Why Should we get a Speech and Language Assessment SLT SaLT done?
Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) assessments support EHCPs across each SEND category. These assessments identify communication barriers and recommend tailored interventions that can be recorded as special educational provision under Section F of the EHCP.
Speech, Language and Communications needs
Social and Emotional Mental Health (SEMH)
Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC)
- Social communication: SLTs assess pragmatic language (e.g., turn-taking, eye contact, understanding sarcasm).
- Sensory-linked speech issues: Support with speech clarity affected by sensory sensitivities.
- Visual supports: Use of PECS, social stories, and visual timetables to aid understanding.
Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)
- Core assessment area: SLTs identify expressive/receptive language delays, speech sound disorders, and fluency issues.
- Provision planning: Recommendations for therapy frequency, group vs. individual sessions, and classroom strategies.
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EHCP input: SLT reports often form the backbone of Section B and F in EHCPs
Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)
- Emotional literacy: SLTs help children label and express emotions verbally.
- Behavioural triggers: Identify communication breakdowns that lead to frustration or outbursts.
- Therapeutic language: Support with narrative therapy or role-play to build resilience.
Moderate Learning Difficulty (MLD)
- Vocabulary development: SLTs assess gaps in functional vocabulary and comprehension.
- Sentence structure: Support with grammar and syntax to improve classroom participation.
- Memory strategies: Use of repetition, visual aids, and chunking to support learning.
Severe Learning Difficulty (SLD)
- Alternative communication: SLTs recommend AAC tools (e.g., switches, symbols).
- Feeding and swallowing: May assess for dysphagia if relevant.
- Multisensory input: Use of tactile and auditory cues to support understanding.
Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD)
- Phonological awareness: SLTs assess sound-letter correspondence, vital for dyslexia.
- Working memory: Strategies to support verbal instructions and sequencing.
- Speech clarity: Support for children with co-occurring speech sound disorders.
Physical Disability
- Access to communication: SLTs assess motor limitations affecting speech or AAC use.
- Breath support: For children with respiratory challenges affecting speech volume.
- Feeding and swallowing: If physical disability affects oral motor function.
Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty (PMLD)
- Non-verbal communication: SLTs assess gestures, eye gaze, and vocalizations.
- Multidisciplinary input: Work with OTs and physiotherapists to support holistic communication.
- Sensory-based therapy: Use of music, vibration, and tactile tools.
Other Difficulty / Disability
- Tailored assessments: SLTs adapt tools to suit rare or complex conditions.
- Flexible provision: Recommendations may include bespoke therapy packages.
Hearing Impairment
- Auditory discrimination: SLTs assess ability to distinguish sounds.
- Speech intelligibility: Support with articulation and lip-reading strategies.
- Language development: Focus on vocabulary and grammar delays due to hearing loss.
Visual Impairment
- Tactile communication: SLTs may recommend Braille or tactile symbols.
- Descriptive language: Support with spatial and visual vocabulary.
- Environmental adaptations: Advice on layout and lighting for optimal communication.
Multi-sensory Impairment
- Total communication approach: SLTs integrate signs, symbols, speech, and touch.
- Joint assessments: Work with sensory specialists to create unified plans.
- Consistency across settings: Ensure communication methods are used at home and school.