Speech and language programme – Languageland

Background
Languageland is a speech and language programme which was developed over seven years through funding by Newcastle-Under-Lyme NHS PCT and Staffordshire LEA. Languageland has been used extensively throughout Staffordshire LEA and has achieved excellent outcomes. Used by both Speech and Language Therapists and Teachers, it takes two differing approaches:

• For therapists, it provides a detailed training package to support class teachers in adjusting their teaching practice through demonstrated language lessons and to achieve collaborative practice.
• For teachers, it is a complete speech & language intervention which provides modified lesson plans for children with speech, language and communication needs, that they can incorporate into existing class planning.

Who is it for?
This speech and language programme can be undertaken as a whole class exercise, in small groups or with individuals. The programme supports children with delayed language development.

A speech and language therapist or similarly experienced individual can train school staff by demonstrating the activities and strategies contained in Languageland. Alternatively, Languageland can be used by teachers following the guidance included within the Training Guide. There are separate, tailored approaches for Nursery, Reception and KS1 (mainly Year 1) children with speech and language delay.

What type of intervention is it?
Languageland speech and language programme can be used as a resource of games to add to an existing lesson or can be more formally used as a daily group or individual session. The number of sessions is not prescribed.  It includes guidelines on the reasonable amount of input to elicit progress. Languageland becomes part of the class teacher’s planning. – either integrated into existing lessons, for example, Circle Time, or timetabled as a stand-alone language lesson.

What does it cover?
The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework states ‘There are seven areas of learning and development that must shape educational programmes in early years settings… The development of children’s spoken language underpins all seven areas of learning and development.’

This speech and language programme covers many areas described by the Communication and Language prime area. It works at the level of the child and crucially teaches the skills that are needed before children are ready to achieve the higher-level skills described in the Framework.

Play – Languageland is based on an imaginary journey on a magic carpet requiring the child to develop symbolic understanding and imagination.

Interaction -Languageland includes active listening activities, songs and actions to develop interactional skills

Listening Skills -Languageland includes activities to promote auditory memory, sequencing, rhyme and phonological awareness specifically in relation to the spoken word and promotes active listening activities through a series of fun activities.

Categorisation – Languageland includes activities which focus on sorting into categories and developing concepts

Language Comprehension – Languageland includes activities which teach the meaning of sets of vocabulary. It includes activities which teach the meaning of key question words which, when answered and put together form the description of a simple event.

Expressive Language – Languageland includes activities which teach new vocabulary meaningfully. Languageland includes activities which teach the meaning of keywords which when answered and put together form the description of a simple event. The child learns to tell others using simple sentences. Producing a string of sentences which reflect a series of linked ideas.

Assessment
Languageland contains a checklist to record a child’s skills in all key areas on a scale of 1 to 5.  This can be undertaken prior to and following the intervention.

Components

Active listening
Listening skills
Phonological awareness
Categorisation
Language comprehension
Expressive language
Narrative skills
Spoken interaction skills

Age range: Nursery – Reception – KS1; 3 years – 7 years

Contents

• Background
• Programmes (The programmes contain a whole range of fun and engaging activities which support the children to acquire skills in active listening, phonological awareness, categorisation, language comprehension, expressive language, narrative skills and spoken interaction skills).
• Resources (includes all the pictures needed to carry out the programme activities along with resources for schools including lesson plans and advice to parents).
• Training (how to set up Languageland in a school setting, including session plans and training guides to help the speech and language therapist/trainer demonstrate Languageland to teachers. If you would prefer to use Languageland without having received the training you will find it helpful to read the relevant sections of the training guide).

Format: PDF file, 268 pages, all colour illustrations

You may also be interested in our narrative series speech and language programmes.