The developing stages of language and communication

This section identifies developmental levels of language and communication, matches these with suggested skill building activities, and suggests ICT tools for carrying out such activities.

The developmental framework used here is loosely based on the work of Coupe and Joliffe (cf Coupe and Goldbart, 1988) and Latham & Miles (1997). The framework used in this section highlights three main areas

• intentional communication
• early language
• language for learning

(For pre-intentional communication, see Unit 5 – ICT resources for pupils with multiple disabilities)

Matching ICT based tasks and materials to the developmental level of pupils with severe language and communication difficulties is not a precise science. The profile of each child’s needs, abilities and disabilities will be very different, depending on the degree of additional sensory, physical and / or learning disabilities.

In addition to general ‘communication’ needs, such pupils will also require support in accessing the curriculum. Indeed the curriculum will have to be adapted and differentiated to match the learning / communication level of the pupil(s).

A pupil with severe speech, language and communication difficulties who needs pictorial / symbolic language representation, and perhaps auditory feedback, needs communication software as a means of accessing the curriculum. Access to these resources is fundamental to the child’s development. This needs to take precedence over the teaching of specific language sub-skills, such as letter recognition.

Things to think about

Language and communication are at the very core of the education process and cannot be relegated to the literacy part of the curriculum. Software with both a broad and a narrow focus will be needed to support and develop language and communication skills across the whole curriculum.

Learning and using language and communication must be sociable and fun. Activities should have a purpose and be carried out interactively in a natural setting, to engage the child’s interest and motivation and to encourage generalization to everyday activities (not ‘work’ alone with an adult).

Scenario 2

As part of his work on ‘Personal and Social Development’ strands, Charlie was working on ‘writing’ a shopping list in symbols. Later he followed recipe cards in symbols, and took an active part in a team cookery sessions by using a Step-by-Step (digitized VOCA) to ‘read out’ each step in the recipe to his classmates. He also operated the mixer / blender independently with his PowerLink and switch.

Key skills and equipment

The key skills for the above example are the ability to:

• think laterally about each child, the curriculum topic and planned activities. What role can each pupil play at each stage?
• produce a Clicker grid or Writing With Symbols 2000 environment containing symbol items to be selected from
• record stages of the recipe into the Step-by-Step VOCA
• connect switch, PowerLink and mixer / blender

The key equipment is:

• child’s switch
• PowerLink (for a switch operator to control mains devices safely)
• computer with Clicker 4 or Writing With Symbols 2000

Scenario 3

Susie is learning to put symbols / words / part phrases together in the right order, to form a sentence. She does not respond well to ‘table top’ activities but she loves her role as class ‘Message Monitor’. The teacher sends her to the school secretary’s office regularly with the classroom MessageMate (digitized VOCA) with messages e.g.

“hello”; “please can I have – “ ; “paper clips”; “post-its”; “thank you”.

Key skills and equipment

The key skill for the above example is the ability to:

• • record messages into a digitized VOCA

The key equipment is:

• • a digitized VOCA capable of holding five messages

Is ICT always appropriate?

Whether the computer is an appropriate vehicle for the delivery of the pupil goals such as enhanced social awareness or increased interaction with his / her peers will depend as much on the task and style of activity chosen, as on the software.

Working in pairs or small groups around the computer offers good opportunities for developing core communication skills – turn taking, negotiation, and basic interaction – especially for pupils with additional severe physical disabilities, for whom manipulating other kinds of materials in cooperative play is difficult.

Scenario 4

Donald and Cheryl are working together, each with a separate switch, on SwitchIt! Scenes, set up to require coordinated alternate switch presses to build up the action scenes step by step.

Cheryl keeps reminding Donald that it is his turn by vocalizing loudly at him, and occasionally reaching over and trying to press his switch. By the end of the activity, Donald responds consistently to Cheryl’s prompts and has increased the number of turns he manages to take independently.

Key skills and equipment

The key skills for the above example are the ability to:

• use SwitchIt! Scenes set up to require alternate switch presses
• select and position appropriate switches for each child

The key equipment is:

• appropriate switches for each child
• computer running SwitchIt! Scenes software

Tip: Software advertised by commercial suppliers as being for ‘language’ often addresses only reading and writing learning objectives.

Before trying to implement any software, it is important to identify appropriate language and communication targets for a pupil’s individual educational plan (IEP), preferably with the help of a speech and language therapist.

Then begins the process of trying to match software – along with other teaching materials and approaches – to those aims, linking in a meaningful way to the curriculum content being taught.

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