One of the sweetest sounds a parent ever hears is the first word from their child. While most of the little children develop normal speech and language, some may have a range of difficulties in this area of early years development. These conditions may be primary or secondary and quite often, we find an overlap of speech and language disorders. Research has proved that children with any form of communication difficulties and/or delays in their language development can benefit from early interventions between birth and age five.
At the British Orchard Nursery, we provide a range of activities to these children that include a language-rich environment, customized learning plans to meet their individual needs, multi-sensorial play opportunities, and special attention from a qualified SENCO who coordinates provisions, therapies, and resources. Our teachers are trained to observe the presence of common baby sounds, patterns of movements of the baby’s lips and tongue, the timing of the child’s first sounds and words, cognitive delays, hearing difficulties, acquisition of vocabulary, difficulties in pronunciation, thumb-sucking, extended use of pacifiers, and delay in weaning off the child from bottle-feeding, etc. This data is tracked using the relevant age strand of the EYFS Development Matters of the UK which helps us to identify any concerns in the child’s speech and language development.
Once a developmental delay is identified, we use a set of tools during the daily activities in our nurseries to support such children. These include imitation games where children learn to copy sounds, words, or phrases. We offer sound-echoing games and phonics awareness that help children with their speech-sound connections (phonology). Our teachers regularly have storytime in their classrooms and this is a great way for children to learn how to correctly form sentences (syntax). Our group discussions feature picture cards as a fun way for children to learn associated vocabulary and object identification. Most of our settings have multi-lingual teachers who have the skills to support children with EAL/ESL. We also offer a robust literacy program based on the Letters and Sounds Curriculum of the UK where children gain speaking and writing skills in a well-planned manner. In addition, we also emphasize building positive relationships with parents to support them in coping with the additional needs of their child.
Despite our best efforts, some children may still need targeted interventions by trained professionals and our inclusion teams will coordinate this to achieve the best possible outcomes for each child. We may also recommend an external assessment to support our observations. At British Orchard Nursery, every child learns and develops in a holistic environment, and we have had good success with regard to the acquisition of communication skills in young children.