Following the previously over-subscribed training, please see information below re CPD delivered by the Speech and Language team.

IDENTIFYING AND SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES IN THE PRIMARY SETTING

An interactive whole day session suitable for: class teachers, ASN teachers, SMT, PSAs.

This one-day course will focus on identifying and supporting children with speech and language difficulties within the classroom. Learning will be done through active tasks, collaborative problem solving and analysis of real-life videos of children with SLCN (speech language and communication needs)

Aims of the course:

• To understand why speech, language and communication matters
• To develop an understanding of all the different stages and steps of the communication chain
• To know the difference between the terms speech, language and communication
• To understand the role of SLT and how we can work together and help each other
• To think about the link between poor language skills and behaviour
• To think about the link between speech, language and emergent literacy
• To know basic strategies to help children understand and learn new language
• To understand how non-verbal communication and using visual supports can support children with SLCN.

INVERNESS – Monday 7th March 2016

WICK – Thursday 14th April 2016

FORT WILLIAM – Tuesday 10th May 2016

INVERNESS – Wednesday 20th April 2016

Please apply through the CPD Calendar

Scottish Book Trust have a number of Learning Resources which can be accessed directly on their site.

CLICK HERE – Learning Resources

Check out the Author and Book Resources – great for work in reading workshops and class book study.

To celebrate the birthday of those characters Biff, Chip and Kipper that we’ve grown to know and love, Oxford University Press have released an exciting competition.

Learners are to write and illustrate their own Biff, Chip and Kipper adventure – the prize, their text might be published.

This could be a great writing opportunity for children in the First/Second Level to analyse the features of an Oxford Reading Tree text and create one of their own. Once they’ve finished, why not share it with someone younger in the school as part of World Book Day?

The link below includes information about the competition and resources which can be used in the classroom:

CLICK HERE to find out more information

John Lewis have released a resource, Bringing Skills to Life. The Highland Skills for Learning, Life and Work document details the Higher Order Thinking Skills which we develop across the curriculum. Higher Order Thinking Skills permeates throughout the Literacy Curriculum as detailed in The Highland Literacy Progression – Steps to Success.

Sign-up to John Lewis’ Bringing Skills to Life resource to access free lesson plans (linked to the curriculum) and activity cards which provide a stimulus for children to think, explore, imagine and create. Check out the ‘Storytelling’ section for some great lesson plans.

CLICK HERE – John Lewis – Bringing Skills to Life

An exciting opportunity is being made available for Highland Primary Schools through the Scottish Book Trust. Sarah McIntyre, Children’s Book Author, is coming to Highland between the 9th and 13th of May and is offering free school visits for P4 – P7 pupils.

To find out more information click the picture below:

To apply for Sarah to come to your school, visit:
Scottish Book Trust – Apply For Author Visit

Click the image below to access the Early Reading briefing published this week by Education Scotland. The Emerging Literacy group will look at this in detail at their next meeting as they continue to develop support materials and training.

CLICK HERE – Education Scotland Early Reading

Click the link below to access Highland’s Emerging Literacy materials to support the pre-literacy skills to support Early Reading.

CLICK HERE to visit the Emerging Literacy section of the blog

ABC Ya! is jam-packed with different interactive literacy games, stories and activities which can be used for individuals, small groups or whole class interactions.

A couple of favourites are:

• Crossword Puzzle Maker
• Type a Friendly Letter
• Sight Word Bingo
  

CLICK HERE – ABC Ya!

Ladybird and Read On Get On have worked collaboratively to publish Story Starters which can be used to support the development of children’s oral language. Use them in class, or recommend them for use with parents/carers.

CLICK HERE – Story Starters

Almost all children with Speech Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) have difficulty with some aspect of learning to read and write.

ICan have written a short article on the link between SLCN and Literacy Difficulties – click the image below to access the article.

Check out the following support materials which can be used to close the vocabulary gap and support all children, including those with SLCN:

Highland Literacy – Pre-Teaching Vocabulary
The Communication Trust – What Works?
Highland Literacy – Speech and Language Handouts
Highland Literacy – Emerging Literacy

BBC Dot Dash is a great tool which you can use when you’re making connections between characters, events, settings or when trying to create texts of your own. Very much like your own interactive mind-map.

CLICK HERE – BBC Dot Dash

CLICK HERE for the Highland Literacy SOLO Taxonomy page for further information on Making Connections.