enriching experience for children with SLCN.
The term communication disability is also used by I CAN to describe SLCN that arise from an underlying impairment and is often long-term and persistent in nature.