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Speech Pathology Australia: Speech Pathology in Schools Project
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The positive impact of providing best practice
support to students with SLCN
The features of effective practice in primary and
secondary schools, for all students, including
those with SLCN are numerous. The key ones
are discussed below.
Ensuring communication is embedded
at a universal level
For all students, there is increasing evidence
to show that a focus on students’ spoken
(including the use of additional or alternative
expressive modes, such as symbols, books
or boards) language in primary and secondary
schools can have an impact on achievement.
Using speaking and listening activities to
help students think for themselves has been
highlighted as indicative of an effective school.
The introduction of whole school level activities
such as a consistent approach to reinforcing
good listening in class leads to improved results
in English. Support to develop communication-
friendly environments in primary and secondary
schools is essential.
Skilled and confident staff can make a
positive impact
For all students, including those with SLCN,
what adults do can have a huge impact on their
communication and educational outcomes.
Simple strategies such as allowing more
processing time or directing positive feedback
towards social as well as academic behaviours
have been shown to increase engagement and
performance. Initiatives using guided learning
through portfolio work and concept maps have
been successful in supporting the transfer of
learning into practice.
Links with the curriculum
For all students, building speech, language
and communication skills teaching into
the curriculum has been shown to have
an impact both on the quality of teaching
and on social and academic outcomes for
students. The curriculum used in Australian
schools is the Australian Curriculum
(www. theaustraliancurriculum.edu.au ). It is highly
recommended that speech pathologists have a
look at the year level curriculum and analyse the
language skills needed to access it. Consider
student language strengths and needs, and
work with teachers to address the gaps.
This represents a significant shift in approach
for speech pathologists away from remediation
to supporting access and participation in the
curriculum thereby making language intervention
more meaningful for students. An approach
where specialists work closely together on
aspects of the curriculum has reported benefits
for both teachers and students. Working through
narratives is an example, through scaffolding
story or report writing, but also through creating
a communication-based curriculum or through
focused discipline specific vocabulary teaching.
A functional approach
All students can continue to need support with
aspects of language such as vocabulary and
grammar and the academic requirements of
language. However, it is also important to focus
on associated emotional and social aspects
such as friendship or independence. A focus on
these functional aspects of communication is
useful for the development of all students.
A strategy-focused approach
Successful learning occurs when students
reflect on their strengths and difficulties and
know what they are aiming for. The same
applies to language – being able to reflect on
and analyse language is central to developing
language. Students need to know “how”, rather
than just “what” to learn; strategies rather than
skills. Strategies such as listening to parents as
models, practising words and asking for help
have been identified as useful by young people.
Teaching strategies such as the use of visual
organisers, pause time for planning, and ways of
recognising feedback to support self-monitoring
can result in positive outcomes in both written
and spoken language.
Support at transition times
The transition from preschool to primary school,
from one year level to the next, from primary to
secondary school and from secondary school to
beyond school can be potentially difficult times
for all students academically, organisationally
and socially. The amount of support given by the
secondary school in skills such as note taking,
learning how to read a timetable, understanding
what a subject area is, how to manage a diary/
student planner, managing assessments/
assignments and ‘how to write an essay’ are
crucial to ensuring a successful experience. Not