How Can You Help Your Child?
Here are our top tips and resources:
(WWL are not responsible for the content of 3rd party websites. Please let us know if there are any broken links or changed content.)
- General Ideas and Information
Talking point: information on all aspects of children’s communication, including a useful progress tracker to map your child’s development.
Communication Trust: The Communication Trust is a coalition of over 50 not-for-profit organisations. Working together we support everyone who works with children and young people in England to support their speech, language and communication.
I CAN is a specialist children’s communication charity providing a range of information services about children’s communication.
- Early Years
Tiny Happy People: The BBC Tiny Happy website is packed full of ideas and activities that are easy to build into your daily routine. They’re quick and inspiring, but they’re also based on expert advice and evidence, and are proven to help your child’s development.
Startwell
Startwell events in the area
Special time
Playing together
Sharing books together
Helping listening and attention skills
Helping understanding and talking
Baby Buddy
Booktrust
Baby Box University (for newborns)A playlist of communication strategies from @Towerhamlettherapies
Adult-Child Interaction
A webinar from our colleagues in North East London Foundation NHS Trust
Special Time
A short example of the Dos and Don'ts of Special time (from our colleagues in Tower Hamlets)
- Primary School Resources
Helping listening and attention skills
Helping social communication skills
Helping speech sounds
Helping understanding
Helping talking - Infants
Helping talking - Juniors
Sharing books - Infants
Sharing books - Juniors
Sharing time togetherBlank Levels
Knowing what children understand, helps us ask the right questions. Blank levels are a useful framework to help us.
Colourful Semantics
Colourful semantics is an approach created by Alison Bryan, speech and language therapist, to support children who have a developmental language disorder. Teachers can use the principles to help children learn about and talk about language structure.
- Secondary Age Resources
- Developmental Language Disorder
DLD | Developmental Language Disorder | Language Disorder (dldandme.org)
Colourful Semantics
Colourful semantics is an approach created by Alison Bryan, speech and language therapist, to support children who have a developmental language disorder. Teachers can use the principles to help children learn about and talk about language structure.
- Unclear Speech (phonology)
Young childrenHelping speech sound development
Becoming happy without a dummy
Helping speech soundsOlder children and young people
- Unclear speech (neurological conditions)
- Additional Needs (Also known as Special Educational Needs, or SEN)
Wigan Parent Carer Forum
A-Team Hub
Embrace Wigan and Leigh is a user-led charity dedicated to helping people with any type of disability and their families who live, work or use services primarily within the borough of Wigan, gain the support they need to live a fulfilling life.
Down’s Syndrome AssociationBlank Levels
Knowing what children understand, helps us ask the right questions. Blank levels are a useful framework to help us.
Modelling Symbols
Some children and young people needs symbols to help them understand or express themselves, or to develop their language skills.
Intensive Interaction
This approach was developed by Hewitt and Nind, and helps develop meaningful and enjoyable interactions between two people.The video explains the technique and gives examples of it in action.
Communication Profile
A single page of information that helps people get to know a child or young person. Click here to download a template you can edit.
- Selective Mutism
- Cleft Palate
- Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC)
National Autistic Society
www.socialthinking.com has some great resources and information for all ages on how to think socially, and therefore develop social skills through a better understanding of what people are thinking and why they act in the way they do.Take a virtual tour of the Grand Arcade shopping centre in Wigan. The iRoam technology allows people to familiarise themselves with the shopping centre in advance of any visit and can really help to reduce anxiety. This may be particularly useful for people with autism.
Howe Bridge Leisure Centre virtual tour (wigan.gov.uk)
Wigan Life Centre virtual tour
Leigh Leisure Centre virtual tour (wigan.gov.uk)
Modelling Symbols
Some children find it difficult to process the spoken word, or to express themselves using speech. Symbols can help.
We teach symbols in the same way we "teach" speech - use it, and allow children to see how powerful communication can be. Below is an example of how we can model symbols during a playdough activity. There is no pressure on the child to use the symbols. We model, and the child can use the symbols when they are ready. We can create opportunities for the child to express themself by pausing, allowing them to copy, or to tell us something new!
Intensive Interaction
This approach was developed by Hewitt and Nind, and helps develop meaningful and enjoyable interactions between two people.The video explains the technique and gives examples of it in action.
- Dysfluency (stammering)
- Communication Aids (AAC)
1Voice is a user-led network and support group for children who use communication aids and their families.
Communication Matters provides information and resources for professionals and families and people with limited natural speech.
Modelling the Use of Symbols
If children are learning to use symbols to express themselves, they need to see symbols being used all the time, so they can learn this visual language. Here is an example of modelling symbols during a playdough activity. There is no expectation that the child uses the symbols. We model, and when the child is ready, they will use the words/symbols that are meaningful to them. We create opportunities for them to use the symbols by pausing, or by pretending to do things wrong - we give the child something to talk about!
- Signalong
Signalong - The Communication Charity Information about the signing system that Learning Disabled children and adults use in Wigan.
Watch videos:
- Visual Supports
- Communication Role Models
A communication disability doesn’t have to stop you achieving.
Read some success stories:
Chris Packham (TV presenter and Wildlife Expert)
Professor Stephen Hawking (Scientist, Author)
Lost Voice Guy (Lee Ridley: Radio 2 Comedy Award winner 2014, writer)
Francesca Martinez (Activist and Comedian)
Rosie Jones (Actor, Activist and Comedian)
Becky (Artist and AAC user)
Pink Wheelchair Films (Film maker who uses AAC)
- Eating and Drinking
