3.1 Review and identify the particular issues and implications in your setting for children and young people’s speech, language and communication

This guide will help you answer 3.1 Review and identify the particular issues and implications in your setting for children and young people’s speech, language and communication.

Speech, language and communication are at the core of a child or young person’s development. They affect learning, relationships, behaviour and emotional wellbeing. In this unit, the focus is on recognising the particular issues in your setting and identifying their implications. Every environment can present different challenges, depending on the ages of the children, their backgrounds, the resources available and the expertise of the staff.

Your role involves observing, recording and analysing how speech, language and communication develop for each child. This means looking at how they use words, understand others, express ideas, and listen and respond appropriately in different situations.

Common Issues in Speech, Language and Communication

Children and young people may face a range of problems that affect how they develop these skills. Recognising these is a key step in providing support.

Some common issues include:

• Delayed speech development – when a child starts talking later than expected for their age.
• Limited vocabulary – where the range of words the child uses is small, affecting their ability to express themselves clearly.
• Difficulty understanding language – problems following instructions or comprehending stories and conversations.
• Stammering – disruptions in the flow of speech, such as repeating sounds or words.
• Poor listening skills – struggling to concentrate or recall what was said.
• Non-verbal communication difficulties – challenges with facial expressions, gestures or body language.
• Speech sound disorders – trouble pronouncing certain sounds or words accurately.

These issues can have different causes, from developmental conditions to environmental factors.

Environmental Factors Affecting Communication

The setting itself can influence how speech, language and communication skills develop. You need to consider:

• Background noise – loud environments can make it hard for children to hear clearly and concentrate.
• Group size – very large groups may mean some children get less direct interaction with adults.
• Availability of quiet spaces – areas where children can talk one-to-one without distraction.
• Access to books and language-rich resources – children need a variety of materials to build language skills.
• Staff use of language – the way adults speak and respond to children shapes communication skills.

A setting with poor acoustics or inadequate resources may see more delays or difficulties in speech and language. This could lead to a greater need for intervention.

Cultural and Linguistic Diversity

Many settings include children from different language backgrounds. This diversity has both positive and challenging aspects.

Some points to consider:

• Children may be learning English as an additional language.
• They might mix words from different languages, which can be part of natural development but can temporarily slow clarity in speech.
• Cultural differences in communication styles can influence how children express themselves or interpret meaning.
• Some children may need more time and support to become confident in using a second language.

Being aware of language backgrounds helps you avoid misinterpreting normal bilingual development as delay or disorder.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

Some children and young people have additional needs that directly affect speech and language:

• Autism spectrum conditions – communication difficulties can include literal interpretation of language, limited social interaction skills or repetitive speech.
• Hearing impairments – hearing loss reduces access to spoken language and can limit vocabulary growth if not supported.
• Developmental language disorder – ongoing difficulty with using and understanding language without clear reason.
• Learning disabilities – can affect comprehension, memory and organisation of spoken language.

Knowing how these conditions affect communication allows for better planning of support and intervention in your setting.

Emotional and Social Factors

Speech, language and communication skills do not develop in isolation. Emotional wellbeing plays a role in how confident a child feels about speaking and listening.

Consider:

• Shy or anxious children may avoid speaking in groups.
• Low self-esteem can lead to withdrawal or minimal participation.
• Friendship patterns affect opportunities to practise language.
• Behavioural issues can limit focused communication with peers and adults.

A child who is upset or unsettled may speak less or answer only in short sentences. This can make assessment harder unless you take these emotional factors into account.

Implications for Learning

Speech and language issues have direct consequences for educational progress.

Some possible implications include:

• Struggling to follow lessons or instructions.
• Falling behind in literacy skills, as reading and writing depend on understanding spoken language.
• Difficulty expressing ideas in writing due to limited vocabulary.
• Problems in problem-solving activities where verbal reasoning is required.
• Less participation in group work or classroom discussions.

If children cannot express themselves clearly or understand what is being taught, they are at greater risk of underachievement.

Social Implications

Communication problems affect friendships and peer relationships.

Implications may include:

• Difficulty joining in games or conversations.
• Misunderstandings leading to conflict.
• Feeling excluded from group activities.
• Limited ability to negotiate or resolve disputes verbally.
• Risk of being bullied or isolated if speech sounds different.

Social skill development often depends on being able to understand humour, sarcasm, tone of voice and body language. Children with speech and language difficulties may struggle in these areas, leading to loneliness or frustration.

Behavioural Implications

A child who cannot communicate effectively may express frustration through behaviour.

This could appear as:

• Tantrums in younger children.
• Aggressive behaviour towards peers.
• Withdrawn or silent behaviour in group situations.
• Refusal to take part in activities.
• Attention-seeking behaviour to compensate for lack of fluent speech.

This highlights the link between communication skills and behaviour management strategies within a setting.

Role of Staff in Addressing Issues

Staff in your setting have a major influence on children’s communication skills.

Best practice includes:

• Speaking clearly and using age-appropriate vocabulary.
• Giving children time to respond without rushing.
• Modelling good listening skills.
• Encouraging children to talk in various situations.
• Using visual aids for complex instructions.
• Creating opportunities for small group or one-to-one interaction.

Regular training in speech, language and communication can improve staff confidence when supporting children and young people.

Working with Parents and Carers

Parents and carers play a key role in supporting communication. Your setting should work closely with them.

This can involve:

• Sharing observations about a child’s speech and language.
• Giving ideas for talking, reading and playing at home.
• Encouraging parents to attend workshops on communication.
• Signposting them to specialist services if needed.

A strong partnership increases consistency between home and setting, which benefits the child’s progress.

Use of Specialist Services

When issues are beyond the skills of the setting’s staff, you may need to involve outside support.

Specialist services include:

• Speech and language therapists.
• Audiologists for hearing checks.
• Educational psychologists.
• Early intervention teams.
• SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) for coordinated support.

Work in cooperation with these services, sharing detailed records of observations, interventions and progress.

Recording and Monitoring

Accurate records help track each child’s development and identify patterns.

Procedures might include:

• Baseline assessments when the child starts in the setting.
• Regular language development checklists.
• Daily interaction notes for children with known difficulties.
• Reports summarising progress and changes.
• Logs of any referrals made to specialists.

Clear documentation supports consistent strategies and helps when passing information to other professionals.

Adapting the Environment

Some speech, language and communication issues can be reduced by changes in the setting.

Adaptations might include:

• Reducing background noise.
• Providing calm spaces for one-to-one dialogue.
• Arranging furniture to support face-to-face interaction.
• Adding more visual materials like posters or symbol cards.
• Making story and language play resources easy to access.

Small adjustments can have a big impact on how children engage in communication.

Supporting Peer Interaction

Children learn a lot through interaction with others. You can promote speech and language by encouraging positive peer relationships.

Suggestions include:

• Pairing children in mixed-ability groups for activities.
• Using games that require talking and listening.
• Supporting turn-taking and conversational skills.
• Encouraging older children to mentor younger ones in reading or storytelling.

Friendly and supportive peer engagement boosts confidence and speech fluency.

Implications for Policy and Practice

Your setting’s policies should reflect the importance of speech and language support.

This may mean:

• Including communication development in planning documents.
• Regularly reviewing language-rich activity provision.
• Allocating time for staff to share good practice.
• Setting clear procedures for referral to speech therapists.
• Ensuring staff have access to current guidance and training.

This creates consistency and strengthens the level of support available.

Final Thoughts

Identifying and reviewing particular speech, language and communication issues in your setting means looking beyond obvious problems. It involves considering every factor that can affect a child’s ability to speak, listen and understand. Your observations, records and analysis form the basis of targeted support and early intervention.

By considering environmental influences, cultural and linguistic diversity, emotional wellbeing, learning implications, social effects and behaviour, you build a full picture of each child’s needs. This knowledge enables you to plan suitable approaches, engage parents, adapt the environment, and work with specialists where required. Addressing speech and language issues early can significantly improve a child’s learning, confidence and future opportunities.