Speech and Language Therapy
Speech and Language Therapy addresses the needs of those who experience challenges communicating with others, caused by a wide range of difficulties. At More House, Speech and Language Therapy is offered to almost all the pupils, because communication needs are often closely related to difficulties experienced in Dyslexia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder and Developmental Coordination Disorder, in addition to a specific diagnosis of Developmental Language Disorder.
The Speech and Language therapists at More House School are fully qualified therapists, registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council and members of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. Therapists are supported by experienced therapy assistants.
The Speech and Language Therapy team at More House School provide both direct and indirect support to pupils to support their confidence and development in the following areas:
- Developmental Language Disorder:
- Verbal comprehension: The understanding of words, sentences and grammatical structure;
- Verbal expression: The ability to produce words and sentences in a coherent way to convey meaning;
- Higher level language: The ability to understand and use conceptual, abstract and figurative language concepts, such as inferential reasoning, idiom, metaphor, sarcasm, irony, analogy, feelings and emotions;
- Auditory processing: The ability to process spoken language, both understanding and expression, at a suitable speed;
- Social Communication: The ability to communicate in a social situation, such as the use of conversation, reciprocation, empathy, opinion and teamwork.
- Non-verbal language: The ability to communicate and understand aspects of communication such as facial expression, intonation and gesture
- Articulation: Clarity of speech in which the child may mispronounce sounds in words;
- Oral dyspraxia: Production of speech, in which the child may mispronounce or omit sounds or syllables in words, because of an inability to produce speech sounds consistently, use facial expression and intonation patterns accurately;
- Stammering: An inability to produce fluent speech at will.
Boys are usually seen in groups, organised according to their strengths and needs. Speech and Language Therapy aims to support the boys in the development of their communication skills, to access the curriculum successfully and to develop their confidence and ability to participate in a variety of academic and social activities. Speech and Language weaknesses underlie all aspects of learning, including reading and reading comprehension, written work, spelling, generation and sequencing of ideas, key vocabulary, social communication and interaction, working memory, thinking skills and emotional wellbeing.
