2.1 Identify and describe the different strategies and targets that can support children and young people with speech, language and communication needs

This guide will help you answer 2.1 Identify and describe the different strategies and targets that can support children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.

Speech, language and communication needs can affect how a child or young person learns, interacts, and expresses themselves. Support must be structured and consistent to help them progress. Strategies and targets should be clear, measurable and matched to the individual’s age, stage of development and specific needs.

Supporting these areas means combining day-to-day changes in practice with longer-term developmental targets.

Early Identification and Assessment

Progress begins with recognising where a child or young person may be struggling.
Assessment can come from teachers, parents, speech and language therapists or SENCO staff. The aim is to map out strengths and needs so support can be directed in the right way.

Targets set after assessment may include:

• Increasing vocabulary by a set number of words over a term
• Speaking in longer sentences by a certain date
• Listening and responding in turn during group activities

Early identification enables staff to intervene before delays widen.

Collaborative Working

Speech and language development can be supported best through joined-up working. This means that teachers, parents, therapists and teaching assistants agree on targets and use the same strategies in different settings.

Benefits include:

• Consistency in instructions and prompts
• Reinforcement of learning at home and in school
• Faster progress as strategies are repeated

Targets can be shared in an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or similar document so everyone is working towards the same outcomes.

Use of Visual Support

Visual aids give clear cues that back up spoken words. These can help children who find verbal language alone hard to process.

Common visual strategies are:

• Picture cards showing items, actions or emotions
• Communication boards with symbols
• Visual timetables that show the order of daily events
• Gesture and sign language support, such as Makaton

Targets linked to visual support might include:

• Using a visual timetable independently each morning
• Pointing to a correct symbol when asked a question
• Matching pictures to spoken words with increasing accuracy

Modelling Language

Adults and peers can model correct language during conversation. This provides an example for the child or young person to copy.

This may involve:

• Expanding on what the child says
• Using complete sentences they can imitate
• Mixing repetition with slight variation to build vocabulary

For example, if a child says “dog run” the adult might say “Yes, the dog is running fast” to model grammar.

Targets around modelling might include:

• Using one new complex sentence every day
• Correctly copying a modelled phrase in a small group activity
• Increasing sentence length from two words to four words over six weeks

Repetition and Reinforcement

Repeating words and structures builds memory and confidence. Reinforcement through praise and encouragement motivates the child.

Strategies include:

• Saying new words multiple times throughout the day
• Playing games that include repeating phrases
• Revisiting the same books or songs regularly

Targets could be:

• Correctly pronouncing a set of target sounds consistently
• Remembering and using five new topic-related words in class discussions
• Joining in with repeated refrains in storytime without prompting

Reducing Language Load

Some children struggle when too much information is given in one go. Reducing the language load helps them process and understand more clearly.

Ways to do this include:

• Breaking instructions into small steps
• Using simple and direct language
• Pausing between phrases to allow processing time

Targets may involve:

• Following two-step instructions without help
• Demonstrating understanding by completing tasks after short verbal prompts
• Responding to simple questions in full sentences

Structured Conversation Time

Setting aside planned time for one-to-one or small-group conversation helps children practise speech in a safe setting.

These sessions might:

• Be led by a teacher or teaching assistant
• Focus on a theme or topic
• Encourage taking turns, asking questions and listening

Targets here might be:

• Taking at least three turns in a conversation without prompting
• Asking a peer at least one follow-up question during a discussion
• Staying on topic for a set time, such as two minutes

Role Play and Drama

Role play adds context and makes language learning fun. It allows children to practise speech and communication in realistic scenarios.

Examples include:

• Pretend shops to practise asking for items
• Doctor role play to practise explaining problems
• Story-based acting to explore emotions and dialogue

Targets can be:

• Using five role-play phrases without adult support
• Clearly expressing a character’s role and actions in a short scene
• Asking for and giving information during role play with increasing confidence

Use of Assistive Technology

Technology can provide extra communication tools. For some children this can reduce frustration and open up access to interaction.

Tools might include:

• Speech-generating devices
• Apps that convert text to speech
• Interactive whiteboards with visual prompts

Targets could be:

• Using a device to request needed items twice per day
• Recording and replaying short messages to practise speech sounds
• Navigating a communication app to express feelings without prompting

Embedding Targets in Daily Routines

Children learn best when practice is part of everyday life. Embedding targets into routines means they are met regularly without feeling forced.

Examples:

• Naming items during tidy-up time
• Asking questions before snack time
• Describing activities during P.E.

Targets may include:

• Naming three classroom objects daily
• Asking for help with a task at least once per morning
• Giving a simple report on the day’s activity during closing circle time

Speech Sound Practice

Some children have difficulty making certain sounds. Practising these helps clarity and confidence.

Strategies for sound practice include:

• Repeating target sounds in games or rhymes
• Listening to and copying models of correct sounds
• Breaking words into sounds before saying them whole

Targets can be:

• Producing a target sound correctly in isolation five times in a row
• Including the sound correctly in three different words during play
• Improving speech sound accuracy from 60% to 80% in a set list of words

Grammar and Sentence Structure

Weak grammar can limit understanding. Teaching sentence patterns helps children form standard structures.

Strategies might be:

• Using sentence frames
• Practising subject-verb-object patterns
• Playing matching games with subjects, verbs and objects

Targets may involve:

• Using a complete sentence structure in ten daily interactions
• Correctly forming past tense verbs in three chosen contexts
• Expanding two-word answers into full sentences in group work

Listening Skills Development

Listening is the foundation for speech and language progress.

Strategies can include:

• Games that require waiting for a signal
• Listening and following action songs
• Giving opportunities to recall details from short stories

Targets might be:

• Listening to an instruction and repeating it back without help
• Identifying the correct picture after listening to a short description
• Following a sequence of three actions after hearing them once

Social Communication Support

Children may need help learning how to interact socially, not just how to speak.

Support can feature:

• Clear teaching of turn-taking
• Recognising non-verbal signals like facial expressions
• Learning polite forms and greetings

Targets may include:

• Greeting peers or adults appropriately each morning
• Taking turns with minimal prompting during play
• Recognising when someone is confused and offering help or repeating a message

Monitoring and Reviewing Progress

Targets without monitoring can easily be forgotten. Workers should keep simple records and share them with parents or carers.

Methods include:

• Checklists
• Short observational notes
• Video clips showing speech changes

Targets might be reviewed every four to six weeks to adjust support as needed.

Adapting Strategies for Age

Young children may respond better to games, songs and pictures. Older children and young people may prefer structured discussion, text prompts and technology.

Match strategies and targets to:

• Development level
• Interests and strengths
• Environment where support is given

This keeps engagement high and reduces frustration.

Supporting Communication in Different Environments

Children and young people need practice in varied settings to generalise skills.

Examples:

• Classroom group sessions
• Playground interactions
• Home activities

Targets might include:

• Using a new word in both classroom and playground within a week
• Speaking in sentences to adults at school and at home
• Explaining a rule to a peer in different play situations

Final Thoughts

Speech, language and communication support works best when consistent, targeted and varied. Daily opportunities to practise often lead to faster and more confident communication. By setting clear, realistic targets and choosing strategies that match the child’s stage and abilities, workers can help make concrete progress.

Different approaches suit different personalities and needs. The important factor is consistency from adults, combined with encouragement and reinforcement at every stage of learning. This builds confidence, develops skills and supports the child or young person in reaching their full potential.