Plan/do

Detailed assessment will provide the necessary information to plan a support package which may consist of further adjustments in the classroom to improve access to the curriculum and/or specific intervention to improve social communication skills that need addressed.

An intervention needs to be planned and documented in order for all adults to be informed of the support that needs to be in place to support the child/young persons social communication skills.

An individual support plan is needed that is reviewed regularly in line with the SEND Code of Practice and contains specific outcomes relating to improving social communication skills and includes the additional provision and interventions in place.

The additional support may include:

1. Support in the classroom

• Adult instruction may need to be reduced and support by visual structure such as symbols (e.g. using Widget), Now and Next Boards and Choice boards.
  
  
• In addition to the class visual timetable, the child/young person may need a personalised visual timetable to detail any interventions etc that are taking place during the day

2. Group intervention

Group support may be needed and use interventions such as: 

• Social Use of Language Programme.
  
  
• Social Skills Programmes. 
  
  
• Groups to encourage peer listening, turn-taking and questioning. 

3.  Peer support

Peer support approaches may be beneficial, such as:

• Circle of Friends
  
  
• Communication Leaders

4.  Individual intervention

Ongoing review may conclude that individual intervention is needed to improve specific skills, for example vocabulary, speech sounds etc that are not progressing despite further class and group support.

Interventions (whether group or individual) are identified and put in place on the basis of the identified need.

Where there are concerns about the impact of the pupil’s social communication skills, a behaviour support plan needs to be in place using the information gained about the functions of the behaviour.

The following strategies may be useful here:

1. social stories
   
   
2. comic strip conversations
   
   
3. individual work station
   
   
4. time out area, eg tent
   
   
5. sensory spaces

Depending on the level of need and medical history, a Speech and Language Therapist or Autism Outreach may also be involved in supporting the child. If so, room needs to be available in school for assessment and intervention work and advice needs to be implemented in school by school staff.

More information about effective language interventions can be found on the Communication Trust 'What Works' database.