Active Listening for Active Learning

Is it good enough? ?

What does this mean?

I don‛t know what to do

I don‛t understand

CanIhave aclue?

A mainstream resource to promote understanding, participation and personalised learning in the classroom

by Maggie Johnson and Carolyn Player

Is it OK to guess?

I can do this!

Ineed helpwith thisbit

I‛m having a go!

Published in 2009

Reprinted in 2016

Reformatted in 2023 for digital distribution aggie ohnson and arol n Pla er

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Acknowledgements

This resource contains assessments, ideas and activities that have been successfully developed, trialled and used within mainstream schools, specialist units and special schools in Bexley and East Kent. Without the feedback, ideas and support of staff in these schools, the Bexley Joint Communication Team and speech and language therapy colleagues in Bexley and Laleham-Gap School, completion of this project would not have been possible. It has been a privilege to be part of these teams and continuously inspired by their enthusiasm, suggestions and support. The authors are also indebted to family members who held the fort during long hours at the computer and the many children who willingly gave up their time to provide normative data for the assessment section. Together we have all learned a great deal and are thankfully still learning!

There is a growing bank of resources to enable schools to support children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). But as teachers will acknowledge, it is much easier to give timely and appropriate support if children start the ball rolling by indicating that they do not understand. Unfortunately, most children with SLCN lack the vocabulary, awareness or confidence to acknowledge their difficulties and seek clarification. They can fall into a pattern of guessing at what they should be doing and frequently become over-reliant on the assistance of learning support staff. Many of these children cope relatively well at primary school where their problems are recognised and contained within one classroom, but they can quickly become overwhelmed at secondary school. Without well-developed active listening skills, their struggle to keep up may be interpreted as disinterest or laziness.

Poor attention and listening skills

Unfortunately, SLCN can be subtle and often go unrecognised. Adifferent pattern may emerge as children disengage with the learning process at a younger and younger age. It starts with poor attention and listening skills. Spoken instructions and explanations go over their heads. They seek individual attention over organised activities and unsupervised play. And significantly, they appear to switch off or go their own way rather than ask for help.

Behaviour problem or language difficulty?

All of these behaviours can be explained by genuine communication difficulties. Despite speaking clearly, children may be unable to process or internalise instructions and routines. Without clear understanding and planning, they are unable to identify how to put things right or seek appropriate help. They try to please but misjudge situations so often that they eventually cease to trust their own judgement. At this point they rely on constant reassurance and without it, may opt out altogether. They may lash out in frustration and become an easy target for other children. The downward spiral of disengagement, under-achievement and unacceptable behaviour is underway . . .

Confident communication

This resource manual has been written to help prevent and address this downward spiral, and to generally improve children’s ability to actively participate in the learning experience. By taking an inclusive approach, all children are helped to recognise the importance of clear two-way communication and compensatory strategies such as peer support and active listening. Teachers are helped to recognise early warning signs, identify children with communication difficulties and provide a safe classroom environment where mistakes are part of the process. Strategies for general classroom practice are combined with specific activities at a range of levels so that teachers can tailor the resource to the needs of their class.

Whatever the age-range or level of additional need within a class, the overall goals are for pupils to enjoy learning and become confident communicators; active learners who can acknowledge their difficulties and seek clarification when confused. Until this is achieved, other programmes of learning are likely to have limited success.

Classroom Implications

What is Active Listening?

Listening should be an active process. When listening with understanding, children add comments or ask questions to explore a topic further. But what if they do not understand? We should be aiming for these children to take responsibility for understanding a message so that rather than guess or opt out, they acknowledge any difficulty and ask for repetition or seek clarification. This will enable them to compensate for any comprehension or attention deficits they may experience and ensure they get the most of the educational and social opportunities that lie ahead.

What is an Active Listener?

An Active Listener uses visualisation and imagination to support understanding of the written and spoken word. Active Listeners realise that messages cannot always be understood and take responsibility for seeking clarification when confused, stuck or unsure.

What do successful Active Listeners need?

•good listening skills

•an awareness that messages cannot always be understood

•recognition that the speaker does not always succeed in conveying the message clearly (it takes courage on the part of the adult to admit this!)

•the ability and confidence to actively participate in repairing communication breakdown

Active Listeners can:

•recognise why they are having difficulty understanding

•check they have understood instructions or ambiguous language correctly

•compensate for when they ‘switch off’or ‘forget’

•check they have heard someone correctly or interpreted an unfamiliar accent or dialect

•gain time while they write something down or work something out

•cope with different teaching styles

Active Listening is an essential life-skill that leads to:

•improved understanding

•compensation for language comprehension and processing difficulties

•compensation for poor memory and short attention span

•a sense of control over one’s environment and social interactions

•improved self-esteem

How To Use This Resource Pack

In the practical guidance that follows, the following symbols have been used to indicate the most appropriate application for each activity (stand-alone session) or strategy (a technique that can be applied throughout the day):

individual child

whole class children with additional educational needs

small group

suitable for delayed language development and early years settings 5-

The activities are divided into a progression of six discrete steps with photocopiable resources. All mainstream children benefit from the general strategies and specific activities outlined in Steps 1 and 6, while Steps 2-5 cater for children with significant additional difficulties who need extra monitoring and support. All activities have been used successfully in primary schools and many have an application at pre-school or secondary level.

How to develop Active Listening Skills

Step 1

Create a ‘safe’classroom environment where children are able to listen, not afraid to make mistakes and ready to question, challenge and admit uncertainty when they do not understand. Identify the children who may need extra help to reach this point.

Using the pack

Step 1 provides a good starting point for examining general staff awareness and classroom practice around effective communication and Active Listening Skills. It includes warning signs to alert staff to children who require further investigation and support. The principles can be introduced at any stage but discretion should be used in selecting age-appropriate activities and materials.

Step 2

Ask why children fail to seek clarification when they do not understand. Use observation or quick informal assessments to investigate communication difficulties, establish a baseline for monitoring progress and plan intervention.

Step 2 provides structured procedures to identify children requiring help with active listening, investigate underlying language processing difficulties and provide an evidence base for intervention. The ‘Where Next’section guides staff towards appropriate support in Steps 3, 4 and 5.

Steps 3 and 4 cover the prerequisites of active listening. These sections provide activities for children with specific comprehension and communication disorders, including difficulty understanding and generating language appropriately in social contexts. Both sections include strategies to address difficulty taking another person’s perspective (a particular problem for children on the autistic spectrum).

The activities flagged for early years settings and children with more generalised language delay continue to have an application well into primary school for most children with the specific difficulties described above.

How to develop Active Listening Skills

Step 3

Ensure that children recognise the different communicative functions of language. Can they identify instructions, questions and comments and respond appropriately?

Using the pack

Step 3 focuses on the ‘functional’aspects of language use. It is suitable for children who do not reliably differentiate or initiate questions, directions and comments, despite being able to speak clearly and remember words and information.

Step 4

Ensure children recognise the difference between knowing and not knowing; understanding and not understanding. Only then can they trust their own judgement and decide when they need to seek clarification.

Step 4 focuses on language meaning. Do pupils know what it means ‘to understand’and recognise when things don’t make sense? Do they use careful reasoning or resort to random guessing? This section includes ideas for strengthening children’s acquisition, understanding and use of vocabulary.

Step 5

Establish appropriate ways to seek clarification by giving children practice in deciding if requests or instructions make sense and asking for more information when they do not.

•Initially, target individual areas of clarification that need to be developed;

•Combine a variety of inadequate directions to consolidate skills and support carryover into the classroom.

Step 6

Facilitate active learning with consistent encouragement and reinforcement of active listening principles, ensuring that children generalise new skills, use each other for support and avoid over-dependence on adults.

Step 5 benefits all children needing extra practice in seeking clarification. The detailed progression of activities builds skills and confidence in small groups in preparation for transfer to the wider classroom setting.

Step 6 pulls all of these strands together to ensure new skills are consolidated and maintained in general classroom activity. Considerations include staff changes and transition to secondary school. Discretion should be used in selecting age-appropriate activities and materials.

N.B. Children with severe or complex communication difficulties can acquire Active Listening skills through the small group activities and strategies set out in Steps 3-5, but it is only through the principles set out in Steps 1 and 6 – consolidation and continued application of these skills in real-life settings with the whole class on board – that the direct benefit will be seen.

Step 1: Creating a Safe Environment

Create a safe culture where adults and children alike recognise that lack of knowledge, poor understanding, making mistakes and seeking help are all part of learning.

Identify children along the way who require extra help to achieve this goal.

It is not surprising that children:

•do not seek clarification if they are not listening in the first place

•do not seek clarification if they are afraid to show their ignorance

•do not seek clarification if they are afraid of the consequences

•do not attempt to answer if they are afraid of being wrong

•do not see the mutual benefits in giving and receiving clarification if we always pretend to understand them

•do not seek clarification if they lack the linguistic ability to do so

So we need to:

•establish class rules for ‘good listening’

•give children permission to question, admit uncertainty and challenge – as long as they do it politely

•respond positively to requests for repetition or clarification

•tell children they won’t always understand or know the answer (and you wouldn’t have a job if they did!)

•invite children to ask for help when they get stuck, rather than if they get stuck

•be honest when we can’t understand what children are saying and model appropriate active listening strategies

•recognise that undesirable behaviour is often a reaction to poor understanding and lack of coping strategies

•identify children whose lack of active listening skills is linked to an underlying language processing difficulty (such difficulties are not always apparent in the child’s expressive language which may be prolific and clearly articulated)

Just as children need to learn what to do when they do not understand, adults need to recognise that they do not always make things clear. So a good starting point is to put the following message across in your own words.

Sometimes you won’t understand me. You won’t know what to do or you won’t know what to say. Sometimes that will be because you were not listening, but sometimes it will be down to me – I might not say it very clearly. You must listen hard and tell me if you don’t understand. Then I can have another go.

Class rules for Good Listening

It is not sufficient to simply tell children with difficulty understanding or concentrating to ‘listen’. We need to explain and model the rules of ‘good listening’; help them to recognise these behaviours in themselves and others and be realistic in our expectations. Note that ‘good’is used here in the sense of ‘correct’or ‘acceptable’rather than as praise. The rules are:

•Good sitting

Sitting quietly in your own space and not interfering with others. Movement and stimulation are necessary for both comfort and concentration, so it is not realistic to expect children to sit completely still. Indeed, a request to ‘sit up straight and listen’can have the opposite effect for children who then concentrate on their posture rather than what is being said. Allowing children to use walls or furniture for support, or to lean forward on their elbows can be far more productive.

• Good looking

Looking at or facing the speaker.

Some children cannot process language when distracted by facial expression or gesture, so as long as children’s bodies are inclined towards the speaker, some flexibility is needed regarding direct eye-contact.

• Good thinking

Thinking about the words (i.e. staying on topic and making appropriate associations). Some children believe any answer is better than none. Good thinking includes the ability to say ‘I don’t know’and seeking more information rather than guessing.

• Good waiting

Making sure only one person is talking at a time.

Some children need to learn the rules of turn-taking _ talking when it is your go and listening when it is not.

Strategy to prepare staff and parents for a whole-class or whole-school approach to developing active listening skills

Before selecting activities and strategies from this manual, it will be helpful for staff to familiarise themselves with an overview of the techniques involved. Two handouts are provided, ‘What is an Active Listener?’and ‘Giving and Seeking Clarification’(pages 28 and 29). These handouts provide:

•a reference for discussions, feedback or planning sessions with staff groups

•information for supply teachers or receiving staff when individual pupils are changing class or school

•information for parents

Activity 1:Agreeing Class Rules for Good Listening

Aim: To ensure that children understand what is expected of them when we ask them to ‘listen’.

Preparation

1)Copy the Good Listening poster (Resources: Step 1, page 30), enlarging it to A3 if possible. Laminate one set of accompanying symbols (Resources: Step 1, pages 31-35), or if more appropriate, use your own pictures or symbols to convey the same messages.

2)Large puppet with head, mouth and hands that can be manipulated by adult. Or a game teaching assistant pretending to be a new child!

Procedure

1)Introduce the puppet or assistant as a ‘new’child who is very young and has not yet learnt to listen properly. Luckily the other children will be able to show him or her what to do.

2)Show the children and puppet the Good Listening poster and list the four things they need to do (good sitting, good looking, good thinking and good waiting). Each session the children will teach the puppet one new thing.

3)Choose one of the large symbols to focus the children’s attention (e.g. good sitting) and ask what the children think is important. The puppet will naturally be very interested and point at any child who is sitting nicely. Agree for example on:

–keeping a space between each other

–getting comfortable

–no silly noises

–staying in one place

4)Now read the children a story and ask them to watch the puppet to make sure he does ‘good sitting’. It is possible to both read and manipulate the puppet, albeit with one hand, but of course easier if a teaching assistant or volunteer reads the story. Get the children to call out if they notice the puppet doing anything silly, for example:

–leaning against or poking other children

–standing up

–whistling (children know it’s you but accept that ‘pretend’is all part of the fun!)

–tapping a pencil on the chair

–kicking the table (only an adult stooge will manage this)

5)Whenever the rules are broken ask individual children to identify the problem and demonstrate what the puppet should be doing, particularly children who are usually poor listeners. The puppet can thank them by shaking their hand, giving a ‘thumbs-up’or leading a round of applause.

6)Never refer to the puppet as being ‘naughty’, only ‘little’, ‘young’or ‘silly’. Similarly do not use the phrase ‘bad listening’. It’s either ‘good listening’or ‘not good listening’.

7)Draw the session to a close by thanking everybody and putting the puppet away. Sing ‘Bye bye (Puppet’s name), we’re sad to see you go’or similar if this seems appropriate to the age-group. This can make it more special when he comes out again for another session.

8)In subsequent sessions follow the story with questions or a memory task. The puppet or teaching assistant can be corrected for:

good looking

–looking under the chair or out of the window

–flopping forward

–facing the wrong way

–emptying their pockets

good thinking

–answering a previous question

–changing the subject

–producing totally random answers

good waiting

–interrupting

–calling-out during no-hands up time

–answering when another child has been chosen

Variations

•Older children can cope with more than one new rule per session.

•If only a few children need this exercise as a small group activity, introduce the rules to the rest of the class through general discussion of the Good Listening symbols. If told that some of the children have been learning about the rules of good listening it will be a good challenge for them to work them out unaided. This discussion will also provide an opportunity for the small group to share their knowledge and fill any gaps.

Useful resources

BOOKS

‘Signing Puppets’from Connevans Ltd – 01737 247571; www.connevans.co.uk and Chelltune – 01536 743726; www.chelltune.co.uk

POSTERS

‘Living Puppets’from Puppets by Post – 01462 446040; www.puppetsbypost.com

Languageland (puppets activity), Black Sheep Press – 01535 631346; www.blacksheeppress.co.uk

Strategies to provide clear feedback for appropriate behaviour and good listening

Place the Good Listening poster (page 30) on the wall for easy reference and reminders. When children can recognise desirable listening behaviours in others, (Activity 1) ask them in a completely neutral voice if they can show you or another child how to do ‘good sitting’ etc. when they break the Good Listening rules. This is usually more effective than asking children not to do something.

Throughout the day it will be important to acknowledge children’s behaviour and give them clear feedback. This is particularly true for unobtrusive behaviour which often goes unnoticed. For example:

–‘You are concentrating really hard – good thinking!’

–‘That’s good sitting, Vikram. Let’s try good looking too’

–‘Thank you Kevin for sitting so quietly – you’re helping everyone to think hard’

–‘Meena, that was very good listening. You have first go on the computer’

–‘Lovely news Mark – and good waiting from everyone else’

Useful resources

Social Skills Posters – Good Sitting from Taskmaster Ltd – 0116 270 4286; www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

Strategies to facilitate good listening by recognising constraints on attention span

Some children will need postural support from a bean-bag, chair with arms, wall or other surface before they can concentrate on other things.

Some children will need to channel their fidgeting (sensory-seeking) in more acceptable ways, e.g. by manipulating a stress ball, koosh or a lump of Blu-tack.

All children will benefit by knowing for how long they have to listen. Help them to pace themselves by using a time-marker such as a sand-timer, countdown checklist, a piece of Blu-tack on an analogue clock, or a timer.

Give compulsive ‘caller-outers’a clipboard to write down as many answers as they can which you will check later in the day, or a list of children’s names which they tick off so you know who hasn’t had a go yet.

At the end of any task requiring listening or concentration, always allow a minute or two to recharge batteries and have a shuffle, stretch or chat with your neighbour.

Useful resources

Johnson, M. (2007) Helping Children Hang On To Your Every Word (chapters on Comfort, Focus and Organisation) from QEd Publications – 01785 620364; www.qed.uk.com

Time Timer from Taskmaster Ltd – 0116 270 4286; www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

Mov’n’Sit cushion from JPM Products Ltd – 01920 468 380; www.jpmproducts.co.uk, and Epsan (UK) Ltd (Therapy Products) – 01299 829213

Activity 2: Distance Listening

Aim: To ensure children realise they are required to listen, even when the speaker is some distance from them.

Preparation

1)Laminate the large (Resources: Step 1, pages 36-39) or small (page 40) body distance symbols 1-4.

2)Adry-wipe marker pen.

Procedure

1) Sit next to the child during a reading session or verbal activity they enjoy. Show them the ‘close-up’ symbol and tell them they are listening very well, just like in the picture. Explain that words leave your mouth and go into their ears, illustrating this by tracing a line through the air as you talk and drawing an arrow from the speaker’s mouth to the listener’s ear on the picture card.

2) Still looking at the picture card, note how the people are sitting very close to each other which means they can talk quietly (close-up voice) and listen easily (close-up listening).

3) Explain that we can listen in other ways too – when we are across the table or the other side of the room and even when we are a long way away at the end of the hall, corridor or playground. Show the other symbols as you talk about each place, drawing an arrow on the card, as before, to illustrate how our voices have to travel further each time to reach the listener’s ear.

4) Repeat a simple listening activity at each distance, each time acknowledging how well the child is listening and associating the behaviour with the corresponding symbol, for example ‘table listening’, ‘classroom listening’, ‘hall listening’. Suitable activities include:

–taking it in turns to say a number, letter or word as you count to twenty or recite a sequence such as the alphabet or days of the week

–gradually extend the listening time required (e.g. count up to 20 but this time the child only calls out the multiples of 5)

–completing the pair, ‘fish and _____’; ‘socks and _____’ etc

–games such as ‘I went to market’, ‘I spy’, ‘Battleships’, ‘Top Trumps’, ‘Lotto’ and ‘Bingo’

Later

When the child is familiar with the body distance symbols and one-to-one activities, repeat the above sequence with one, then two, then three other pupils. Each time you introduce one more pupil, you (or the child) will need to draw an extra arrow on the appropriate picture card from the speaker to a new listener (see example alongside). This shows that when one person is talking more than one person can be listening, and that when you are talking in a large space you want everyone to listen.

Useful resources

Taskmaster Social Skills Poster ‘Watch This Space’–0116 270 4286; www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

Top Trumps – www.toptrumps.com

Strategy to ensure children realise they are required to listen, even when the speaker is some distance from them

When children are able to listen in a small group across different distances (Activity 2) extend this to the classroom. Using the same body distance symbols, remind children when they are required to shift from close-up listening to classroom listening. This can be done by drawing their attention to a large symbol displayed at the front of the class or placing a small symbol on their table. For example: ‘Hi Liam, you are listening at the table very well. Now I’m going over there and I need you to do classroom listening’(swap table symbol for room symbol).

As the child becomes familiar with the symbols they can also be applied in activities such as assembly, PE, lining up in the playground and family social gatherings.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

During general classroom activities it may become apparent that certain children repeatedly fail to engage with adults or respond to questions and instructions. This may not be consistent. For example, they may do better when engaged in familiar tasks or activities of their own choosing or when they can imitate others.

Unfortunately, it is easy to attribute such inconsistency to inattention, attitude or personal agenda rather than underlying processing difficulties, especially if children can speak clearly. See Screening Activity 3 on page 62 for an informal assessment to identify specific language difficulties which require onward referral.

Strategy to help children with poor comprehension and attention deficits visualise the abstract concepts of understanding and knowledge

As a general backup to giving classroom instructions, checking comprehension and problem solving, it will be useful to display and refer to the pictures* below on a day to day basis (see pages 41-43 for A4 versions of these Comprehension pictures which can be laminated for classroom use).

For example:

–associate each picture with a sign or simple gesture (e.g. thumbs-up, thumbs-down or thumb-wiggle)and after introducing a task, ask children to indicate whether they are ready to start

–after listening to instructions children can be invited to put their names under the appropriate picture so that teaching or support staff know which children need help

–children can ‘vote’by placing their names under the appropriate picture to show how clearly another group has presented their work

–children can place a small version of the Comprehension pictures on their tables to show they need help (Resources: Step 1, page 44), or draw a ☺ or face on a post-it note with their name and leave it on teacher’s desk

–teacher can start with the ‘I don’t understand’symbol and as children provide more and more information, change it to the ‘I understand’symbol

POSTERS

Useful resources

*Pictures reproduced with permission from Taskmaster Social Skills Posters: Good Listening, Good Thinking, Good Explaining and What’s On Your Mind. Taskmaster Ltd – 0116 2704286; www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

‘I don’t know’ ‘I don’t understand’

‘I know’ ‘I understand’

‘I’m not sure’ ‘I understand some of it’

Preparation

1)Laminate one set of the large Comprehension pictures (Resources: Step 1, page 41-43).

2)Large Having a Go picture (Resources: Step 4, page 244).

Procedure

1)Warn the class that during the next question session you don’t need the answer straight away. Ask children to keep their hands down and think about the answer – it’s not enough to say ‘Don’t call out’or ‘No hands up’as very often this triggers exactly the opposite from children with poor understanding. Focus instead on what children should be doing.

2)Using the picture cards to illustrate each concept, ask the children to decide after each question if they know the answer, don’t know or are not sure and to show you by giving you a thumbs-up sign, a thumbs-down sign or thumb-wiggling-between-the-two sign. An alternative for younger children or those with motor co-ordination difficulties is to put hands on head, tummy or shoulders.

3)Limit children with comprehension difficulties to either thumbs-up or thumbs-down.

4)Ask the question and when all have responded, praise for thinking hard and then proceed in one of the following ways:

–choose one of the children who do know to give the answer

–invite the children who do know to give clues to the rest of the class

–make a list of ‘guesses’from the children who are not sure, using the Having a Go picture to encourage good thinking

–split the children who do know and the children who don’t know or are not sure into two different activity groups for follow-up work

Strategy to generalise the above technique and enable children to indicate whether or not they understand classroom instruction

Keep the large Comprehension pictures (pages 41-43) permanently on display. After giving an instruction point to them and ask the children to indicate with thumbs-up, thumbs-down or thumb-wiggle if they know what to do. Repeat the instruction for those who don’t know or are not sure, or pair them with children who do understand.

Give individual children their own set of pictures (page 44) as appropriate so that teacher or teaching assistant can check up on them throughout the day. Encourage them to hold the ‘Don’t understand’picture up whenever they need help.

N.B. Traffic lights provide an alternative system – red for ‘I’m stuck, I don’t know what to do’; green for ‘I understand, I’m ready to get going’; amber for ‘I’m not sure, I need a quick check before I start’.

Strategy to show children that it is acceptable not to know the answer and to inhibit calling-out

1)Combine this strategy with ‘no-hands up’time when the adult manages question-answer sessions by inviting pupil contribution.

2)Tell children that, just like grown-ups, they won’t always know the answer. Discuss what grown-ups do on television game shows like ‘Who Wants To Be AMillionaire?’when they don’t know the answer. In the same way, the children can choose to ‘Ask a Friend’ (pass the question on), ‘Ask the Audience’(take a vote) or take ‘Fifty-Fifty’(a choice of two answers).

3)When ‘Asking a Friend’, children should gain each other’s attention by using their names and waiting for ‘Yes’to show their friend is listening. In addition to the above aim, this strategy therefore facilitates good listening, social interaction, questioning and turn-taking.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

During general classroom activities it may become apparent that certain children repeatedly give inappropriate answers. This may not be consistent. For example, they may do better when assisted by closed questions or visual materials, or during one-to-one activities which are naturally paced to their language processing ability.

Unfortunately, it is easy to attribute such inconsistency to inattention, attitude or personal agenda rather than underlying processing difficulties, especially if children can speak clearly. See Screening Activity 2 on page 60 for a structured observation schedule to investigate possible reasons for inappropriate responses.

Strategy to remove the stigma of not knowing the answer and demonstrating that it is knowing how to find out the answer that is more important

Activity 3: Saying ‘I don’t understand’

Aim: To demonstrate that everyone has difficulty understanding at times –even adults!

Preparation

Laminate one set of large Comprehension pictures (see Resources: Step 1, pages 41-43).

Procedure (younger children)

1)Introduce concept of understanding with a general discussion using the large pictures to illustrate ‘I understand’and ‘I don’t understand’.

2)Start by saying that we cannot understand everything we hear and encourage children to think of someone they cannot understand easily.

3)Use examples from your own experience to facilitate the discussion:

–our pets

–baby brothers and sisters

–characters from popular children’s television programmes (puppets, robots, aliens etc.)

–the home language of children speaking English as a second language

–members of staff with strong regional accents

4)Stress that we must not worry when we don’t understand what someone is saying because we can help each other work it out. For example, we offer younger siblings choices, or ask an adult to talk a bit slower or point.

Procedure (older children)

1)Introduce concept of understanding with a general discussion using the large pictures to illustrate ‘I understand’, ‘I don’t understand’and ‘I’m not sure’.

2)Encourage children to think about times when they did not understand, and how that felt.

3)Use examples from your own experience to facilitate the discussion:

–going abroad

–being in a very noisy place

–being given long-winded directions

–trying to follow an instruction manual

–communicating with animals

–talking to someone who is still learning the sounds and words of English

4)Ask how we can improve understanding and list all ideas. Think about what works best (e.g. getting help) and what is less successful (e.g. guessing).

All children

1)Stress that you want to make sure that everyone understands the work in class and that you are going to work together as a team to make sure everyone gets the help they need. You will be really pleased if you notice children helping each other without being asked.

2)And you will be extra pleased if children are clever enough to realise they don’t understand and let you know.

See Activity 5 ‘It’s Good to Ask’for a follow-up activity.

Preparation

out

Each child will need a means of writing or an answer fan that they made earlier (see page 45 and diagram below).

Procedure

1)Prior to a question session, explain that ALLthe children need to answer together. If they do not know the answer you want them to do their best and have a go (that’s ‘good thinking’!).

2)Depending on the age and ability of the group, children could: –write answers on chalkboards, laminated dry-wipe whiteboards or paper; –hold up fingers to show numbers; –select answers from an answer-fan.

3)Ask them to get each answer ready and after an agreed signal hold their answers up at the same time. Praise children for having a go even if they are not sure.

4)Show the correct answer and allow pupils to self-check. Do NOTask how many got it right as this defeats the purpose of the activity.

Strategy to encourage children to ‘have a go’or estimate when they are not sure of the answer, and to inhibit calling

Activity 4: Exploring Ways to Communicate

Aim: To help children recognise the value and role of different modes of communication in giving and receiving clarification.

Preparation

1)Find a sealed opaque container such as a biscuit tin or pencil case and a selection of objects or pictures to hide inside.

2)Photocopy and laminate one or more sets of Communication cards depending on size of group (Resources: Step 1, page 46-47).

3)You will also need 10-50 picture cards depending on the size of group, collected from boxed games, Picture Snap etc. or photocopied and laminated from Resources: Step 1, page 48-49.

4)Handout ‘Giving and Seeking Clarification’(Resources: Step 1, page 29).

Procedure

1)Hide a picture or object in a container and keep this in view to help children who need a visual focus to sustain concentration. Tell the children there are lots of different ways you could let them know what you have hidden and ask for their ideas.

2)Write each idea on the board, preferably with a simple picture reference (see the Communication cards for ideas) and stress that they are all good ways to communicate our thoughts:

–tell (say the name)

–show (i.e. open the container)

–write

–mime

–draw

–point (to a nearby picture or similar object)

–talk about it (give a clue)

–sign (even if formal systems are not used in your classroom, most children will have seen sign language translators in the corner of their TV screens, and some will be familiar with finger-spelling)

3)Introduce the matching Communication cards, invite a child to pick one and then attempt to convey what’s in the container by using that mode of communication. Let the children call out until someone gets it right.

4) Pointing may be difficult if you have hidden a picture of a giraffe, for example, and there is no other giraffe in sight, in which case explain your difficulty and get someone to select another Communication card until the object or picture has been successfully identified. Showing and saying the name are going to be the easiest and if these are selected you should repeat the game with a different object or picture, making sure one of the other options is selected this time.

5)Now let the children have a go in pairs or small groups if they can work independently, or staying in the main group. Each group will need a set of 5-10 pictures and a set of Communication cards (leave out signing if sign language, finger-spelling or cued articulation are not familiar to your class). Each child will select one picture card, which they keep hidden, with one Communication card and try to convey the answer using that mode of communication.

6)At any point the observers can request that the child selects another Communication card and swaps to a different means of communication. Either set a time limit for identifying as many pictures as possible, or see how long it takes to identify all the pictures.

7)Learning points from final feedback and discussion (may emerge over 2-3 sessions with smaller groups that include children with impaired communication):

–all modes of communication can be effective and so are equally valuable –different people favour different modes of communication

–the most effective communication mode will depend on the message we need to convey and individual strengths of both communicator and observer

–if we don’t understand we can suggest a different mode of communication (seek clarification)

–if we can’t make ourselves understood we can try a different mode of communication (give clarification)

–it’s important to keep calm, have fun, and work together as a team

8)Encourage children with communication difficulties to play the same game at home. Demonstrate the activity to parents and provide a set of Communication cards to take home with the handout ‘Giving and Seeking Clarification’.

BOOKS

Useful resources

POSTERS

Chatter Box Resources(Basic Language, Expressive Language &Conceptual Language) from LDA– 0845 120 4776; website: www.ldalearning.com

ColourCards produced by Winslow Press – 0845 230 2777; website: www.winslow-cat.com

When children are confidently using the Communication cards from Activity 4 in structured sessions, apply the same principles throughout the day to enable them to resolve communication breakdown through peer support.

–Acknowledge your own need for clarification when this arises. This allows children to put the strategies they have learnt into practice and models what they should do when they don’t understand.

–When children can’t make themselves understood and you have time for a one-to-one moment, calmly work through the communication modes or agree to leave it until later (see handout ‘Giving and Seeking Clarification’, page 29).

–Encourage children to look out for friends who seem stuck and find a communication mode to help them – maybe showing them where the library is would work better than telling them?

–Encourage children to ask and tell each other and members of staff what kind of help they like best – some understand more quickly with a drawing, for example, others prefer more words.

–Encourage class to lend support when they don’t understand each other by saying, ‘I’m sorry I don’t understand’, followed by a joint effort to try to work it out.

–Avoid intervening when a child wants you to translate what another child has just said. Suggest instead that they ask their friend to try again and facilitate such an interaction.

BOOKS

POSTERS

Useful resources

Social Skills Posters – Good Explaining from Taskmaster Ltd – 0116 270 4286; www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

Strategy to reduce the frustration of children in the class who cannot always make themselves understood

Activity 5: It’s Good to Ask

Aim: To promote active listening by giving children direct practice in dealing with unclear requests.

This activity would be introduced once other Stage 1 concepts are in place so children would normally be at least 5 years of age.

Preparation

1)Draw up a list of requests, most of which are unclear, ambiguous, incomplete or unreasonable and some of which can be easily carried out (one in every 4 or 5 requests). 5 and 6 year-olds should start with ‘Impossible’, ‘Distorted’and ‘Unfamiliar Vocabulary’requests as these are easiest for young children to spot. Take or adapt examples from Resources:Step 1, pages 50-52 or write your own, drawing ideas from Table A, page 67. If preferred, write each request on a single piece of card which can be selected at random from a suitable container.

2)Laminate the large Comprehension pictures ‘I don’t understand’and ‘I understand’(Resources: Step 1, pages 41-42).

3)Access to whiteboard or flipchart to collate children’s ideas during the activity.

4)Timer (optional).

Procedure

1)This activity can be done as part of Circle Time, but it is preferable to split the class into two smaller circles to increase each child’s involvement. This requires two adults e.g. teacher with a teaching assistant. After an agreed period of time (e.g. 7-10 minutes), children swap circles as quickly as they can and work through a second set of instructions. As an extra incentive, the two adults can have a race to see who can use up the most requests. Any children who appear confused or find difficulty concentrating will benefit from working in a smaller group.

2)Having established that there will be times when children won’t understand you or won’t know what to do (see Activity 3), explain that you are now going to practice what to do when that happens.

3)Explain that you have got some requests that make sense and others that do not. You will read out each request followed by someone’s name. That child will need to decide if they can carry out the request or not

–if it is clear they should carry out the request straight away (hold up picture showing ‘I understand’to support children with comprehension difficulties)

–if it is not clear they should not guess, but think about what they could say instead (hold up picture showing ‘I don’t understand’to support children with comprehension difficulties)

–if they do not know what to say they need not worry because the rest of the class will help them out and make suggestions

4)Work through the requests, acknowledging when they are impossible or unclear but discourage any excessive, over-pedantic questioning. Distinguishing clear and unclear requests is an important feature of this activity and children need both the confidence and linguistic judgement to act as soon as they have sufficient information. For example, ‘by’the chair does not require an exact distance and compass point, anywhere within touching distance will do! Note however that grammatical markers are there for a reason and that ‘a ruler’refers to any ruler; whereas ‘the ruler’refers to a specific ruler. Therefore if you request a child to ‘Point to the girl’, it is not pedantic to ask ‘Which one?’ or ‘Who?’

5)As children come up with useful clarification strategies such as asking you to explain what words mean or speak louder, collate them on the board or flipchart. Use their ideas to establish a classroom policy that it is good to ask and to generate a classroom poster or reminders for individual children (see next Strategy). Later, children will learn that there is a time and place to ask (Step 6), but for now we are establishing permission and an opportunity for practice.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

This activity serves a double purpose as it enables staff to identify children needing extra help to develop active listening skills. During this activity such children will show one or more of the following behaviours:

–anxious facial expression

–inappropriate behaviour or laughter (a reaction to embarrassment or anxiety rather than humour)

–a tendency to guess or have a go rather than seek clarification

–a tendency to seek clarification when it is not necessary

–difficulty deciding if requests are clear or confusing

–inability to trust own judgment

–need for adult reassurance and confirmation

–failure to react to or identify changes in adult’s voice (e.g. talking too fast, too high, too loudly or in a foreign accent)

–marked hesitation

See Screening Activity 3 on page 62, Step 2, for a structured observation schedule.

Useful resources

Social Skills Poster – Good Listening from Taskmaster Ltd – 0116 270 4286; www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

Strategy to reinforce appropriate active listening skills

Keep a Good Listening board in the classroom, perhaps by the Good Listening poster, with speech bubbles containing useful phrases and clarification strategies that arise from Activity 5, e.g.

What does that mean please?

Pardon? I don’t understand Sorry, I forgot what you said.

The blank speech bubbles on pages 225 and 233 can be used as a template. Children could place a star on the appropriate speech bubble when they use that phrase spontaneously.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

If you know that a child is deliberately seeking repetition unnecessarily, take their remarks at face value without showing annoyance. Seat them at the front of the class all day where they can hear, or away from their friends where they will be less distracted and able to listen properly. Chances are they will be hearing very well the next day. See also the general strategies in Step 6, pages 389-340 which help to establish class rules for the time and place to ask questions.

Strategy to demonstrate that everybody asks questions and that seeking help or clarification does not mean you are stupid or were not listening

Promote a general classroom ethos that it is good to ask (see Activity 5).

Flag up the benefits of seeking clarification by drawing the class’s attention to when able children do this. For example:

–‘Andrew, it’s a good job you asked me that – it was a while ago we did that so I’ll say it again. Thank you, good asking!’

–‘OK, I’ve been through the instructions once. Now, who can think of some questions to help make it really clear for everyone?’

Step 1: Resources

Resource Page

Staff/parenthandout:‘WhatisanActiveListener?’28

Staff/parenthandout:‘GivingandSeekingClarification’29

GoodListeningposter30

LargeGoodListeningsymbols

GoodListening31

GoodSitting32

GoodLooking33

GoodThinking34 GoodWaiting35

LargeBodyDistancepictures

Personalspace–close-up36

Comfortablespace–table37

Groupspace–room38

Publicspace–hall/corridor/playground39

SmallBodyDistancepictures40

LargeComprehensionpictures

‘Idon’tknow’or‘Idon’tunderstand’41 ‘Iknow’or‘Iunderstand’42 ‘I’mnotsure’or‘Iunderstandsomeofit’43

SmallComprehensionpictures44

Makingananswerfan45

Communicationcards46-47

Starterpictures48-49

Samplerequests50-52

N.B. Beforeuse,photocopyresourcesontostiffcardand/orlaminatetoextenduseand preventchildrenseeingthroughwhenhelduptothelight.Answerscanalsobehiddenby backingcardswithdarkpaperorphotocopyingthepatternfrompage416ontothereverse beforelaminating.Groupfacilitatorswillfindithelpfultofamiliarisethemselveswithsomeof thelongeractivitiesbyfirstpracticingoneachotherorobligingfriendsandfamily.

What is an Active Listener?

Someone who realises that messages cannot always be understood, and takes responsibility for seeking clarification when confused, stuck or unsure.

WHOLE CLASS STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING ACTIVE LISTENING SKILLS

1)Develop class rules for ‘good listening’:

•sit quietly in your own space ‘good sitting’

•look at or face the speaker ‘good looking’

•think about the words ‘good thinking’

•wait – one person at a time ‘good waiting’

2)Create a ‘safe’environment – give children permission to question, challenge and admit uncertainty – as long as they do it politely!

3)Respond positively to requests for information, and the ability to say ‘I don’t know’or ‘I don’t understand’.

4)Promote the idea that it’s ‘good to ask’. Flag up the benefits of seeking help or clarification using good role models – children need to see that everybody asks questions and gets stuck from time to time.

5)Indicate your own need for clarification, rather than guessing.

6)Avoid giving children more information as soon as they get stuck, as this removes both the need and opportunity for them to practise seeking help independently. Suggest appropriate clarification strategies instead. For example, ‘It’s difficult to hear me with everyone talking, isn’t it? If you need me to say any of these again, just say “Abit louder please”. Shall I say that one again a bit louder?’

7)Give children practice in deciding if requests or instructions make sense, and seeking clarification when they don’t (e.g. during circle time).

8)Encourage children to check with each other before going to an adult.

9)Adopt consistent language and class rules for guessing:

•‘guessing’= giving an answer when you don’t know if it’s right (it might be wrong! So first check it’s OK to guess)

•‘having a go’= trying to answer when people know you’re not sure

•‘working it out’= using clues to get the right answer.

Don’t guess

if you don’t understand or hear properly if a grown-up needs to know ‘the truth’

You can’t always know the answer

Guessing is fine

if you let people know you are guessing in guessing-games if a grown-up asks you to ‘have a go’

That’s good thinking!

Giving and Seeking Clarification

Suggestions for classroom discussion/policy

No-one understands everything – I can’t always understand you, and you don’t always understand me. How do we feel when that happens?

?

It’s much nicer to feel like this!

We know this will happen, so let’s agree on what we can do when . . .

A.

You try to tell me something but I don’t understand

1)I will let you know I don’t understand.

2)You need to do one or more of the following:

•say it again trying to put in all the sounds

•explain it a different way or give me a clue

•mime it

•draw it

•point to it or show me

•leave it – people often take a while to work things out. We can always try again later.

B. I am talking to you but you don’t understand

1)You need to let me know you don’t understand.

2)Do you need me to:

•say all or part of it again?

•explain it a different way?

•tell you what one or more of the words mean?

•show you or draw it?

•write it down?

•give you a clue (more information)?

C. I ask the class to do something but you’re not sure what to do

1)See if the person next to you can explain (they must not do it for you).

2)If neither of you know what to do, check with the rest of the table.

3)If none of you know, put your hands up or ask ___________ to come over.

4)If _________ doesn’t know, one of you needs to ask the teacher/put your Help! sign up/post a Q in the question box (select as appropriate).

Making an answer fan (strategy on page 20)

1)You will be asked some questions about a particular topic, object or category.

2)What could all the possible answers be?

3)Write each answer on one of the paper strips below.

4)Cut them out, including the symbol for ‘I don’t know’

5)Pin them together at the cross, using a brass fastener. ?

X X X

Requests that cannot be understood or followed

Impossible

Stand on the wall

Put your chair into your pocket

Sit on your nose

Catch a fish

Tell me when it's my birthday

Touch the ceiling

Get into the hamster cage

Show me your bed

Bake a cake

Shake hands with (absent person)

Eat my table

Lick your back

Take your hair off

Crawl through the key-hole

Inexplicit

Touch the boy

Put it on the table

Give them to me

Show ( _______ ) how to do it

Draw my favourite animal

Sit next to him

Put one of them over there

Put the book under your chair

Tell me my Dad’s name

Go there and count to 5

Stand on it

Give her a wave

Fold it up really small

Look at it for 5 seconds

Put your finger inside

Requests that cannot be understood or followed (continued)

Contradictory

Point to your red jumper (it’s not red!)

Sit down and stand up at the same time

Clap your hands while you keep your hands still

Show us your long hair (it’s short!)

Count to 5 in a loud voice very quietly

Put all three of your hands up

Give ( ____ ) a floppy pencil

Draw a square circle

Look at (girl’s name) and try to make him laugh

Stand on this book while you read it out to the class

Don’t move your feet while you jump

Keep your mouth closed and show me your tongue

Draw a round triangle

Bark like a pig

Unfamiliar vocabulary

Rub your humerus (upper arm)

Oscillate your digits (wiggle your fingers)

Purloin my bag/coat (take)

Perambulate laterally to the window (walk sideways)

Draw an arachnoid (spider)

Put an azure pencil under your chair (blue)

Put one of your extremities on the chair (hand or foot)

Fixate the person next to you (stare at)

Itemise your family (list them)

Tell us your handle (name)

What are your siblings called? (brothers and sisters)

Where is your abode? (home)

Manually operate the light (switch it on/off)

Leave the door ajar (slightly open)

Requests that cannot be understood or followed (continued)

Distorted requests

(read these too quickly, too quietly, with hand over mouth or obscured by a cough, sneeze, drum-beat, school-bell or other loud noise)

Stand behind your chair

Put your hands on your head

Tell us when it’s your birthday

Look out of the window

Count to ten as quickly as possible

Point to the ceiling

Put your ear on your knee

Knock on the classroom door

Switch the lights on/off

Think of an animal with a long tail

Name two children with brown hair

Spell your name

Think of an animal that rhymes with house

Scratch your nose with your thumb

Touch your ear and nose at the same time

Stand between any two girls

Put a small book under your chair

Bring me a ruler and a pair of scissors

Draw a small circle

Tear this piece of paper up and put it in the bin

Requests that can be understood

Use requests from the (Distorted Requests section) speaking clearly so there is no reason for children to misunderstand. Or adapt the following requests to provide more examples.

Clear requests

Stand next to your chair

Put your hands on your tummy

Tell us how old you are

Look under my desk

Count to 5 as quickly as possible

Point to the whiteboard

Put your hands on your knees

Knock on the floor

Step 2: Further Investigation and Planning

Establish a baseline for planning intervention and monitoring progress.

While the whole class strategies in this resource pack provide an essential context for consolidation and generalisation of skills, pupils with additional educational needs are likely to need more time in smaller groups to develop active listening and comprehension skills to their full potential. It is important to understand the difficulties these pupils are experiencing in order to plan appropriate support.

In practice it is not always easy to recognise children with poor understanding as they may talk clearly, fluently or incessantly, giving the impression that they have well-developed language but poor listening skills, attitude or behaviour. It must be remembered that we are all capable of repeating things we don’t completely understand (the lyrics of a song, business jargon, phrases in a foreign language) and we cannot assume that children have full understanding of language they produce.

The procedures in this chapter are designed to flag up hidden comprehension difficulties as well as poor active listening skills.

Step 2a – Screening Activities

Step 2a provides methods of structured observation to screen for the most common factor in classroom behaviour problems and poor listening skills - an underlying language processing difficulty.

Step 2b – Active Listening Assessments

Step 2b provides a selection of informal assessments to establish or confirm that children are finding it difficult to seek clarification when given instructions they do not understand. It may then be advantageous to document their progress against this initial baseline, as evidence that intervention to develop active listening skills has been effective.

Step 2c – What Next?

Having identified children who are not seeking clarification effectively and investigated possible reasons for this, it is time to plan intervention.

Step 2c enables staff to use information from general classroom observation and the above procedures to select appropriate activities from this manual and plan intervention.

Step 2a: Screening for Underlying Language Difficulties

Explore the possibility that poor listening skills or class contribution are associated with language processing difficulties.

General classroom observation will alert staff to children who:

•do not cope well with routine

•give inappropriate answers

•make little contribution

•employ delaying tactics when threatened by change or failure

•are generally disorganised and unfocused

It is highly likely that the same children struggle to ask specific questions and seek help. The following screening activities will help to determine whether inappropriate behaviour is linked to poor language skills and provide a baseline record for reviewing progress.

Screening Activity 1 (SA1) ‘Is it a Question, Direction or Statement?’

Most children are able to recognise the function or purpose behind different language forms and realise that a different response is expected from them in terms of answering a question, following an instruction or confirming/negating a statement.

Some children may not be able to infer the intentions of others however, and will need to begin active listening work by establishing the fundamental principles of two-way communication. Some may not understand the grammatical markers which distinguish questions, commands and statements and will respond to information-carrying words only, often taking action when only a verbal response is required. Others process language through direct action rather than visualisation, leading to delayed or inappropriate reactions.

SA1 will identify children who need help to establish appropriate response patterns.

Screening Activity 2 (SA2) ‘Analysing Children’s Responses To Questions’

Teachers, parents and classroom assistants may be aware of children who do not answer questions correctly or consistently. It is usually fairly obvious when children have understood the question but do not know the answer.

e.g. Q: Where’s Buckingham Palace? A: ‘Somewhere near Manchester’

It is not always obvious however, that children have not understood the question in the first place. Inappropriate answers are an inevitable consequence of language comprehension or processing difficulties, but can also make the child appear inattentive, poorly motivated, silly or disruptive.

SA2 will help to discern a pattern in children’s unusual or inappropriate responses and identify children who warrant further consideration.

Screening Activity 3 (SA3) ‘Pupils Response to Clear and Unclear Directions’

Once children understand the function of requests and questions they need coping strategies for when they cannot hear or make sense of what the speaker is saying.

SA3 flags up children who are unable to compensate for their comprehension difficulties.

Screening Activity 1: Question, Direction or Statement?

Aim: To identify children with functional language difficulties.

Target Group: Children aged 4 and above who fail to engage with adults, act impulsively, appear to listen selectively or answer inappropriately.

It is essential that the warm-up routine is strictly followed before administering this informal assessment. Young children will do better if it is conducted by a familiar adult.

Preparation

1)Make a double-sided copy of assessment form SA1, ‘Is it a Question, Direction or Statement?’(pages 57-58).

2)Pencil, pair of scissors, paper tissue, piece of blank paper.

Procedure

1)Read through the instructions on both sides of the form to familiarise yourself with the assessment. We need to see if children consistently take action in response to directions, provide information in response to questions and listen critically to statements.

2)Place the materials in easy reach of the child you are working with and explain the task as outlined on the form.

3)Record the child’s responses verbatim on the form or video the session and record them later. Remember that you are recording the child’s actions as well as any spoken responses. Alternatively, the recording can be done by an observer if this does not make the child uncomfortable.

4)Repeat items if children fail to respond or when requested (‘Uh?’, ‘Pardon?’, ‘What?’ etc.). Note how many repetitions are necessary to elicit a response.

5)Score the assessment in your own time once all responses have been recorded.

6)An example of a completed SA1 is included on page 59 to assist with scoring.

Interpretation

•Difficulty understanding the names of objects or action words indicates gaps in vocabulary knowledge and/or experience. This will need to be addressed through individual or group programmes to allow children to access general classroom instruction.

•Children of 4-6 years of age may find it difficult to swap between questions, directions and statements and errors do not necessarily indicate a significant difficulty. At this age there is only cause for concern if children cannot:

–follow directions, answer questions and agree/disagree with statements when all items of one type are administered together

–indicate that adults have said something wrong or silly

–answer questions by naming or pointing rather than demonstrating an action

If in doubt, repeat the test in a different order, grouping the questions, directions and statements together. Step 3 provides activities to address these areas if the same errors persist.

Typical vocabulary errors in the 4-6 year age group relate to grammatical understanding rather than the names of objects and actions, e.g.

1)‘Draw a pencil’[Child draws something with the pencil]

2)‘Blow your nose’[Child blows at their nose rather than using the tissue]

3)‘What is next to the pencil?’[Child chooses the wrong item]

4)‘Which one is for your nose?’[Child points to their nose]

•By 7 years of age children with typical language development should cope with this assessment fairly easily, so more than one or two errors suggests an unexpected level of difficulty with language development, hearing or attention. If hearing has been checked, the child has come to the assessment willingly and the warm-up routine was followed, it is likely that help with communication skills is indicated:

–Adepressed Functional score suggests disordered language development and an inability to quickly identify the intentions of others. Children may be displaying inappropriate behaviours or impulsivity as a result of social communication or comprehension difficulties. Speech and language therapy assessment is recommended alongside activities from Steps 3 and 4.

–Adepressed Vocabulary score with high Functional score indicates poor understanding of vocabulary or grammar which could reflect a general delay or more specific comprehension disorder. Speech and language therapy assessment may be indicated but it is important to consult local guidelines after building up a more complete profile of the child.

•If children need more than a few repetitions, check hearing. If hearing is satisfactory, investigate comprehension levels through speech and language therapy assessment or local screening procedures.

•All children struggling with this screening activity need to work towards Step 5 activities.

•See ‘What Next?’on page 85 for more information and help with planning an order of work.

IS IT AQUESTION, DIRECTION OR STATEMENT? – SA1

Child’s Name:__________________________Class:___________________

Completed by:__________________________Date:____________________

Instructions and Warm-up routine: See reverse of form

CHILD’S RESPONSETARGETCOMMENTS RESPONSE

1.Which one cuts?

2.What can you cut? (tissue, paper, nails etc.)

3.Wipe the table. (uses hand, paper or tissue or gets a cloth)

4.The tissue is wrapped round the pencil.

5.Which one is for your nose?

6.The scissors can cut.

7.What is next to the pencil?

8.Cut the tissue.

9.Draw a pencil.

10.The pencil is on the floor.

11.Blow your nose (Any attempt to bring tissue to nose is acceptable)

12.We write with the scissors.

PROVIDES ANSWER

PROVIDES ANSWER

FOLLOWS DIRECTION

AGREES/ DISAGREES

PROVIDES ANSWER

AGREES/ DISAGREES

PROVIDES ANSWER

FOLLOWS DIRECTION

FOLLOWS DIRECTION

AGREES/ DISAGREES

FOLLOWS DIRECTION

AGREES/ DISAGREES

TARGET RESPONSE See reverse of form for full scoring details FUNCTIONALERRORS

PROVIDES ANSWER

FOLLOWS DIRECTION

AGREES/DISAGREES

VOCABULARYERRORS

Indicates object or says ‘I don’t know’, does not demonstrate the action associated with the object

Performs the requested action or says ‘I can’t’

Agrees, contradicts, nods or shakes head without further action

pencilpapertissuescissorscut wipetablesharpnosenext to drawfloorblowwrite withwrapped

Other

[ ] errors

[ ] errors

[ ] errors

IS IT AQUESTION, DIRECTION OR STATEMENT? – SA1

AGE-RANGE: 4 years of age and above.

SCORING: The number of ‘functional’and ‘vocabulary’errors are noted.

1) Functional Language: can the child consistently recognise questions, directions and statements and respond appropriately by providing information, carrying out an instruction or agreeing/disagreeing with the speaker?

2) Vocabulary: does the child understand the content words (nouns, verbs etc.) which carry meaning within each question, direction or statement?

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUPIL: ‘Here’s a pencil, scissors, some paper and a tissue. I’m going to ask you to do some things with them or to tell me about them. Or I might tell you something and you need to see if I get it right or wrong. If you think I’m right you can say ‘yes’or nod, but if I say something wrong, say “No!” or shake your head.’

WARM UP: ‘Let’s practise with our hands. First let’s do something. (Give command to clap hands or click fingers). Good. Now I want you to tell me something. How many thumbs/hands have you got? Yes, two! And now listen while I tell you something. ‘I’m holding a mouse/I’m covered in paint’(show palms). Is that true? No, I’m being silly, aren’t I?! OK, let’s try that once more* and then we’ll start.’(*Repeat with a different statement, question and command if child is aged 4-6 years old or appeared unsure). ‘OK, look at the things on the table and see if you can do something, tell me something or say “Yes” or “No”. Here we go!’

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXAMINER: Read out each item giving no further prompts but answer any questions the child may have and respond to requests for repetition (e.g. ‘What did you say?’, ‘Uh?’).

TARGET RESPONSES

FOLLOWS DIRECTION: The child either follows the instruction as best they can or makes an appropriate comment such as ‘I can’t’. They may carry out the request silently or with some commentary. If the child follows the instruction incorrectly or says ‘I can’t’, this is a VOCABULARYerror rather than a FUNCTIONALerror.

Acceptable

‘Wipe the table’Child says ‘Wipe the table’or ‘With the tissue’and wipes the table.

‘Blow your nose’Child blows upwards without using the tissue. [Wrong action so record a VOCABULARYerror].

Not acceptable

‘Blow your nose’Child picks up the tissue or says ‘This one’but does not carry out the request.

‘Cut the tissue’Child replies ‘with the scissors’and does not carry out the request.

‘Cut the tissue’Child says ‘That’s naughty, isn’t it?’

N.B.If child seems to be seeking permission double check by saying, ‘It’s OK to cut the tissue’, then repeat the instruction and accept the second response.

PROVIDES ANSWER: The child names, points to, picks up or hands over an object or says ‘I don’t know’. The child does not demonstrate any action with the object. Miming an action is acceptable but actually using the object constitutes an error. If the child chooses the wrong object or does not know the answer, this is a VOCABULARYerror rather than a FUNCTIONALerror.

Acceptable

‘Which one cuts?’Child picks up scissors and makes a snipping action in the air.

‘What can you cut?’Child points to scissors. [Wrong answer so record a VOCABULARYerror].

Not acceptable

‘Which one cuts?’Child cuts paper with the scissors and says ‘scissors’.

‘What is next to the pencil?’Child moves the paper towards the pencil.

AGREES/DISAGREES: The child recognises this is a statement of fact and is able to convey agreement or disagreement without touching the objects. Simply repeating the sentence or laughing or pulling a face is not acceptable.

Acceptable

‘The scissors can cut’Child says ‘Yes, the scissors can cut.’

‘We write with the pencil’Child mimes writing with finger and says ‘True!’

‘The tissue is wrapped round the pencil’Child says ‘That’s right.’[Incorrect so record a VOCABULARYerror].

Not acceptable

‘The pencil is on the floor’Child puts the pencil on the floor.

‘The scissors can cut’Child says ‘The scissors cut paper’or repeats ‘The scissors can cut.’

‘We write with the pencil’Child makes a writing action with the pencil or actually writes with it.

VOCABULARYERRORS may occur with or without functional errors:

‘Draw a pencil’Child draws a houseFOLLOWS DIRECTION (correct) with VOCABULARYerror

‘What can you cut?’Child says ‘I don’t know’PROVIDES ANSWER (correct) with VOCABULARYerror

‘The pencil is on the floor’Child says ‘Pick coat up’ADDS COMMENT(incorrect) with VOCABULARYerror

Child’s Name: Class:

boy, 9 yrs 7 mths

(later diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome)

Completed by: Date:

Instructions and Warm-up routine: See reverse of form

(R)=item repeated

CHILD’S RESPONSE TARGET COMMENTS RESPONSE

1. Which one cuts?

pointed to scissors

2 What can you cut? (tissue, paper, nails etc )

3. Wipe the table. (uses hand, paper or tissue or gets a cloth)

4. The tissue is wrapped round the pencil

5 Which one is for your nose?

6 The scissors can cut.

7. What is next to the pencil?

8. Cut the tissue.

9 Draw a pencil

10 The pencil is on the floor.

11. Blow your nose (Any attempt to bring tissue to nose is acceptable)

12. We write with the scissors

picked up paper, tissue and pencil 'You can cut pencils in half'

used tissue

' no, it's not'

Held up tissue, put it to nose but did not blow

'Uh?'(R) cut paper, 'correct'

'scissors and tissue'

cut tissue drew pencil and wrote 'pencil' underneath

put scissors on floor, 'I know', then looked sheepish ' no it's not' big blow!

made scratch marks on paper with scissors 'True, you can write with scissors'

PROVIDES ANSWER

PROVIDES ANSWER

FOLLOWS DIRECTION

AGREES/ DISAGREES

PROVIDES ANSWER

AGREES/ DISAGREES ACTION

PROVIDES ANSWER

FOLLOWS DIRECTION

FOLLOWS DIRECTION

AGREES/ DISAGREES ACTION

FOLLOWS DIRECTION

AGREES/ DISAGREES ACTION

P P P P r r P P P r P r

Studied objects with exaggerated facial expression

Vocab error – we can cut pencils but we don't! Very literal

Raised eye-brow in exaggerated fashion

It's enough to pick it up, no need to show me

Unable to ask for repetition politely

Left-handed (right- handed in warm up)

Left-handed, immature drawing, poor letter formation/pencil grip

He intended to pick up pencil and missed, poor body awareness

Vocab error We can write with scissors but don't! Too Literal

TARGET RESPONSE See reverse of form for full scoring details FUNCTIONAL ERRORS PROVIDES ANSWER

FOLLOWS DIRECTION

AGREES/DISAGREES

Indicates object or says ‘I don’t know’, does not demonstrate the action associated with the object

Performs the requested action or says ‘I can’t’

Agrees, contradicts, nods or shakes head without further action

1 0 3 2

[ ] errors

[ ] errors

[ ] errors

noun-verb associations

VOCABULARY ERRORS Other pencil paper tissue scissors cut wipe table sharp nose next to draw floor blow write with wrapped

Pragmatic errors – Literal interpretation, can sound pedantic, irritates others Not generalising broad concepts of custom and functionality Needs to test things out for self each time Pulls faces, not socially appropriate

Screening Activity 2: Response to questions

Aim: To determine when poor listening and inattention are linked to underlying language processing difficulties.

Target group: Children who give inappropriate answers during group or individual activities.

Procedure

1)Observe the child in the classroom and note any inappropriate responses to questions. Aim for a minimum of 5 examples. Write the questions and answers at the top of the checklist and try to put aside any personal interpretation you may have regarding the child’s intentions.

2)Use the checklist to find an objective description of the child’s response and see if any pattern emerges.

Interpretation

•Children who repeatedly generate SC (Social Communication), A(Attention & Listening), U (Understanding/vocabulary), H (Hearing) or M (Memory) responses are not using active listening skills to compensate for information processing difficulties. Further investigation at Step 2b (page 65) may show that they are able to seek clarification on a one to one basis but are not applying the same rules in the classroom. Either way, Step 5 activities are indicated, reinforced by whole class principles at Steps 1 and 6.

•In addition, some children will benefit from Step 3 and 4 activities to develop their understanding of the meaning and purpose of language. See Table B on page 86 and carry out Screening Activity 1 on page 55 if communication difficulties are suspected (frequent SC or U responses).

•If hearing loss or communication difficulties are suspected (frequent H, SC or U responses) contact specialist services in accordance with local practice guidelines. Do not wait for the outcome of further assessment before embarking on the activities in this manual however, as this imposes an unnecessary delay. Active Listening skills will benefit the child regardless of the outcome.

ANALYSING CHILDREN’S RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS – SA 2

Child’s Name: Class:

Completed by: Date:

Sample question and answers (taken from classroom observation):

Response to Question (with possible reason)

Not aware of being addressed (A, SC, H)

Doesn’t realise a response is required (SC, H)

Says nothing, appears anxious or at a loss (SM, U)

Frozen expression (SM)

Echoes all or part of question

Doesn’t seem to understand purpose of Q (SC)

Seems to need more time to think (U)

Off-target (answers a different question) (U, SC, H)

e g What’s happening in this picture? It’s a jungle

Gives an associated or made-up word (word-finding difficulty)

e g Toadstool = frog-chair/toaster

Hears a key-word & gives an associated response (U, SC, H)

e.g. What colour is the sky? Martian invaders came in flying saucers.

Literal interpretation (U, SC)

Gives more information than is needed (SC, U)

Answers show lack of common-sense/unusual logic (SC)

Incomplete answer

Lacking in information (U, SS, SM)

Lacking in grammatical words/rules (SS)

Responds to only part of Q/can’t answer Qs about story (U, M, H)

Can’t cope with open-ended Qs/ free choice/ subjective info (SC, SM)

Not understanding basic what/who/where Qs (U, G)

Not coping with Qs about objects/people if out-of-sight

Confuses where/when

Not understanding basic how/why

Can’t cope with Qs about past/future events

Can’t cope with Qs involving reasoning

e g odd-man-out, classification, inference, alternatives

Seems to know answer but response can’t be understood (Sp)

Doesn’t ask for repetition/clarification

Opts out, changes subject, creates diversion

Lacks coping strategies and active listening skills

© Active Listening for Active Learning, QEd Publications

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Screening Activity 3: Response to clear and unclear directions

Aim: To identify children with comprehension difficulties and/or poor active listening skills.

Target group: Children aged 5 and above, particularly those exhibiting language, listening or behavioural difficulties.

Activity 5, Step 1, doubles as a screening activity as it facilitates identification of children who need further consideration and extra help to develop active listening skills. During this activity, children are asked to listen to both clear and unclear directions and to carry them out only when they are sure about what they have to do.

It may already be apparent that some children were not able to manage or learn from this task. The procedure below provides a method of structured observation to clarify and confirm these informal observations.

The activity may also be used as a standalone procedure to systematically observe any children who have been causing concern in the classroom.

Procedure:

1)Carry out Activity 5 as described on page 24. The group observation form SA3 on the next page can be used to record the responses of 12 different children but in practice, and certainly when the form is first used, it is wise to concentrate on just 1-3 children at a time. Alternatively, video the activity and evaluate the children’s responses later.

2)Tick the form each time the described behaviours are observed, putting more than one tick in a single box as necessary. By using ticks and smiling encouragingly it is unlikely that children will worry about their performance, but as an extra precaution fold the right-hand column out of sight.

Interpretation:

•If a child has an occasional tick in the shaded boxes but this is out-weighed by ticks in the unshaded boxes it is unlikely that further investigation or extra help is required. If in doubt go to Step 2b (page 65).

•Children with more ticks in shaded than unshaded boxes will benefit from Step 5 activities to develop their active listening skills.

•Proceed to Step 2b (page 65) if confirmation of poor active listening is needed or when a baseline measurement is required against which to track progress.

•Children with ticks in the Poor Comprehension area are also likely to benefit from the activities in Steps 3 and/or 4. For more information about their difficulties use Screening Activities 1 and 2 or proceed directly to ‘What next?’on page 85 to plan intervention.

and

Date: Class: Observer: Good Understanding Factors

RESPONSE

Children’s Names

Good grasp of task after single explanation

Aware of other children’s errors

Does not recognise when requests are unclear

Does not trust own judgmentneeds reassurance

Suggesting Poor Understanding Good Active Listening Skills

Does not react to adult talking in a strange way

Poor Active Listening Skills

Random response to task, looking to others for lead

Challenges/seeks clarification when it is not necessary

Attempts to follow an unclear request

Recognises instruction is unclear but does not know what to do about it

Asks for repetition but cannot be more specific

Asks useful questions to gain clarification

Able to challenge or contradict appropriately

Methodically eliminates possibilities

Step 2b: Recording Baseline Scores for Active Listening

Explore children’s ability to seek clarification and establish a baseline for monitoring progress.

In order to identify the children needing help to develop the fundamentals of active listening, we need to know how pupils respond when they are given directions that they do not understand:

Do they ask for repetition and clarification appropriately?

Do they guess at what to do?

Do they look confused, blank or echo the instruction without taking action?

Do they copy others?

Do they keep quiet to avoid drawing attention to themselves?

If the answer is yes to any question other than the first, much classroom language will be going over their heads.

Pupils’comments and reactions when confused may be recorded:

•on an ad hoc basis during any classroom test, explanation or series of instructions

•during structured group-work (see Screening Activity 3 on page 62)

•on a one to one basis using one of the informal assessment procedures included in this section.

The way in which the information is gathered will be a personal decision based on experience, need, preferred working style and time available.

Why choose individual assessment?

The assessments which follow cover the full range of clarification strategies which children with typical language development use increasingly from 5 years of age. It could take many hours of less structured observation to gather the same information. While not necessary for every child, these procedures enable staff to selectively confirm their observations and provide documented evidence of need and progress. The children’s responses can be recorded on paper or filmed. Filming has the advantage of facilitating reflective analysis of staff-pupil interaction and generating useful discussion with parents, teaching staff and the pupils themselves.

What do the assessments show?

The assessments which follow on pages 69-80 address the following questions:

1)Do pupils recognise when questions or instructions do not make sense?

Children will not seek clarification if they are unaware of a problem understanding the message in the first place. The assessments therefore include:

a)items that can be easily understood to ensure pupils only seek clarification when the situation demands it.

b)items that cannot be understood unless the pupil seeks clarification.

Requests that do not make sense mirror real-life situations for pupils with poor memory, understanding, hearing or attention. Nonetheless, to deliberately cause confusion feels very uncomfortable for adults who are usually in a supportive role. Children are therefore told beforehand that not everything will make sense and encouraged to ask questions if anything is unclear. This is not necessary during the classroom observation procedure as the requests are made in a natural setting where pupils are often invited to ask questions and it is not so unusual for adults to make mistakes.

The left-hand column of Table Ashows the reasons for confusion (‘communication breakdown’) which are replicated in the assessments. These can be attributed to the environment (e.g. competing background noise), the speaker (e.g. speed of delivery) or the language used (e.g. messages that are incomplete, contradictory or full of jargon). In the right-hand column we see examples of ‘repairing’the communication breakdown by seeking clarification. Other means of repair include requesting repetition and seeking confirmation (e.g. ‘Did you say London?’). The order that children acquire clarification strategies is determined by both their linguistic ability and how easily they recognise communication breakdown in the first place. So while 5 year olds are generally quick to recognise unfamiliar vocabulary, it is not until about 7 years of age that children query long or complex utterances.

The assessments can be used as they stand or adapted to suit different ages, interests and needs. For example, a procedure could be adapted for pupils with hearing impairment by introducing communication breakdown in the following ways:

•forgetting to sign

•using incorrect or indistinct signs

•covering mouth or face to interfere with speech-reading

•using no facial expression

N.B. When pupils of five years and above appear oblivious to communication breakdown, comprehension difficulties are indicated. See Table C on page 87.

2)When pupils are confused, how do they react and compensate?

When pupils do recognise conversational breakdown, they will ideally employ a range of repair strategies depending on the setting. In practice their response will depend on a combination of emotional factors (their relationship with the speaker and how confident they are feeling), linguistic factors (their ability to identify the reason for breakdown and the range of clarification strategies at their disposal) and social factors (the appropriate timing and method of seeking clarification). We need to look for an overall pattern, rather than base our assumptions on one or two responses. For example, if children confidently challenge the examiner on one or two occasions, it must be assumed that difficulties experienced with other items are for linguistic rather than emotional reasons.

3)What are the implications for intervention?

The ways in which pupils react to unclear instructions reveal a great deal about cognitive processing, learning attitude and self-help strategies. The main patterns that emerge are discussed in Table C on page 87 with implications for classroom performance and intervention.

TABLE A: COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN AND REPAIR

Type of BreakdownExamplesSeeking Clarification

Inadequate Acoustics

RateSpeaker talks too quickly‘Slow down please’ ‘That’s too fast’

VolumeSpeaker talks too quietly‘Can you say it louder please?’ ‘I can’t hear you’

Competing NoiseTwo people talk at same time‘I couldn’t hear that – the TV’s or too much background noisetoo loud’

Inadequate Content

Impossible‘Ask Peter for the rubber’‘He isn’t here’

Listener is asked to do‘Where are the scissors?’ something, but a necessary‘I can’t find it’ item is missing

IncompleteSpeaker omits vital information‘Which book did you want?’ ‘Shall I go now or after break?’

ContradictorySpeaker changes a name‘Do you mean me or John?’ mid-instruction, ‘Listen John, draw a tree. Go on Tom.’

Complex Message

Too LongListener’s memory span is not‘I can’t remember all that.’ sufficient to retain the whole‘What was the next bit again?’ instruction

UnfamiliarSpeaker uses vocabulary which‘Is ‘tugging’the same as is outside the listener’s‘pulling’?’ experience‘What does that mean?’

Complex GrammarSpeaker phrases the sentence‘What do I do first?’ at a more advanced level than‘Can you explain that again the listener can comprehend,please?’ ‘Feed the guinea pig after you’ve tidied up’(rather than ‘Tidy up, then feed the guinea pig’)

Other

Poor attentionListener is distracted or‘Sorry, I missed that’ over-loaded

Adapted from ‘Functional Language In The Classroom’, 3rd edition, Maggie Johnson, 2005

Active Listening Assessments (Ability to Seek Clarification)

Administration and Scoring Procedure

•None of these assessments are suitable for children under 5 years of age.

• Young children will do better if the assessment is conducted by a familiar adult.

•Write responses down verbatim or video the session to analyse and score later.

•Administration details are printed on the back of each assessment sheet for ease of reference. Usually the first response is accepted with no further prompts but see the instructions for a few exceptions.

•The same scoring system is used for all assessments (see example on page 73)

Assessment Record Sheets

A1: Classroom Observation page 69-70

Six requests are made during day to day classroom activity so the pupil does not realise they are being tested. The requests may be made over a number of days as the opportunity arises or ‘set up’in class. Responses are recorded on the test sheet.

A2: Real objects page 71-72

This test uses real objects easily found in any classroom so is suitable for pupils who do not have the concentration or dexterity for pencil and paper activities. An example of the completed A2 form is included to assist with scoring.

A3: Worksheet A page 75-76

The pupil is given a worksheet and carries out instructions using a pencil or pen.

A4: Worksheet B page 79-80

The second worksheet uses slightly more advanced language and is more suitable for pupils in Key Stage 2 and above.

Interpretation of Active Listening Assessment Scores

page 83

TIP!!! It may be a helpful time-saver to assemble an assessment pack of blank record sheets and accompanying test materials in a clear zip folder or boxfile.

TIP!!! Staff may like to try the assessments out initially with a few children who are not ringing alarm bells in order to get a feel for the procedures and observe age-appropriate responses.

A1 – CLASSROOM OBSERVATION OF CLARIFICATION SKILLS

Child’s Name:__________________________Class:___________________

Observer:______________________________Date(s):__________________

Description of situation (whole class activity, groupwork with peers, paired activity etc):

1Unfamiliar vocabulary

[N], could you please bring me the numeracy folder/protractor/ professional journal/bulldog-clip? (select one item)

2Inadequate volume

[N], (mumble the rest) could you please shut the door? (Don’t look at the door as you speak)

3Ambiguous (inexplicit)

[N], could you give it to [name a classmate] please? (Make sure there is a choice of objects to hand and avoid looking at any one of them).

4Impossible

[N], could you give the tissues to (name of absent pupil/member of staff) please?

5Too long (adapt as necessary)

[N], could you get me a red and a purple and a green and a yellow pen from the pot over there on my desk and if there’s one missing look in the art-cupboard because I think there’s a new pack on the bottom shelf behind the paints. That’s really kind of you, off you go – oh, and a brown one too. Thank you!

6Peer interaction

Direct this item to another pupil: Could Does [N] seek help/clarification you please ask [N] to bring me the from classmate or adult? register/timer/counters? (Item is not in its usual place)

Successfully seeks clarification or explains difficulty following instruction

Unsure what to do (may shrug, look puzzled, request repetition, seek confirmation, make general statement etc.) and does not guess

Carries out request incorrectly (may or may not be aware of comprehension difficulty) or fails to engage.

A1: Classroom Observation of Clarification Skills – ADMINISTRATION

Six requests are made during day-to-day activity so the pupil does not realise they are being tested. The requests may be made over a number of days as the opportunity arises or ‘set up’ in the classroom. Responses are recorded on the test sheet.

Procedure

•If pupils seek clarification, e.g. ‘What’s that?’ ‘Could you say that louder please?’ provide the requested information or repeat as directed. Do exactly what is requested, e.g. speak louder even if the volume was appropriate the first time. This provides a second chance to seek clarification more effectively.

•If pupils accurately explain their difficulty understanding, e.g. ‘I can’t remember all that’, ‘I couldn’t hear you’, acknowledge this positively and repeat the item clearly or go on to the next one.

• If pupils make a general statement, e.g. ‘That doesn’t make sense’, ‘I don’t understand’, give them a chance to explain their response by asking for the reason, e.g. ‘Well done, why couldn’t you understand?’. They may then explain their difficulty more accurately, e.g. ‘I don’t know what to give him’.

•If pupils ask for repetition or say ‘Eh?’, ‘Sorry?’, ‘Pardon’ etc, repeat the item exactly as you said it the first time, making sure the message cannot be understood. This gives pupils a second chance to process what they have heard and decide if they need to seek clarification.

•If pupils seek confirmation requiring a Yes/No response (e.g. ‘Here?’, ‘This one?’ ‘Did you say Joe?’) respond with, ‘I’ll say it again for you’. Then repeat the item exactly as you said it the first time, providing a second chance to seek clarification.

•If pupils shrug, look anxious or take no action, congratulate them for spotting a difficult one and move onto the next item.

• If pupils guess or do the wrong thing, move onto the next item.

•Keep prompting to a minimum and note any prompts that are given.

ScoreResponse Examples

2

1

0

Recognises difficulty understanding/ complying and does not attempt to carry out request

•seeks clarification appropriately (e.g. ‘Where is it?’)

•explains the communication breakdown

Explains difficulty understanding/complying or seeks clarification and carries out request correctly (e.g. ‘You didn’t tell me what to give him’)

•aware of difficulty understanding but cannot specify the reason

•makes a general statement (e.g. ‘that’s hard!’)

•uses an inappropriate clarification strategy

•seeks repetition or confirmation but gives up when clarification is not forthcoming

Carries out request incorrectly or fails to engage

•does not recognise the communication breakdown

•aware of problem but still has a go

•does not react to speaker’s request

•continues own activity or walks away

N.B.It is useful to make a note of the child’s facial expression – was it appropriate (e.g. confused/amused) or inappropriate (e.g. deadpan/anxious/unaware)?

A2 – INFORMALASSESSMENT OF CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES USING REALOBJECTS

Name:________________________________Class:__________Date:___________

BreakdownRequest0/1/2

1Put the ruler on the book.

2CompetingPut the (cough) on the book. noise

3Wrap the pencil in the tissue.

4Volume(Say the instruction very quietly with hand over your mouth) Touch two things that are made of paper

5UnfamiliarNow give me the one you can chimmy.

vocabulary

6Rate(Speak very quickly or in jibberish) Put the elastic band round the pens and put them on the paper

7ContradictoryPick up the red one that you blow your nose with.

8Stretch the elastic band.

9CompetingTouch the one that’s (yawn).

noise

10Volume(Say the instruction very quietly with hand over your mouth) Fold the piece of paper in half and put the book on it.

11ImpossibleEat the table.

12UnfamiliarPick up the tradle.

vocabulary

13Rate(Speak very quickly or in jibberish) Tell me the colour of the paper

14ImpossiblePut the book in the envelope.

15AmbiguousThere are 3 coloured pens. Give me that one. (Don’t look or point at the pens).

16ContradictoryDon’t move the pencil and wave it in the air.

17Too long/Keep your hands still until I’ve finished talking and then, if you complexare a boy, put the pencil and ruler beside the book with the tissue and envelope and if you are a girl, put the book and the tissue beside the paper with the ruler and pencil (say correct gender first)

18AmbiguousPut it on the floor. (Don’t look or point at the objects)

Successfully seeks clarification or explains difficulty following instruction

Unsure what to do (may shrug, look puzzled, request repetition, seek confirmation, make general statement etc.) and does not guess

Carries out request incorrectly (may or may not be aware of comprehension difficulty) or fails to engage.

Procedure: See reverse. Can stop after item 14 if child is under 7 years or scoring 0 on most items. ©

SCORING (see reverse) 2 1 0

A2: Informal Assessment of Clarification Strategies using Real Objects

Equipment: sheet of paper, three pens (one of which is red), pencil, tissue, ruler, envelope, book (too big for envelope), elastic band.

Warm up routine: Spread items out on table in front of pupil and say, ‘I’m going to ask you to do some things with the things in front of you. Let’s make sure you can find everything . . .’ (quick vocabulary check). ‘OK, sometimes it’ll be easy and you’ll know what to do straightaway. But sometimes I’ll try to make it hard for you to understand. Don’t worry – if you don’t understand you can tell me why or ask me a question. Here we go, see if you can work out what you have to do.’

Procedure

• If pupils seek clarification, e.g. ‘What colour did you say?’ ‘Could you say that slower please?’ provide the requested information or repeat as directed. Do exactly what pupils request, e.g. speak louder even if the volume was appropriate the first time. This provides a second chance to seek clarification more effectively.

• If pupils accurately explain their difficulty understanding, e.g. ‘I can’t remember all that’, ‘That was too quick’, ‘I couldn’t hear you’ (inadequate volume), acknowledge this positively and repeat the item clearly or go on to the next one.

• If pupils make a general statement, e.g. ‘That doesn’t make sense', 'That was a bit difficult', give them a chance to explain their response by asking for the reason, e.g.

‘You're right, why is it difficult?'. They may then explain their difficulty more accurately, e.g. ‘The tissue isn’t red’. 'It won't fit'.

• If pupils ask for repetition or say ‘Eh?’, ‘Sorry?’, ‘Pardon’ etc, repeat the item exactly as you said it the first time, making sure the message cannot be understood. This gives pupils a second chance to process what they have heard and decide if they need to seek clarification.

• If pupils seek confirmation requiring a Yes/No response (e.g. ‘Here?’, ‘This one?’ ‘Did you say red?’) respond with, ‘I’ll say it again for you’. Then repeat the item exactly as you said it the first time, providing a second chance to seek clarification.

• If pupils shrug, look anxious or take no action, congratulate them for spotting a hard one and move onto the next item. If they guess or do the wrong thing, move onto the next item.

• Keep prompting to a minimum and note any prompts that are given.

• Do not score items which pupils are able to understand easily.

ScoreResponse Examples

2

1

0

Recognises difficulty understanding/ complying and does not attempt to carry out request

•seeks clarification appropriately (e.g. ‘Where is it?’)

•explains the communication breakdown

Explains difficulty understanding/complying or seeks clarification and carries out request correctly (e.g. ‘You didn’t tell me what to give him’)

•aware of difficulty understanding but cannot specify the reason

•makes a general statement (e.g. ‘that’s hard!’)

•uses an inappropriate clarification strategy

•seeks repetition or confirmation but gives up when clarification is not forthcoming

Carries out request incorrectly or fails to engage

•does not recognise the communication breakdown

•aware of problem but still has a go

•does not react to speaker’s request

•continues own activity or walks away

N.B.It is useful to make a note of the child’s facial expression - was it appropriate (e.g. confused/amused) or inappropriate (e.g. deadpan/anxious/unaware)?

A2 EXAMPLE – INFORMALASSESSMENT OF CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES USING REALOBJECTS

Name:________________________________Class:__________Date:___________

Procedure: See reverse. Can stop after item 14 if child is under 7 years or scoring 0 on most items.

BreakdownRequest0/1/2

1Put the ruler on the book.

2CompetingPut the (cough) on the book. noise

3Wrap the pencil in the tissue.

(R) = item repeated

Looked incredulous and put tissue on book

4Volume(Say the instruction very quietly with hand over your mouth) Touch two things that are made of paper

5UnfamiliarNow give me the one you can chimmy.

vocabulary

Touched any two ‘I dunno’. Gave me ruler. Then said ‘What does chimmy mean?’ but too late

6Rate(Speak very quickly) Put the elastic band round the pens and put them on the paper

Understood me!!

7ContradictoryPick up the red one that you blow your nose with.

‘Don’t make sense’ (‘Why not?’) ‘I never heard of blowing your nose on a pen’

8Stretch the elastic band.

Pinged it across room

9CompetingTouch the one that’s (yawn). noise

Guessed. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’

10Volume(Say the instruction very quietly with hand over your mouth) Fold the piece of paper in half and put the book on it.

11ImpossibleEat the table.

Gnawed table until I asked him to stop. (‘Can you eat the whole table?’) ‘No’

12UnfamiliarPick up the tradle.

vocabulary

‘What’s a tradle?’

13Rate(Speak very quickly) Tell me the colour of the paper

‘Dunno’ (Prompt ‘Why not?’) ‘Too quick’

14ImpossiblePut the book in the envelope.

‘It won’t fit’. Showed me

15AmbiguousThere are 3 coloured pens. Give me that one. (Don’t look or point at the pens).

16Contradictory Don’t move the pencil and wave it in the air.

17Too long/Keep your hands still until I’ve finished talking and then, if you complexare a boy, put the pencil and ruler beside the book with the tissue and envelope and if you are a girl, put the book and the tissue beside the paper with the ruler and pencil (say correct gender first)

18AmbiguousPut it on the floor. (Don’t look or point at the objects)

Successfully seeks clarification or explains difficulty following instruction

Unsure what to do (may shrug, look puzzled, request repetition, seek confirmation, make general statement etc.) and does not guess

Carries out request incorrectly (may or may not be aware of comprehension difficulty) or fails to engage.

A3: INFORMALASSESSMENT OF CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: WORKSHEET A

Name:________________________________Class:__________Date:___________

Instructions for pupil:

‘I’m going to give you some instructions to follow, but I’m going to try to trick you! If the instructions don’t make sense and you’re not sure what to do, you can tell me or ask me a question. OK? Pencil ready? Off we go!’

Instructions for teaching staff:

Read the instructions and record any comments or requests for clarification the pupil makes. You can give extra information or change the way you speak, but only if it is specifically requested. See reverse of form for more details.

N.B. Omit items 10 & 11 if child is under 7 years or scoring mostly 0 on earlier items.

Instruction Response

1.Write your name at the top of the page.

2.Put a line under the (very quiet volume and hand over mouth) thing with ears.

3.(Unfamiliar vocabulary) Put a cross on the thing that oscillates.

4.(Fast rate or jibberish) Put a line under all the things that have wheels.

5.(Competing noise e.g. cough or sneeze in place of the shaded words) Put a dot under all the things that have handles.

6.(Ambiguous) Circle the one in the corner.

7.Which one can we take swimming?

8.(Contradictory) Don’t pick up your pencil and then draw a boy on the swing.

9.(Impossible) Tell me who made the seesaw.

10.(Complex grammar) Cross out 3 of the things that you can play with outside, as long as there are three bikes.

11.(Too long) Draw a long line that goes from the horse’s saddle to the pedal on the bike, to a handle on the see-saw, to a leaf on the tree and finally ends up back at the horse’s saddle again.

12.Well done! Give yourself a big tick.

Successfully seeks clarification or explains difficulty following instruction

Unsure what to do (may shrug, look puzzled, request repetition, seek confirmation, make general statement etc.) and does not guess

Carries out request incorrectly (may or may not be aware of comprehension difficulty) or fails to engage.

TOTAL SCORING (see reverse) 2 1 0

A3: Informal Assessment of Clarification Strategies – Worksheet A

Procedure

• If pupils seek clarification, e.g. ‘What colour did you say?’ ‘Could you say that slower please?’ provide the requested information or repeat as directed. Do exactly what pupils request, e.g. speak slower even if the pace was appropriate the first time. This provides a second chance to seek clarification more effectively.

• If pupils accurately explain their difficulty understanding, e.g. ‘I can’t remember all that’, ‘That was too quick’, ‘I couldn’t hear you’ (inadequate volume), acknowledge this positively and repeat the item clearly or go on to the next one.

• If pupils make a general statement, eg. 'That doesn't make sense', 'That's a bit difficult', give them a chance to explain their response by asking for the reason, e.g. ‘Well done, why didn’t it make sense?’. They may then explain their difficulty more accurately, e.g. ‘Because there’s four corners'. ‘You sneezed’.

•If pupils ask for repetition or say ‘Eh?’, ‘Sorry?’, ‘Pardon’ etc, repeat the item exactly as you said it the first time, making sure the message cannot be understood. This gives pupils a second chance to process what they have heard and decide if they need to seek clarification.

•If pupils seek confirmation requiring a Yes/No response (e.g. ‘Here?’, ‘This one?’ ‘Does that mean gallop?’) respond with, ‘I’ll say it again for you’.Then repeat the item exactly as you said it the first time, providing a second chance to seek clarification.

•If pupils shrug, look anxious or take no action, congratulate them for spotting a difficult one and move onto the next item.

• If pupils guess or do the wrong thing, move onto the next item.

•Keep prompting to a minimum and note any prompts that are given.

•Do not score items which pupils are able to understand easily.

ScoreResponse

2

1

0

Examples

•seeks clarification appropriately (e.g. ‘Where is it?’)

•explains the communication breakdown

Explains difficulty understanding/complying or seeks clarification and carries out request correctly (e.g. ‘You didn’t tell me what to give him’)

Recognises difficulty understanding/ complying and does not attempt to carry out request

•aware of difficulty understanding but cannot specify the reason

•makes a general statement (e.g. ‘that’s hard!’)

•uses an inappropriate clarification strategy

•seeks repetition or confirmation but gives up when clarification is not forthcoming

Carries out request incorrectly or fails to engage

•does not recognise the communication breakdown

•aware of problem but still has a go

•does not react to speaker’s request

•continues own activity or walks away

N.B.It is useful to make a note of the child’s facial expression - was it appropriate (e.g. confused/amused) or inappropriate (e.g. deadpan/anxious/unaware)?

A4: INFORMALASSESSMENT OF CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: WORKSHEET B

Name:______________________________________________Date:_______________

Instructions for pupil (aged 7 and above):

‘I’m going to give you some instructions to follow. Sometimes you’ll know what to do straightaway. But sometimes I’m going to make it a bit difficult for you and you’ll need to ask me something, OK? If you’re not sure what to do, you can tell me.’

Instructions for teaching staff: Read the instructions and note any comments or requests for clarification the pupil makes. You can give extra information or change the way you speak, but only if it is specifically requested. See reverse of form for more details.

InstructionResponse0/1/2

1.Write your name at the top of the page. (Impossible – no pen/pencil provided)

2.Put a cross on the item of food. (Ambiguous)

3.Draw a cherry on top of the ice cream. (Competing noise – yawn, sneeze or cough in place of the shaded word)

4.Tick the one in the corner, please. (Ambiguous)

5.Underline the one we see in the sky

6.Tick the vehicle in the third row and draw a circle round a place to sleep, then draw a line under the one that has a shell you must crack before you eat it. (Too long)

7.Draw spots on the pachyderm. (Unfamiliar vocabulary)

8.Before you tick the hot dog or the necklace, draw a ball next to the present that is on top. (Complex grammar)

9.Rub one of the ticks out, please. (Impossible – no rubber or written in pen)

10.OK, address pupil by wrong name, please point to a vehicle. (Contradictory)

11.Choose any two that go together.

12.Draw a circle around something to eat. (Volume = too quiet)

13.Draw a wavy line all around the tool you use to make a hole. (Rate = too fast or jibberish)

14.Draw a tiny circle around the lorry. (Contradictory)

Successfully seeks clarification or explains difficulty following instruction

SCORING (see reverse)

©

Successfully seeks clarification, explains difficulty or corrects examiner = 2

Unsure what to do (may shrug, look puzzled, request repetition, seek confirmation, make general statement etc.) and does not guess

Aware of (and may indicate) comprehension difficulty; does not guess = 1

Carries out request incorrectly (may or may not be aware of comprehension difficulty) or fails to engage.

TOTAL= Carries out request incorrectly = 0

TOTAL

2 1 0

A4: Informal Assessment of Clarification Strategies – Worksheet B

Procedure

• If pupils seek clarification, e.g. ‘What colour did you say?’ ‘Could you say that slower please?’ provide the requested information or repeat as directed. Do exactly what pupils request, e.g. speak slower even if the pace was appropriate the first time. This provides a second chance to seek clarification more effectively.

• If pupils accurately explain their difficulty understanding, e.g. ‘I can’t remember all that’, ‘That was too quick’, ‘I couldn’t hear you’ (inadequate volume), acknowledge this positively and repeat the item clearly or go on to the next one

• If pupils make a general statement, e.g. 'That doesn't make sense', 'I can't do that', give them a chance to explain their response by asking for the reason, e.g. ‘Well done, why didn’t it make sense?’. They may then explain their difficulty more accurately, e.g. ‘Because there’s four corners'. ‘You sneezed’.

•If pupils ask for repetition or say ‘Eh?’, ‘Sorry?’, ‘Pardon’ etc, repeat the item exactly as you said it the first time, making sure the message cannot be understood. This gives pupils a second chance to process what they have heard and decide if they need to seek clarification.

•If pupils seek confirmation requiring a Yes/No response (e.g. ‘Here?’, ‘This one?’ ‘Does that mean jewellery?’) respond with, ‘I’ll say it again for you’. Then repeat the item exactly as you said it the first time, providing a second chance to seek clarification.

•If pupils shrug, look anxious or take no action, congratulate them for spotting a difficult one and move onto the next item.

• If pupils guess or do the wrong thing, move onto the next item.

•Keep prompting to a minimum and note any prompts that are given.

•Do not score items which pupils are able to understand easily.

ScoreResponse Examples

2

1

0

Recognises difficulty understanding/ complying and does not attempt to carry out request

•seeks clarification appropriately (e.g. ‘Where is it?’)

•explains the communication breakdown

Explains difficulty understanding/complying or seeks clarification and carries out request correctly (e.g. ‘You didn’t tell me what to give him’)

•aware of difficulty understanding but cannot specify the reason

•makes a general statement (e.g. ‘that’s hard!’)

•uses an inappropriate clarification strategy

•seeks repetition or confirmation but gives up when clarification is not forthcoming

Carries out request incorrectly or fails to engage

•does not recognise the communication breakdown

•aware of problem but still has a go

•does not react to speaker’s request

•continues own activity or walks away

N.B.It is useful to make a note of the child’s facial expression - was it appropriate (e.g. confused/amused) or inappropriate (e.g. deadpan/anxious/unaware)?

Interpretation of Active Listening Assessment Scores

The following guidance applies to all assessments A1-A4. If a significant difficulty is identified or confirmed, use Tables B and C on pages 86-88 to determine what intervention is indicated.

•5 and 6 year olds vary a great deal in their clarification seeking behaviour and at this age we are looking for evidence of emerging rather than well-established coping strategies. The assessments indicate cause for concern if young children:

1.score 0 for most items AND

2.do not ask any questions OR

3.do not contradict or challenge (e.g. ‘I can’t’)

•By 7 years of age, children with age-appropriate language development have a good range of clarification strategies and rarely guess. Practice in seeking clarification at Step 5 is therefore recommended if children score more 1’s than 2’s, or 0 more than twice.

•In borderline cases, repeat the assessment after implementing Step 1 strategies. Intervention is indicated if no progress has been made.

•Children lacking in confidence and those with delayed language or literacy skills who seem to otherwise behave appropriately in class may only need an extra boost at Step 5 to complement the whole class strategies at Steps 1 and 6.

•Children with a high proportion of 0 scores who display other classroom difficulties such as poor concentration and inappropriate answers, are also likely to benefit from Step 3 and/or 4 activities to improve their understanding and use of language. Go to Step 2c on page 85 for more information and consult local guidelines to see if speech and language therapy referral is appropriate.

Progress Reviews

Progress can be monitored with both:

•a quantitative score – a higher overall score indicates improved ability to recognise communication breakdown and seek clarification appropriately.

•a qualitative score – the balance of 0, 1 or 2 responses or the types of breakdown dealt with successfully.

Assessments may be repeated as often as required as long as no help has been given during the assessment which would influence the child’s subsequent performance. Examiners should follow the test procedures carefully and use only the group activities in Step 5 or general classroom opportunities to demonstrate or teach clarification strategies. Improved scores will then reflect true learning rather than memorised responses.

Step 2c: What Next?

Use information from observation and assessment to plan intervention.

As a general rule of thumb:

Most children will benefit from the whole class approaches outlined in Steps 1 and 6.

Children who fail to seek help or clarification, whether this is due to lack of confidence, inexperience or language strategies, will benefit from Step 5.

Children with difficulties understanding language or social behaviour will also benefit from some or all of Steps 3 and 4.

Children with language skills at a 3-5 year level of development (this may include older slow learners) will benefit from activities flagged with the early language symbol in Steps 3 and 4.

Any or all of the following will guide staff towards appropriate activities for each child:

•Personal knowledge of the child

•Classroom observation during Step 1 activities

•Information from the Step 2 screening procedures

•Information from the Step 2 assessment procedures

•Specialist reports

•The introductory text to Steps 3, 4 and 5

Two tables follow which pull together this information with implications for intervention.

Table B relates children’s general language abilities to the various activities in this resource manual.

Table C lists ways children respond when presented with requests they do not understand, together with comments about the learning style associated with each pattern and recommended course of action.

Finally some pointers for order of work are included.

TIP!!! Children considered for Step 3 or 4 intervention may also be suitable candidates for speech and language therapy referral.

TABLE B: RELATING GENERALLANGUAGE ABILITYTO INTERVENTION

Information from specialist report, general observation,Recommended Screening Activity 1 or Screening Activity 2activities

Children with a diagnosis of pragmatic language difficulties. Children on the autistic spectrum.

Children who do not realise a response is required.

Children who respond with actions when asked a question.

Children who echo rather than answer questions. Children who ask questions or make statements rather than make direct requests.

Children with a significant number of Functional errors in Screening Activity 1.

Children with a diagnosis of semantic language difficulties.

Children with a diagnosis of receptive language difficulties. Children with poor verbal reasoning and inferencing skills. Children with literal interpretation of language.

Children lacking in social confidence.

Children with a diagnosis of expressive language disorder. Children needing opportunities to generalise grammatical rules which have been systematically introduced under the supervision of a speech and language therapist.

Children who relate more to adults than their peers.

Children with a diagnosis of semantic language difficulties. Children with a diagnosis of receptive language difficulties. Children on the autistic spectrum.

Children with poor verbal reasoning and inferencing skills.

Children displaying frequent off-target and literal responses. Children who respond to keywords rather than the whole sentence.

Children with word-finding difficulties of a semantic nature. Children with good word recognition but poor reading comprehension.

Children in early years settings.

Children in reception year with poor listening skills. Older children with a general language level of five years of age and below.

Children lacking confidence and assertiveness.

Children with a general language level of 5 years and above who do not question, contradict or initiate conversation.

Children with a diagnosis of semantic or pragmatic language difficulties. Children on the autistic spectrum.

Children with language and literacy difficulties associated with a limited auditory memory span.

Children with specific learning difficulties associated with a short attention span and distractibility.

Children who seek clarification in a socially inappropriate manner.

Children working on Steps 3-5.

Children with poor vocabulary and general delay.

Children lacking in confidence or assertiveness.

Children with appropriate language development who lack a sense of class identity and team spirit.

Step 3

General strategies and detective work activities in Step 3

Directing, questioning and socialising activities in Step 3.

Step 4

Vocabulary work in Step 4

5-

Early language activities in Steps 3 & 4

Step 5

Step 1 and 6

TABLE C: RELATING DIFFERENT RESPONSE PATTERNS TO INTERVENTION

(information from general observation, Screening Activity 3 or Active Listening Assessments)

Typical response toCommentWhat next? unclear requests

Seeks clarification, eitherAn effective response. Such pupils are active listeners andStep 1 and Step 6 whole class directly, e.g. ‘What colour didcomfortable enough to challenge or question the speaker.strategies with no additional work. you say?’or indirectly, e.g.They have the potential to ask questions long after the ‘I couldn’t hear you’speaker has finished talking.

(i.e. ‘Please speak up’).These pupils score mostly 2 in the Active Listening Assessments

Says ‘Uh?’, ‘What?’, ‘Pardon?’Such pupils do well during one to one exchanges.Steps 1 and 6 with no additional work. or asks for repetition This is a productive response as long as the pupil can seek clarification too.

Pupils who frequently seek repetition but rarely seek clarificationCheck hearing. may need extra time to process instructions or have difficultyStep 5. hearing. Some simply need direct practice to develop their range of questioning strategies. These pupils score mostly 1 and 0 in the Active Listening Assessments

Guesses what the speakerThis is a productive response as long as the pupil Steps 1 and 6 with no additional work. intended and checks that the can seek clarification too guess is correct, e.g. ‘GivePupils who ask a lot of ‘checking’questions but rarelyStep 5. you the blue one?’seek clarification tend not to cope well with group instruction.Screening activity 2 may reveal They need reassurance that each step is correct and oftencomprehension difficulties requiring rely on one to one support.These pupils tend to score mostlyStep 3 ‘detective work’and Step 4. 0 and 1 in the Active Listening Assessments.

Looks confused, blank orSuch pupils may be extremely anxious or lack assertiveness.Use strengths to build rapport and frozen and takes no action.They often go unnoticed when running into difficulty.confidence on a one to one basis, then check understanding with Screening Activities 1 and 2. If understanding is OK, build confidence in small group activities.

Typical response toCommentWhat next? unclear requests

Attempts to carry out theSuch pupils are passive rather than active listeners and scoreStep 1 to build confidence. instruction even though onlymostly 0 in the Active Listening Assessments. Two possibilities:Step 5 if no change. part of it has been understood.a)They lack confidence and do not see it as their role to Pupil looks uncertain and ischallenge or question the speaker. Such children aware that all is not well, butdo not tend to present with behaviour problems. in effect, guesses what theb)They have significant language comprehension orSteps 4 and 5. speaker intended.information processing difficulties which are sometimesStep 3 ‘detective work’. masked by their ability to speak clearly. They can spend a long time working on completely the wrong thing.Screening activity 1 may also indicate Some pupils are so used to ‘filling in’and guessing, theyneed for earlier Step 3 activities. may appear to fabricate with little regard for the truth. Laughs or makes commentsThis can be an effective response indicating full awarenessSteps 1 and 6 with no additional work such as ‘You’re talking funny!’that the adult is not speaking clearly.if behaviour is socially appropriate and child can seek clarification. However, it can also indicate immaturity if the pupil is unableStep 5. to go on and seek clarification, or if they are over-familiar withScreening activities 1 and 2 may the adult.reveal language difficulties and need for Steps 3 and 4.

Social awareness training may be indicated to learnStep 5: Activities 4, 6 and 24, and appropriate and acceptable interaction styles.Step 6: Activity 3 and following Strategy. Fails to engage or respondsThese pupils are likely to have marked comprehensionStep 5. inappropriately, e.g. changesdifficulties which need to be addressed before they canScreening activities 1 and 2 to explore subject, echoes question,become effective active listeners.language difficulties and need for appears to ignore speaker. Steps 3 and 4. Does not recognise when aThis is typical of younger children but becomes a concernSteps 4 and 5. request is unclear orafter the age of 5. Such pupils have marked comprehensionStep 3 ‘detective work’. ambiguous and confidentlydifficulties and relate what they hear to a ‘best match’at a does the wrong thing.simpler language level. They score mostly 0 on the ActiveScreening activity 1 may also indicate Listening Assessments.need for earlier Step 3 activities.

Order of Work – planning individual and group programmes

The activities and strategies are ordered in approximate order of difficulty within each Step. However, as all children have their individual strengths and weaknesses, staff must feel free to use their own discretion and vary the order of work according to aptitude, interest, need and age-level.

At one level therefore, this is a resource to dip into, but readers may find the guidance that follows useful, especially when a need for several Steps has been identified.

Step 1 and Step 6 provide an overall backdrop to the extension activities in Steps 3, 4 and 5. The whole class ethos promoted in Step 1 needs to be well established before introducing Step 6 but there is no set timescale. Generally speaking, the younger children are, the longer can be spent on Step 1 activities, from a year in Reception class to a few weeks in Year 6 and above.

Steps 3, 4 and 5 are designed to overlap so that pupils work through the activities in parallel. Do not attempt to complete one Step before moving onto the next, but ensure that each Step is underway before introducing the next Step, as indicated below.

Pupils will not be developmentally ready to start working on Step 4 until they have achieved success to at least Activity 6, ‘Picture Match’, on page 105, Step 3.

Pupils will not be developmentally ready to start working on Step 5 until they have achieved success to at least Activity 14, ‘Can Pigs Fly?’, on page 118, Step 3, and Activity 9, ‘Basic Question Words and Categories’, on page 195, Step 4.

If pupils embark on Step 3 or 4 activities and find them too easy, move onto Step 5. Nothing has been lost! It is better to be over-cautious than miss children who need these preliminary stages.

Step 5 is not suitable for children under 5 years of age. The sections ‘Coping with Messages That Don’t Make Sense’and ‘Coping with Distorted Messages’are appropriate for Key Stage 1 and above, while ‘Coping with Too Much/Too Little Information’is appropriate for Key Stage 2 and above.

Pupils may master Step 5 before they complete Steps 3 or 4. The later activities in Steps 3 and 4 involve higher levels of reasoning and social interaction and can be gradually introduced as children are helped to generalise Step 5 skills in the classroom.

Step 3: Linking Language to Social Interaction

Ensure that children recognise the different functions and social responses associated with questions, commands and comments. Only then can they be expected to develop effective questioning strategies.

Some children say a lot (too much at times!) but are actually very ineffective communicators. They tend to talk at rather than with other people and struggle with shared activities such as active listening, problem solving and negotiation.

Teachers and parents may recognise children who:

•interpret language literally and ignore the wider context

•engage in extended monologue rather than dialogue

•state rules rather than address people directly

•repeat questions rather than answer them

•ask questions to secure attention rather than to seek information

•memorise facts easily but do not consistently follow simple instructions or social routines

•assume others know what they are thinking and become distressed or angry when things do not go as they anticipate

It is likely that these children have learnt to speak and read clearly but struggle with the ‘pragmatic’aspects of language that allow us to use and respond to language appropriately in different situations and social contexts.

Such children need help to:

•appreciate the give and take, two-way nature of communication

•recognise the different functions or purposes of language and see how each can be used to influence other people’s behaviour

•link different language structures (questions, commands, statements) with different intentions (requests for information, action, clarification etc.)

•recognise the speaker’s intention behind certain language choices and how this impacts on the listener’s response

•generalise skills learnt in small group activities to the wider school, home and community settings

Staff awareness is vital to ensure children’s behaviour is not misconstrued.

Involving parents and non-classroom based staff in children’s targets and activities is always important, but particularly so in the area of social use of language. Effective strategies from this section will need to be extended to other settings such as the playground, dining-room and home to ensure that concepts are generalised beyond the classroom.

Overview of Step 3 Activities

Table D on the next page sets out the three main types of language exchange that take place in the classroom, together with some simple social rules and visual symbols. Each type of exchange – instigating/taking action, seeking/providing information and stating/acknowledging information – is practiced individually before children decide for themselves the type of response that is required.

Most activities can be conducted with individuals or small groups. However, it is recommended that group-work is the aim for all children in order to capitalise on the opportunities for structured social interaction that arise. Children learn to take turns and practice social exchanges such as ‘please’and ‘thank you’, and begin to listen and talk to each other as well as the adults on whom they tend to rely.

The concluding activities for implied requests and directions are useful for most children with comprehension difficulties, as their poor use of inference and context can prevent them seeing beyond the actual words that are spoken (see Teaching Point below). When people drop hints or use humour to get their message across it takes detective-work to deduce what they really mean, so these activities are flagged with a magnifying glass symbol.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

Children who rely on literal interpretation find it very difficult to recognise social intent because the same language structures are used for different purposes. Questions, for example, do not always require an answer!

Look at the questions in the table below. They are very similar and yet some require an action response rather than an answer. If children cannot tell the difference they will sound cheeky or unhelpful when they respond to a directive with ‘Yes’or ‘No’.

Finding Out - INFORMATION required

Can I come on Tuesday please?

Can ostriches fly?

Could you breathe underwater?

Would anyone like a biscuit?

Will you be here tomorrow?

Do you know what koala bears eat?

Do you know what time the last train leaves?

Directives - ACTION response required

Can I have a look please?

Can you reach my coat?

Could you bring me your book?

Would you pass the biscuits?

Will you get on with your work?

Do you know what will happen if you keep talking?

Do you know what time it is? (way past your bedtime…)

It is not enough to process lexical and grammatical meaning. In order to fully understand spoken language, children also need to be aware of the social context and speaker’s intent. Literal children will need social expectations to be made explicit and will benefit from visual symbols to support any verbal explanation.

TABLE D: CLASSROOM LANGUAGE LINKED TO FUNCTION AND RESPONSE

Language used:ExamplesResponse expected from childSymbol

Directive Will you hurry up?To do something, to carry out an action

(this could beCan I have the scissors please? phrased as a

(The clapperboard is a useful symbol as question orPut them over there please many children are fascinated by movies command or implied and familiar with the idea that actors by a statement)You are standing on my foot (implied directive) stand still until the director calls ‘Action!’)

Question Do you like ice-cream?

To provide information, to tell the (this could require aIt’s blue, isn’t it?speaker what they need to know simple yes/no response, a choice orIs it empty or full? further information)

When’s your birthday?

StatementThere are four main ways to respond to To respond to the statement to statements: show that they are listening (this could be a fact, rule or socialTo agree/disagree/acknowledge (e.g. ‘I see’) comment)

To react (e.g. smile, say ‘Wow!’, indicate confusion or take action)

To add related information (e.g. ‘I got it forTo continue the conversation Christmas’)(social situations and group discussion)

To ask a related question (e.g. ‘How much did it cost?’)

N.B. Schools may use different symbols for consistency with schemes they have already adopted.

Use the symbols from Table D to flag up the type of behaviour that is expected in different types of classroom activity and to help children differentiate directives from questions, facts and narrative. This needs to be done as a backdrop to the activities and strategies which follow and will take time to be effective, but children with social communication difficulties tend to make visual associations long before they have internalised social codes from verbal instructions and general observation. Large images can be found on pages 31, 136, 138 and 139.

Listening symbol Story time, assembly, cinema, music recital. Any situation where children need to wait for someone to finish talking before taking action or asking questions.

Action symbol P.E., practical activities, role-play and drama, following instructions, running errands.

Talking symbol Talking Partners, group discussion, social skills groups, free-play. Any situation where children take turns to share views and information with each other.

Information symbol Facts and information in books, on the internet, on worksheets, in our heads. Any situation involving discovery or exchange of information.

Information-givingAnswering questions, no hands-up time, general symbolknowledge quiz.

Ensure that new and covering staff are aware of children who require these extra visual cues, and provide families with copies of appropriate symbols so they can acknowledge and reinforce these behaviours at home.

N.B. The Information symbols would be introduced last.

Strategy to help children identify which response is required from them in the classroom

5-

Strategy to help restless children anticipate the appropriate time for action or talking

Children with a poor time concept can find it very difficult to sustain attention when tasks are difficult and they perceive no end in sight. Build an action slot and a talking slot into activities wherever possible and add the above symbols to lesson plans or task sheets to provide an overview. Like all of us, children concentrate for longer when they can see that soon they will be able to talk freely or leave their seat and move around.

5-

Strategy to help staff identify and compensate for children’s inappropriate use of questioning

Children with poor social communication skills may use questioning as a way of holding an adult’s attention, rather than seeking information in the true sense. For example, they may repeat the same routine set of questions several times a day or repeat ‘Why?’in order to prolong the ‘conversation’.

Answering the child’s questions will only reinforce the inappropriate behaviour. When adults become aware of this they can acknowledge what is happening, ‘Hello Jamie, I think you just want a chat, don’t you?’, and either divert the chat to a more appropriate time, e.g. ‘I’d love to talk too but I’ve got a lesson now. I’ll say hello at lunchtime’, or break the pattern by ignoring the child’s questions and responding with more appropriate social comments.

For other children, repetitive use of questions may be a sign of anxiety, particularly when centred around routine, e.g. ‘What are we doing now?’, ‘What’s next?’‘When’s the fire bell?’ Such children usually have very poor time awareness (even if they can mechanically tell the time) and need very clear visual timetables and checklists in order to feel secure.

A good rule of thumb is to answer a question once only, accompanied by a visual reminder of the answer, e.g. a note on the child’s timetable, a picture in their pocket, a post-it note on the fridge. When the child repeats the question, remind them where the answer is, look at it together and ask the child the same question. After this, reduce your response to a point or look towards the answer.

Directives take many forms (see Table D on page 93) but in each case an action response is required. Ensure that staff and parents are aware that:

–without realising it, we ask children to do things in several different ways, from issuing direct commands to dropping hints, and some directives are easier to understand than others

–direct commands (‘Sit down’) are easier to understand than implied commands (‘There’s plenty of room over there’)

–explicit requests (‘Can Peter have one of your sweets please?’) are easier to understand than implied requests (‘I think Peter would like one of those’)

–factual language (‘This belongs to Sarah. Let’s ask her if you can play with it for five minutes’) is easier to understand than emotional language (‘How would you like it if Sarah did that to you?’)

–being told to do something (‘Hold on tightly’) is easier to understand and more helpful than being told not to do something (‘Don’t drop it’)

Ask staff and parents to listen to the language they use and consider that, rather than being inconsistent, selective or obstructive, children may be ignoring directives simply because they have not understood. Encourage adults to use clear, explicit directives until they are sure that children understand other forms.

Strategy to enable adults to compensate

directives

Make a list of children who have difficulty recognising implied directives such as ‘Be careful!’and ‘It’s very hot!’as opposed to explicit directives such as ‘Keep your hands away from the flame!’It is helpful if staff and parents avoid implied requests unless they are accompanied by one of the following:

i)the explicit version:

–‘Mark, you’ll miss playtime if you don’t hurry so put the toys away now’

–‘Leonie, you’re sitting too close, make a space between you and Sam’

–‘Shane, are you hungry?! We don’t eat paper, take it out of your mouth’

ii)a further question:

–‘Mark, you’ll miss playtime if you don’t hurry so what do you think you should do?’

–‘Leonie, you’re sitting too close! Can you see a good place to sit?’

–‘Shane, paper is not good to eat! Where shall we put the paper?’

Strategy to familiarise adults with the concept of ‘directives’

for poor comprehension of implied

Strategy to help children use directives rather

Many children with social-communication difficulties find it very difficult to make direct requests for objects or action but are adept at describing what is happening. This often comes across as ‘telling tales’, particularly as it is their natural disposition to notice anything that is not as it should be, for example:

–‘Andrew is using my pen’

–‘Jade is on the wrong page’

•Ensure that staff realise that these children are not trying to get other children into trouble, they are simply in ‘running commentary’mode.

•Model or facilitate appropriate directives, e.g. ‘Yes, Andrew has got your pen. If you want it back say, “Andrew, I need my pen, please”’. Or, ‘Yes, Andrew is using your pen. Are you happy with that?’

•Give children practice in addressing each other rather than going through adults (see Step 3 Activities 2, 4, 6-9, 11, 13).

•Systematically teach children the difference between telling tales and being helpful, i.e. if no-one is going to get hurt and nothing is going to get damaged, they can walk or turn away rather than report the incident.

•Encourage inveterate ‘reporters’to write their observations down for you to read later.

BOOKS

POSTERS

Useful resources

Social Skills Poster – ‘Do I tell?’ from Taskmaster Ltd – 0116 270 4286; www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

than ‘running commentary’

Activity 1: Simple Directives

Aim: For children to associate directives with an action response and formulate instructions in a practical activity.

Preparation

1)Aselection of action pictures (use your own pictures or the selection on pages 140-141, Resources: Step 3).

2)Action symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 136).

3)Directive symbol and several copies of the blank Directive speech bubble (Resources: Step 3, pages 142).

Procedure

1)Show the children the Action symbol and explain that actions are all the things that we can do (this complements the vocabulary categorisation work in Step 4, Activity 9). If needed, have a few rounds of ‘Follow My Leader’to perform and copy different actions.

2)Now introduce the Directive symbol and explain that you are going to practice giving each other ‘instructions’. We give people instructions (hold up the Directive symbol) when we want them to do something (hold up the Action symbol).

3)Put an object of your choice in the middle of the group or circle. Explain that if you want one of the children to take it you could give them an instruction. Take the blank Directive speech bubble and think about what you could say:

The ball is red (pause) No, that didn’t work - nobody moved. OK, let’s try something else.

The ball is on the floor (pause) No, that didn’t work either.

Peter, pick up the ball (looking at a child you know will understand) Great! Peter knew what to do, that was a good instruction. Let’s try another one.

Peter, give the ball to Lloyd (wait) Fantastic! Now you are going to give each other instructions.

4)The children take it in turns to take an action picture and make the person opposite them do what is on the card. They must not describe the card. For example, when looking at a picture of a boy jumping up and down, a child might describe it and say, ‘The boy is jumping’. If that happens, make sure no-one moves. Quickly interject and say, ‘Yes, that boy is jumping but Kevin isn’t. What can you say to make Kevin jump like the boy in the picture?’Allow other children to help if necessary until the correct command form is chosen, ‘Kevin, jump!’or if they can manage it, ‘Jump please!’

5)As the children successfully formulate instructions, these can be written in the blank speech bubbles and stuck on the wall. Note that instructions are often given in the more polite question form, e.g. ‘Can you stand over there please?’so although it is unlikely, accept any polite requests for action, should they arise.

6)When all the pictures have been used, recap by taking each speech bubble in turn and seeing who can be first to carry out each instruction, e.g. ‘OK everyone, let’s do them all together this time. Everybody . . . jump!’

Activity 2: Simple Directives and Names

Aim: For children to formulate instructions in a practical activity.

Preparation

1)Aselection of action pictures (use your own pictures or those on pages 140-141,Resources: Step 3). Repeat pictures if necessary so that there are enough for children to have two or three turns each.

2)Write the children and group leader’s names onto individual cards, two or three times each, to match the number of action pictures.

Procedure

1)Follow on from the previous activity so that children are familiar with the concept of action. Place two piles of cards face down on the table, one with names and the other with action pictures.

2)Take it in turns to pick up one card from each pile and deliver an instruction to the named person, for example:

–‘Joe, touch your toes’

3)The child performing the action takes the next turn, picks up two more cards and delivers the next instruction. Repeat until all the cards are gone.

Variations

•If listening or turn-taking is an issue, encourage children to wait for acknowledgement before continuing with the instruction, for example:

‘Joe’ (wait for Joe to indicate that he is listening and repeat if necessary)

‘Joe!’

‘Yes’

‘Touch your toes’

•Add photos to the name cards.

Activity 3: Walking Robot

Aim: For children to use directives (instructions) in a practical activity.

Preparation

1)An object or toy to hide.

2)Action symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 136).

3)Directive symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 142).

4)Ablindfold (optional) and plenty of space!

Procedure

1)Sit in a circle and tell the children they are going to make a robot do things (show the Action symbol), but first you need one of the children to hide the object while you shut your eyes.

2)When the object has been hidden, tell the children you are now a robot who needs instructions (show the Directive symbol) to find the object and bring it back to the group. They must tell you exactly what to do and you will do exactly what they say. Put on the blindfold or simply shut your eyes . . . and wait!

3)If necessary prompt the children with ‘I can’t move until you tell me to’. When they tell you to move or walk, step your legs up and down until they tell you stand up. When you eventually start walking, continue to walk until they tell you to stop . . . even if this means bumping into furniture or the wall! If children are too young to know left from right, they can tell you to turn slowly until you are facing the right way and then make you stop. Only follow instructions if they are given in the command form, i.e. ‘Walk!’rather than ‘walking’.

4)It is best to let the children call out instructions the first time you do this activity but once they are familiar with it you can encourage them to take it in turns. Crafty peeks are recommended to avoid accidents!

BOOKS

POSTERS

Useful resources

Preposition Overlays from Taskmaster Ltd – 0116 270 4286

www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

5-

Strategy for children to link actions with appropriate language

Ryan’s teaching assistant got into the habit of saying ‘No thank you!’as she flushed the toilet for him, and ‘Is Ryan cold?’when she helped him on with his coat. Ryan now says ‘No thank you!’to indicate that he wants his mother to flush the toilet at home, and ‘Is Ryan cold?’when he sees his teacher put her coat on. How could this be avoided?

When children are carrying out routine actions, be careful that they hear the appropriate instruction or descriptive commentary at the time the action is carried out. Otherwise, children with poor language skills but good rote memory run the risk of associating an inappropriate phrase with that action.

e.g. ‘Flush the toilet’.

e.g. ‘This is a nice warm coat. Let’s do your buttons up. One, two, three’.

5-

Strategy for children to link requests for food and objects with appropriate language

Jack associates questions like ‘Would you like a drink?’with the speaker’s actions rather than the speaker’s intention of seeking information. When he becomes thirsty, he repeats what he has heard adults say to him, rather than asking for a drink.

When this happens, model the request yourself as the opportunity arises. Offering a choice will strengthen the meaning behind requests, for example:

Child:‘You like a drink?’(meaning ‘I want a drink’).

Adult:‘No thank you. Maybe you want a drink. If you want water say, “water please” (point to water) or if you want juice say, “juice please” (point to juice). “Water please” (point) or “juice please” (point)’.

As you hand the child the drink (or other item) keep the language used as functional as possible by saying, ‘Here’s your ______’rather than ‘Thank you’.

Children like Jack will benefit from the next two activities. As they become more successful with Activities 4 and 5 it will be possible to prompt them during the day using the same language, for example:

‘Remember when your dinosaur wanted a drink – what did he say?’

Activity 4: Picture Match

Aim: For children to use directives (requests) in a practical activity

Both this and the next activity are useful for children who use questions or statements such as ‘Do you want juice?’, ‘Rory needs juice’, ‘Amy’s got my rubber ’ or simply get frustrated when they want something

Preparation

1) Take an age-appropriate pack of cards designed for playing ‘Pairs’, ‘Snap!’, ‘Donkey’ or ‘Old Maid’ and split into two identical piles Discard the left over Old Maid or Donkey card if these are used.

2) Directive symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 142)

Procedure

1) Spread one half of the pack out on the table, face up in front of one child and make him or her ‘the banker ’ . There may well be more than one of the same picture. Stress that the banker is in charge of the cards and only the banker is allowed to touch them The banker must listen carefully to what the rest of the group want him or her to do (show the Directive symbol) with the cards

2) Place the other half of the pack in a pile on the table You and one or two other children will take it in turns to turn one over and request the matching pair from the banker until all the cards have been paired up.

3) Model appropriate requests such as ‘Can I have , please?’, ‘Please give me a ?’ or ‘Please pass me the ’ , depending on which social requests you are encouraging children to use in day to day situations If children have limited language, short phrases like ‘Cat please’ are perfectly acceptable

Variations

• Work one-to-one with a child before including other children

• Reverse roles so that the banker seeks information (see Activity 6).

• Increase the language load by using cards designed for association activities (knife/fork, socks/shoes etc.), adjectives (clean shoe/dirty shoe etc.) or classification (watch/clock, bed/hammock etc ) so that it is not an identical match that makes the pair

Activity 5: Meeting Needs

Aim: For children to recognise and use both explicit and implied requests.

This activity may take several sessions to reach the end point when children talk on behalf of a puppet or toy to practice expressing and meeting their needs. Using a character in this way feels more ‘real’for many children than imagining that they have these needs themselves.

Preparation

1)Gather a selection of objects: e.g. jumper, coat or shawl, gloves, jug of juice and cups, food (e.g. raisins or small cheese biscuits), soft toy or tissue, pillow and spectacles.

2)Find miniature versions of these objects (accessories from action men, doll’s houses etc.

3)Photocopy several blank Directive speech bubbles (Resources: Step 3, page 142) or draw your own. In each speech bubble write a request for one of the objects, e.g. ‘Can I have a drink please?’, ‘Pass the pillow please’. On the back of each speech bubble write an expression to match each request, e.g. I’m thirsty, I’m tired, I’m cold, my hands are cold, I’m hungry, I’m sad, I can’t see very well.

4)Action symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 136).

5)Extra character, e.g. puppet, doll, dinosaur.

Procedure

1)Place the objects between you and the child(ren) and ask them to listen carefully because you would like them to do something (show the Action symbol). Choose one of the speech bubbles and mime or add an action as you say the expression, e.g. ‘I’m cold’(rubbing your upper arms and shivering). Turn the speech bubble over and continue, ‘Please can you pass my _____?’. Put the jumper or coat on gratefully if the children give you the right object.

2)If the children give you the wrong item, accept it with a neutral ‘Thank you’but don’t do anything with it. Replace the object and say ‘I’m still cold, I’m very cold (implied request). Please may I have my _____ (explicit request)’. There is no need to say anything about the speech bubble – simply keep it on the table and turn it from one side to the other as you switch from statement to request; the exclamation marks highlight the moment that the request becomes clear.

3)Repeat until you are given the right object. Thank the child and indicate how much better you feel now.

4)Work through the expressions and associated requests until all the objects have been passed to you. Depending on the children’s age, either dab your eyes with the tissue or cheer yourself up by cuddling the soft toy when feigning sadness.

5)Repeat the activity and this time do not add the explicit request straightaway. It is good if children can anticipate the action needed before you actually ask for the item. But equally, children must learn to both express their feelings, e.g. ‘I want a drink’and make polite requests, e.g. ‘Drink, please’.

6)When children are familiar with this activity, repeat it with the character toy and appropriately sized objects. Using a different voice, make the toy say, e.g. ‘I’m cold . . . Can I have a blanket please?’and encourage the children to help the toy as soon as they know what it needs.

7)Finally, swap roles so that the children speak for the toy until all the objects on the table have been used. Set the scene each time by saying ‘Let’s see how [the toy] feels’. Select a speech bubble and place it face down on the table. Say in a neutral voice that the toy feels ‘cold’etc. and then leave it to the children to work out what the toy needs to say. If they repeat ‘I’m cold’you can respond straightaway initially, e.g. ‘Oh dear, are you cold? Here you are then’. But then simply agree so that the child is prompted to be clearer about what is needed, e.g. ‘Oh you poor thing, yes you do look cold’.

8)If children struggle in this role, repeat no. 6 before trying again.

Variations

•Omit use of symbols when working in early years settings or with children with generalised delay.

•Vary the objects so that the children associate a range of items with feeling cold, hungry etc.

•Include other objects and statements to make the activity more age-appropriate, or include requests that children have found difficult during the day, for example:

–‘I’m trying to draw a straight line. Can I have a ruler please?’

–‘I’ve cut myself. Can I have a plaster?’

–‘My pencil is broken. Can I have the sharpener please?’

–‘I’ve made a mistake. Can I have the rubber?’

Activity 6: Picture Match

Aim: For children to ask questions (seek confirmation) in a practical activity.

This is a role-reversal of Activity 4. This time the banker will find out which card the others need to make a pair.

Preparation

1)Take an age-appropriate pack of cards designed for playing ‘Pairs’, ‘Snap!’, ‘Donkey’or ‘Old Maid’and split into two identical piles. Discard the left over Old Maid or Donkey card if these are used.

2)Large Finding Out picture (Resources: Step 3,page 143).

Procedure

1)Nominate yourself as ‘the banker’and spread one half of the pack out on the table, face up in front of you. There may well be more than one of the same picture.

2)Place the other half of the pack in a pile on the table. The child(ren) will take one of these cards and keep it hidden from you until you identify their matching card. Explain that you don’t know what they have so you are going to find out by asking some questions (pointing to the Finding Out picture).

3)Hold up one card from the ‘bank’and ask each child in turn. ‘Do you want the _______?’. Encourage them to respond ‘Yes please’or ‘No thank you’, but accept a nod or shake of the head and say the words yourself if necessary.

4)If children have a match, they keep the pair and take another card from the pile. If they do not, go onto the next child and offer a different card next time round.

5)Replace the card if it is not needed and repeat with another until all the cards have been paired up.

6)Once children have the idea, swap roles so that each child has a turn at being ‘the banker’and asking questions.

Variations

•Work one to one with a child before including other children.

• Increase the language load by using cards designed for association activities (knife/fork, socks/shoes etc.), adjectives (clean shoe/dirty shoe etc.) or classification (watch/clock, bed/hammock etc.) so that it is not an identical match that makes the pair.

Activity 7: Potato Twins

Aim: For children to ask questions (seek information) in a practical activity.

Preparation

1)Pages 144and 145 (Resources: Step 3) cut into individual Potato Men and laminated.

2)Pages 146 and 147 cut into individual body parts and laminated. Add a small piece of blu-tak to the back of each body part if you find that children keep dislodging the pieces when they assemble their Potato Man.

3)Large Finding Out picture (Resources: Step 3,page 143), laminated.

4)Adry-wipe marker pen and post-it notes (optional).

5)Potato Twins prompt sheet on page 148 (optional).

Procedure

1)Show children the eight Potato Men picture cards and see if they can see two the same. Having established that they are all different, shuffle the cards and place one in front of you for each child, either face down on the table or face up in a cut out box to keep them hidden from view (see below). To save any possible confusion add each child’s name to their card using a post-it note or dry-wipe pen. Put the unused pictures out of sight.

12-15 cm

2)Ask the children if they know what their Potato Man looks like. Reinforce this by pointing to the blank face on the Finding Out picture, ‘That’s right! You can’t see him so you don’t know what he looks like.’

3)Give each child a plain potato and put the remainder of the body parts in the centre of the table. Explain that each child is going to use them to make a potato twin that exactly matches the picture you have just allocated to them. They are going to take it in turns to take a body part and make an exact copy without looking at their picture. They will need to find out if their potato has big or small eyes, a big or small hat, and so on.

4)Tell the children that if they ask you for this information (indicate the speech bubble on the Finding Out picture) you will have a secret look at their picture and tell them what they need to know. Then they can take the right piece and start making their potato twin.

5)Each child tries to identify one item per turn and can ask as many questions as they need to. Some questions will be redundant e.g. ‘Has it got eyes?’(Just answer ‘Yes, it has got eyes’) but gradually they will speed up with more specific questions like ‘Are the eyes big or small?’and ‘Which eyes?’

6)As children correctly identify a piece reinforce this for the others by saying something like, ‘Gary asked me a question!’(indicating the speech bubble on the Finding Out picture) ‘He found out his potato has small eyes’. Fill in a bit of the rectangle on the Finding Out picture (see below). After a few turns like this, simply add a bit more shading as the child takes their piece.

7)If children take a piece without asking a question (the big nose, for example), let them do this but say something like, ‘Ross doesn’t know if he needs the big nose or the small nose. He guessed that it’s the big one. We’ll see if that’s right in a minute.’Do not add any shading to the picture.

8)When the children have finished assembling their Potato Men, let them match their twin to the original and stress how clever they were to make a perfect copy without even seeing it. Make sure the rectangle is completely filled in by now to emphasise that if we don’t know something, we can find out by asking questions.

Variations

•Omit use of symbols for children with general delays.

•Introduce this activity as a shared group exercise, using one plain potato from page 147 and ten body parts from page 146 (a large and small version of each). These pieces may need to be enlarged 2-3 times on the photocopier, depending on the size of the group and age of the children. Select and hide one of the potato men and invite the group to make a matching Potato Man. Blu-tak the plain potato and body parts onto a board or flipchart where all the children can see them. Reinforce good asking by inviting children to stick the part they have identified to the potato. Children who are struggling can work from the prompt sheet or be helped to imitate questions, e.g. ‘If you want to know if his hat is big or small, say “Which hat?”’. Once children grasp the task, return to the main activity. This helps children take another person’s perspective by demonstrating that the same questions lead to different solutions.

•Young children may need to work one to one with an adult to ensure they understand the task before waiting longer turns in a group.

•Working one to one with an adult or in pairs with another child, swap roles so that children take it in turns to be the information-giver and answer all the questions. Older children will be able to manage this in a larger group providing the hidden Potato Men are clearly marked with each child’s name.

•Give children who are struggling their own copy of the Finding Out picture with the rectangle split into five sections. Label these sections with words or simple pictures to prompt a methodical questioning strategy:

As each question secures more knowledge and another piece of the puzzle, the child shades the corresponding section.

•Two children play opposite each other, each hiding their partner’s potato from view. They alternate seeking information about their own potato with providing information about their partner’s potato.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

It is good practice to encourage children to make sure the information-giver is listening before asking a question. The most effective rule is for them to say the child’s name and wait for them to look up or say ‘yes’before asking the question.

Aim: For children to listen to each other and share social information.

Procedure

1)Pair children up and give them a topic. The children take it in turns to first listen while their partner talks and then repeat the information to check they have remembered correctly. Possible topics include:

–Something I did at the weekend

–Something I did in the holidays

–What I’d like for Christmas

–My family

2)After a few minutes bring children back to the main group and all listen while each child relays their partner’s news to the rest of the group. Invite group to ask questions before moving on to the next child.

Activity 9: Talking Grid

Aim: For children to listen to each other and share social information.

This is a more structured version of the previous activity for children who need closed questions and visual support to maintain focus. The activity may be spread over several sessions.

Preparation

1)Draw a grid on a large piece of paper (A3-A2) with one row per child, a column for their names and 3-4 columns for personal information. See the example below.

2)Pens and counters.

3)The Information symbol and Information-giving symbol (Resources: Step 3, pages 137 and 138).

Procedure

1)Invite the children to write their names in the left-hand column of the grid and taking one topic at a time, go round the group asking for information from each child.

2)After the verbal contributions, ask the children to write in or draw their answers, explaining that this is information (indicating the Information symbol) which friends like to share with each other. If the paper is big enough, children can usually do this two at a time while any other children in the group discuss their choices with the group leader.

3)When the grid has been filled in (this could be a second session) ask each child to relay their information to the group (indicating the Information-giving symbol). For example:

‘My name is Mark. I live with my Mum and Dad and baby sister Kirsty, I haven’t got any pets. My favourite TV programme is Dr Who and I love spicy beanburgers.’

4)The grid may then be used in a number of ways. Here are some ideas:

Guessing Game:Encourage the children to guess who someone is by asking a question based on the information in the table. For example:

‘This person likes pizza and has a goldfish. Who is it?’

Memory Game:Cover all squares with individual pieces of paper initially and remove one at a time to see if children are correct. For example:

‘Who can remember Mark’s favourite programme?’

Mirror Talk:Children take it in turns to place counters on two of their squares. They relay this information to the person next to them who has to mirror it back. Continue until all squares have at least one counter. For example:

‘My name is Sarah and I’ve got 2 brothers’; ‘My name is Veejay and I’ve got two brothers and a sister.’

Questions:Children take it in turns to ask each other questions. The child answering places a counter on the corresponding square. Continue until all squares have a counter. For example:

‘Sarah, what is your favourite food?’

Keep it Going:Children take it in turns to place a counter on one of their squares and relay that information to a child of their choice who must respond with a question. The turn ends when the first child answers this question as best they can. Continue until all squares have a counter. For example:

‘Veejay, my favourite programme is Dr Who.’

‘What time is it on?’

‘I’m not sure.’

Activity 10: Drawing Robot

Aim: For children to use directives (commands) in a practical activity.

Preparation

1)A4 paper; a pencil and marker pen; some paper or plastic to protect the table unless ink will wipe off easily.

2)Action symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 136).

3)Directive symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 142).

4)Blindfold (optional).

Procedure

1)Draw a large but very simple line drawing in pencil on a sheet of A4 paper – a house, robot, frog or car, for example:

2)Place the marker pen beside the drawing and tell the children you are now a robot who needs instructions to draw the picture. They must tell you exactly what to do (show the Directive symbol) and you will do exactly what they say (show the Action symbol). Put on the blindfold or simply shut your eyes . . . and wait!

3)If necessary prompt the children with ‘I can’t move until you tell me to pick up the pen’. When they tell you to pick it up, make open and shut movements with your hand until they tell you to move your hand forward to where the pen is placed. When you eventually pick up the pen, continue to lift it up in the air, high above your head until they tell you to stop . . . and bring it back down again. Do not take the top off the pen until they tell you to and so on, until the picture is completed.

4)It is best to let the children call out instructions the first time you do this activity but once they are familiar with it you can encourage them to take it in turns. You will get some surprisingly good results and have a lot of fun!

Useful resources

Preposition

Overlays from Taskmaster Ltd – 0116 270 4286; www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

Activity 11: Twins

Aim: For children to ask questions (seek information) in a practical activity.

Preparation

1)Make at least two copies of pages 149and 150and before laminating, colour the shoes, hair, caps, balls and balloons so that no two characters are exactly the same. Cut the pages into individual cards so you have a minimum of 24 picture cards.

2)Cut out a further set of three boys and three girls using the top rows only and leave these plain and unlaminated.

3)Pens or crayons in matching colours and a dry-wipe marker pen.

4)Information symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 137).

5)Large Finding Out picture (Resources: Step 3, page 143), laminated.

6)Twins prompt sheet page 148 – optional.

7)Information-giving symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 138) – optional.

8)Post-it notes – optional.

Procedure

1)Show children the coloured set of picture cards and see if they can see two the same. Having established that they are all different, shuffle the cards and place one in front of you for each child, either face down on the table or face up in a cut out box to keep them hidden from view (see below). To save any possible confusion add each child’s name to their card using a post-it note or dry-wipe pen. Put the unused pictures out of sight.

12-15 cm

2)Place the six plain cards face-up on the table and explain that each child is going to use them to make a twin that exactly matches the picture you have just allocated to them. They are going to use the pens to make an exact copy without looking at their picture Ask if anyone knows anything about their picture yet to establish the variables – it could be a boy or a girl, they could have black or brown hair (but probably not blue) and so on. This is the information that they need to find out (place the Information symbol beside the plain cards and pens/crayons). But at the moment they don’t know what their twin looks like (indicate the blank face on the Finding Out picture).

3)Tell the children that if they ask you for this information (indicate the speech bubble on the Finding Out picture) you will have a secret look at their picture and give them the information they ask for. As soon as they know if it’s a boy or a girl they can take a plain card from the centre of the table, and as soon as they identify some of the detail, they will be able to start colouring. The Information-giving symbol identifies you as the person ‘in the know’– other children are not allowed to call out until they have the symbol and take on that role.

4)If children are limited to one question per turn they will gradually learn that ‘What colour is her balloon?’is a better question than ‘Is it red?’especially if the answer is ‘No!’But to start with, allow children to ask follow-up questions to establish one colour per turn.

5)As children correctly identify a piece reinforce this for the others by saying, ‘Good question’and filling in a bit of the rectangle on the Finding Out picture (see below).

6)When the children have finished colouring, let them match their twin to the original and stress how clever they were to make a perfect copy without even seeing it. Make sure the rectangle is completely filled in by now to emphasise that if we don’t know something, we can find out by asking questions.

Variations

•Omit use of symbols for children with general delays.

•Introduce this activity as a shared group exercise, using one plain boy and one plain girl from pages 149and 150. Enlarge these if desired but bear in mind that the bigger they are, the longer it will take children to colour them in and the more restless the group are likely to become! Select and hide one of the coloured cards and invite the group to make a matching twin together. Reinforce good asking by inviting children to colour in the item they have identified. Children who are struggling can work from the prompt sheet or be helped to imitate questions, e.g., ‘If you want to know which one it is, say “Is it a boy or a girl?”’. Once children grasp the task, return to the main activity. This helps children take another person’s perspective by demonstrating that the same questions lead to different solutions.

•Some children may need to work one to one with an adult to ensure they understand the task before waiting longer turns in a group.

•Give children who are struggling their own copy of the Finding Out picture with the rectangle split into six sections. Label these sections with words or simple pictures to prompt a methodical questioning strategy:

boy/girl hair ball

hat balloon shoes

As each question secures more knowledge and another piece of the puzzle, the child shades the corresponding section.

•Working one to one with an adult or in pairs with another child, swap roles so that children take it in turns to be the information-giver and answer all the questions. Identify the speaker with the Information-giving symbol. Older children will be able to manage this in a larger group providing the hidden cards are clearly marked with each child’s name.

•Two children play opposite each other, each hiding their partner’s card from view. They alternate seeking information about their own picture with providing information about their partner’s picture. There is no need to insist that children wait for their partner to finish colouring before they ask a question, but they will need to make sure their partner is listening. The most effective rule is for them to say the child’s name and wait for them to look up or say ‘yes’before asking the question.

BOOKS

POSTERS

Useful resources

Social Skills Poster – Good Talking from Taskmaster Ltd – 0116 270 4286; www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

Activity 12: Photo Call

Aim: For children to listen to each other and share social information.

Preparation

1)Ask children to bring in a photo of themselves.

2)Two different sound-makers (such as a bell and a hooter).

3)Social Awareness prompt sheet (page 151) –optional.

Procedure

1)Shuffle the photos and ask a child to select one. The child must say one thing about the child in the photo and pass it on. Each child in the circle adds another comment and passes it on. Stop when children reach a target number of different pieces of information (ring bell) or after repetition (sound hooter). For example:

–‘This is Darren’

–‘He wears glasses’

–‘He’s good at swimming’

–‘He’s got brown hair’

2)Repeat with a different child’s photo.

3)Give children who find this difficult a copy of the prompt sheet which they can refer to for ideas or to compensate for poor memory.

Variation

•Play the game in the manner of ‘I went to Market’with children repeating previous comments before adding a new piece of information.

Activity 13: Picture Challenge

Aim: For children to listen to each other and share factual information.

Preparation

1)Two different sound-makers (e.g. bell and hooter).

2)Apack of individual picture cards from language activities, games like Lotto or Snap, or pictures from pages 48, 49, 77, 81, 318, 322-324 and 348. Make sure children cannot see through the cards as the activity relies on keeping the pictures hidden from each other.

Procedure

1) Agree a time limit. Shuffle the pictures and ask a child to select one. After showing the group facilitator the picture, the child must say one thing about the item and pass it to the next child in the circle. But before taking the picture, the second child guesses what it might be. If they are right (adult rings bell) they win the card, take a new picture and start again. If they are wrong (adult sounds hooter) they take the picture, add a different fact or comment and pass it on to the next child.

2) If children give five pieces of information in a row without anyone guessing the picture, the adult facilitating the group wins the card and a new card is selected. This encourages children to choose the most salient information – a useful strategy to compensate for word-finding difficulties.

3) When time’s up the children pool their cards and see who’s got the most – the group facilitator or the children.

Variations

•Play the game in the manner of ‘I went to Market’with children repeating previous comments before adding a new piece of information.

•Increase the challenge by reducing the target to three or four pieces of information in a row without anyone guessing the picture.

BOOKS

Useful resources

POSTERS

Chatter Box Resources(Basic Language, Expressive Language &Conceptual Language) from LDA– 0845 120 4776 website: www.ldalearning.com

ColourCards produced by Winslow Press – 0845 230 2777 website: www.winslow-cat.com

Activity 14: Can Pigs Fly?

Aim: For children to listen to information and react appropriately.

Preparation

1)True or False? prompt cards backed with the True or False? sheet and cut into individual cards (Resources: Step 3, pages 152-153).

2)Reject and Accept piles (Resources: Step 3, page 155).

Procedure

1)Place a selection of cards in a pile or suitable container and read them out, one at a time. Children must decide if they agree or disagree with the statement and indicate by nodding or shaking their heads with an appropriate verbal response such as ‘Yes/No’, ‘Oh no they don’t!’etc. (individuals) or signing ‘thumbs-up’or ‘thumbs-down’(groups).

2)Depending on the size of the group, record the consensus view by writing a tick or cross on the board or putting the cards in the Accept or Reject pile.

Variations

• Put the cards in a bag or other suitable container and pass it round the circle. Children take it in turns to take a card and read it out to the rest of the group who signal agreement or disagreement as above. Invite nonreaders and children who find it hard to speak out to bring their card to you so you can whisper the sentence for them to copy or read it out for them.

• Photocopy the backing sheet, cut into rectangles and write true and false facts about the children on the back of each piece, for example:

‘Oliver has curly hair’

‘Nathan has a beard’

• Write down behaviours (actions) rather than facts and ask children to decide if each one is OK or not OK. Use age-appropriate language (‘unacceptable’, ‘not a good idea’, etc.) and scenarios, e.g.

'putting a ruler on your head'

'rolling up your sleeves before washing your hands'

'picking your nose in public'

'swallowing a rubber'

Note, in the first instance the object of this variation is for children to refrain from acting out the behaviour during the session, rather than tackling moral dilemmas or weighing up pros and cons. If necessary, use the information giving and talking symbols on pages 138 and 139 to show that no action is required. Once this is established, other aspects of verbal reasoning can be explored, e.g. reasons to reject behaviours, more acceptable behaviours and the difference between what we ‘can’ and ‘should’ do.

Activity 15: Lost Property

Aim: For children to ask questions (seek information) in a practical activity.

Preparation

1)Two matching sets of Lost Property cards (Resources: Step 3 pages 156159) coloured-in and cut into individual cards. Make sure that there is both a large and small item in the same colour in each set, for example:

blue sockswhite socksgrey socks

2)Information-giving symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 138).

3)Large Finding Out picture (Resources: Step 3, page 143).

4)Lost Property characters (Resources: Step 3, page 159) – optional.

Procedure

1)Establish an area behind a desk as the Lost Property Office. Explain that you are going to play a game where each child has lost something. Luckily it has been handed into the Lost Property Office. If they go there, the man in charge will give it back if he knows what it looks like. He will ask them some questions (place the Finding Out picture on the Lost Property Office desk) and if they give him the right information (hold up the Information-giving symbol) he’ll be able to find it for them.

2)It may help some children’s understanding and subsequent role-play to step them through the scenario a few times using the cut-out characters. This allows them to progressively:

•listen to and become familiar with the dialogue

•talk for the characters

•assume the roles themselves. This technique is particularly good for children who engage in solitary or parallel play rather than interacting with their peers. It is also a good way for any child to ‘learn lines’.

3)Put one child in charge of the Lost Property Office with a full set of Lost Property cards spread out on the table. Shuffle the other set and give one card to each of the remaining children. They must memorise their card and go to the Lost Property Office in turn to claim their missing item.

4)On arrival, the children report that they have lost something but it is the Lost Property Officer’s job to find out what it is. Three questions are required:

‘What have you lost?’

‘What colour?’

‘What size?’

5)The Lost Property Officer selects a card for the child to take back to their place. If they have a match it is the next child’s turn. If not, they need to return and try again.

6)Swap roles so that all children both request and provide information.

Variations

•Try the activity without the visual symbols if children seem able to understand and focus without them.

•When symbols are needed to support understanding, use them until the concepts become established and then put to one side.

Activity 16: Information Swap

Aim: For children to listen to each other and share social information.

Preparation

1)Apack of individual picture cards from language activities, games like Lotto or Snap, or pictures from pages 48, 49, 77, 81, 318, 322-324 and 348.

2)Enlarge the Information Swap sheet (Resources: Step 3, page 160) to A3.

3)Paper and pen.

4) Optional: Make each section of the Information Swap sheet a different colour to help children focus on the different types of information which can be shared. See the suggested colour-coding used for vocabulary work in Tables F and G (Step 4, pages 196 and 210), i.e. Orange for Things/Objects, yellow for Actions and green for Feelings.

Procedure

1)Place 2 or 3 cards per child in a central pile. Children take it in turns to turn over a card and place it in one of the three boxes on the information swap sheet, sharing some personal information as they do so. Give as much support as is needed, using the starter sentences on the swap sheet as prompts. For example:

‘My cat is called Fluffy’(Things/Objects) (word in bold = picture on card)

‘I had chips for dinner’(Actions)

‘I can ride a horse’(Actions)

‘I like football’(Feelings)

It may save later disagreements or memory lapses if the group facilitator writes these facts down.

2)When all cards have been placed, see how much the children can remember about each other. Children take it in turns to remove one of the cards, recalling the information that was given. They are not allowed to remove one of their own cards. For example:

‘Peta’s cat is called Fluffy’

‘Sam had chips for dinner’

BOOKS

Useful resources

Chatter Box Resources(Basic Language, Expressive Language &Conceptual Language) from LDA– 0845 120 4776 website: www.ldalearning.com

ColourCards produced by Winslow Press – 0845 230 2777 website: www.winslow-cat.com

Activity 17: Fast Food

Aim: For children to use both questions and directives in a practical activity.

This activity works well if children with good social-use of language are included. They may not need the practice with functional language use, but will help to maintain momentum while working on visualisation, working memory, grammar and topic vocabulary.

Preparation

You will need:

1)Enough space (at least two tables) to demarcate separate dining and kitchen areas.

2)One laminated copy of Fast Food menu per ‘customer’(Resources: Step 3, page 161), with a further copy cut into individual cards and placed in the kitchen area.

3)Drywipe marker pen(s).

4)Information symbol and Information-giving symbol (Resources: Step 3, pages 137 and 138).

5)Large Finding Out picture (Resources: Step 3, page 143).

6)Directive symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 142).

7)Fast Food characters (Resources: Step 3, page 162) – optional.

Procedure

1)This is a role-play activity where children order food in a café. At least three are needed to play a customer, waiter or waitress and chef. Any extra children become customers in the café and place their orders in turn. Before ordering, the customers tick their selected items on the menu using a drywipe pen. This enables them to check the items that come back from the kitchen without relying on poor working memory. It is intended (rather like Chinese Whispers) that the waitress and chef do their best to remember the information given to them, and through a process of checking and re-checking, eventually match the customer’s order.

2)Talk children through what is going to happen using the symbols and menu:

The customer looks at the menu Information symbol

The waitress finds out what the Finding Out picture customer wants to eat

The customer tells the waitress Information-giving symbol

The waitress passes on the order so Directive symbol that the chef knows what to do

The chef gets the food ready and gives (selects appropriate pictures) it to the waitress

The waitress takes the food to the customer (presents pictures) and checks the order is correct

Any incorrect items go back to the Finding Out picture kitchen and the waitress tries again

3)It may help children’s understanding and subsequent role-play to step them through the scenario a few times using the cut-out characters. This allows them to progressively:

•listen to and become familiar with the dialogue

•talk for the characters

•assume the roles themselves

This technique is particularly good for children who engage in solitary or parallel play rather than interacting with their peers. It is also a good way for any child to ‘learn lines’.

4)Language used will depend on individual ability but the following is suggested as a basic format:

Waitress:‘What would you like/what can I get you?’

Customer:‘Pizza/burger’

Waitress:‘What size?’

Customer:‘Large/small’

Waitress:‘Fries/chips or salad?’

(customer makes choice)

Waitress:‘Anything to drink?’

(customer makes choice)

Waitress:‘OK, that’s a . . .’ (repeat whole order)

Customer:‘Yes please/No’

(go through order again if necessary)

Waitress:‘Can I have/Table 1 wants . . .’ (repeat order to chef)

Chef:‘OK/There you go’

Waitress;‘Did you order . . . ?’ (repeat order to customer)

Customer: ‘Yes that’s right/No’

Waitress:‘Sorry, please tell me again’ (repeat process if necessary)

5)Swap so that children have a turn in each role.

Variations

•Try to use the symbols as a prompt when children get stuck, rather than calling out the words.

•Dispense with the visual symbols if children seem able to understand and focus without them.

•Increase memory load by applying ‘large’or ‘small’to all items, not just the pizza/burger. Children can write ‘L’or ‘S’against each choice on their menu, resulting in a memory load of six key words, e.g. small pizza with large fries and a large coke

•Encourage children to add their own variations, e.g. chocolate milkshake, diet coke, cheese burger.

Activity 18: What Is It?

Sentence sorting 1

Aim: For children to identify directions and questions in a sorting activity and link to speaker intent.

This activity may be conducted over several sessions if necessary. Some children may be able to work faster and skip to the end for the more advanced version.

Preparation

You will need:

1)Action symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 136).

2)Information symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 137).

3)Reject pile (Resources: Step 3, page 155).

4)Question, Statement or Direction? prompt cards backed with the ‘What is it?’sheet and cut into individual cards (Resources: Step 3, pages 163165).

Procedure

1)Shuffle the prompt cards and place them face down in a pile on the table between the Action and Information symbols.

2)Introduce the activity as follows:

‘People talk to each other for lots of reasons. Here are some of the reasons: They might want us to DO something (indicate Action symbol). They might want to KNOW something (indicate Information symbol) so they ask us a question.

On these cards there are lots of things that people might say to you. See if you can work out WHYthey say it. Do they want you to DO something (indicate Action symbol again), or do they want you to ANSWER their question?’ (indicate Information symbol).

3)Now explain the task:

‘Let’s go through the cards and see if you can spot the ones where you have to DO something. They are called ‘directions’or ‘instructions’. If the card is a direction it goes here, under the Action symbol, if it’s not a direction it goes in the bin’ (add the Reject pile). Read out each card in turn and ask the children to indicate the Action symbol if it’s telling them to DO something, and the Reject pile if it is not. Once a choice has been made, hand the card over for the children to place face-up on the table (see Fig. 1). The children are not expected to actually perform the actions, but it may be appropriate for the group facilitator to use mime or gesture in order to help the children think about what the words mean.

4)Repeat 1-3 if necessary, and when the children can easily recognise directions, go onto the next step.

5)Leaving the direction cards with the Action symbol, take the cards from the reject pile and explain that now you want the children to find the questions. Read out each card in turn and ask the children to indicate the Information symbol if you want to KNOW something, and the Reject pile if you do not. Once a choice has been made, hand the card over for the children to place face-up on the table.

6)Having identified all the questions, the cards left in the Reject pile will be statements. Pick these up and say, ‘Well done, you have spotted all the directions and questions –these left-over cards are called statements. When people want to TELLus something, they use statements. OK, directions make us DO something, questions ASK us something and statements TELLus something. We’ll learn more about statements another day’.

Later

Give the same introductory explanation as above but ask the children to sort the cards into three piles from the outset. Read out each card in turn and ask the children to indicate the Action symbol if you’re telling them to DO something, the Information symbol if it’s a question and you want to KNOW something, and the Reject pile if it’s neither of those. Do not let the children read the cards themselves as the question-mark gives away too much information!

!!TEACHING POINT!!

If anyone spots that some of the statements are actually implied directions, i.e. the speaker is hoping that the listener will ACTon the information, congratulate the child and let them place the card on the Action pile. Agree that people don’t always tell each other exactly what to do. Sometimes they prefer the other person to work it out for themselves.

Example of implied direction: ‘I’m hungry’.

N.B. Children usually find it easier to use the word ‘direction’but the general term ‘directive’ is also used in this manual to refer to any question, statement or command that requires an action response.

Activity 19: What Is It? Worksheets 1-4

Aim: For children to identify directions and questions and respond appropriately.

Each worksheet in this progression presents a variety of sentences. Children have to decide if each is an instruction, question or statement and respond accordingly. Good readers can be given the exercise as a group activity, while others may need individual help to read or record their answers.

Preparation

1)You will need worksheets 1-4 (Resources: Step 3, pages 166-169), one worksheet per session copied for each child and something to write with.

Procedure

1)Go through the vocabulary used in the selected worksheet to check that the group or individual child know what these words mean.

2)Take poor readers through the worksheet as a verbal exercise, reading out each item and recording any answers that the child is unable to write for themselves.

3)Literate children may complete the worksheet unaided, but it is still wise to go through and clarify the initial instructions before they start.

Activity 20: What Is It?

Sentence sorting 2

Aim: For children to identify implied directions and social conversation starters in a sorting activity and link to speaker intent.

Preparation

1)6-12 speech bubbles (Social Statements) (Resources:Step 3, 170-171).

2)6-12 speech bubbles (Implied Directives) (Resources:Step 3, 172-173).

3)Action symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 136).

4)Talking symbol (Resources: Step 3, page 139).

Procedure

1)Shuffle the required number of cards (a total of 12 is usually enough to begin with) and place them face down in a pile on the table between the Action and Talking symbols.

2)Introduce the activity as follows:

‘Do you remember we talked about different reasons for talking to each other? We talked about giving people ‘directions’when we want them to do something. And we talked about asking ‘questions’when we need to know something. Well, sometimes people just TELLus something and we have to be a detective and work out WHYthey are doing that. For example, I might tell you (point to one of the children) “You’ve got jam on your face”. Why might I tell you that?’

3)Explore this example with the children and if necessary give another example like ‘You are standing on my foot’. Conclude by saying, ‘Yes, I’m telling you so that you can wipe the jam off/get off my foot. So sometimes we TELLpeople things when really we want them to DO something’ (indicate Action symbol).

‘Here’s another reason why people might tell you something. They might want to be friendly and have a chat with you (indicate Talking symbol). They are starting off a conversation, and hope you will be friendly too and say something back. Like I might say (addressing one of the children) “I saw a really good film yesterday” and I don’t want you to do anything, I just want a chat. I hope you will ask me about the film and maybe tell me about the last film you saw.’

4)Now explain the task:

‘OK, let’s see if you can be good detectives and try to work out what people mean when they say things. Here are lots of ‘statements’ (indicate pile of cards) – that’s what we call a sentence that tells us something. I’ll read out the cards and if you think the person wants you to DO something point to this one (indicate Action symbol) and if you think the person wants a chat, point to this one’ (indicate Talking symbol).

5)Read out the cards one at a time and get children to take it in turns to point or ask them to discuss each one in pairs or as a group before deciding. Once a choice has been made, hand the card over for the children to place face-up on the table.

6)If the children choose the Action pile, see if they can tell you what they think the speaker would like them to do. There will be more than one answer so accept any reasonable suggestion and help them explore possible scenarios. Continue until all the cards have been assigned to the Action or Talking symbols and congratulate the children on their detective work!

N.B.Activity 21 develops this theme and encourages children to think further about their responses to implied directions.

Variations

•Give good readers the cards to sort into two piles. This is slightly harder as they do not hear the statements spoken with appropriate intonation.

•Take the statements assigned to the Talking symbol and remind children that these are the sorts of thing that people might say when they want to be friendly and have a chat. They are hoping that we will continue the conversation in one or more of the following ways:

•showing interest (e.g. ‘That looks good!’)

•asking a related question (e.g. ‘Where did you get it?’)

•adding a related comment (e.g. ‘I’m getting one for Christmas’)

Take one statement at a time and ask the children for their ideas of ways to continue the conversation.

•Set a challenge for older children to continue a conversation for three turns. For example:

Group Leader: ‘I went to Spain last year’

Turn 1: ‘Did you?’

Group Leader: ‘Yes it was really hot’

Turn 2: ‘What did you do there?’

Group Leader: ‘I went snorkelling’

Turn 3: ‘I’ve done that’

Later

•Invite the children to consider why people use implied directions. Go back to the original two examples, ‘You’ve got jam on your face’and ‘You’re standing on my foot’and ask, ‘Why don’t I just say, “Wipe it off” or “Move!”?’See if the children can spot that using directions can sound bossy or rude, whereas statements sound more polite.

•Acknowledge that it isn’t always easy being a detective. We need to work at it though because people can get cross if we don’t work out what they want us to do. See if the children can think of any times when this happened and if appropriate, provide a stock phrase that they can use in future, e.g. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t realise what you meant’.

Activity 21: What Do I Really Activity 21: Mean?

Aim: For children to link speaker intent to implied directives in a structured activity.

Preparation

1)6-12 speech bubbles (Implied Directives) cut into individual cards (Resources: Step 3, 172-173).

2)6-12 thought bubbles (Implied Directives: What I REALLYmean) cut into individual cards(Resources: Step 3, 174-175).

3)Implied Directives: Saying one thing and thinking another (Resources: Step 3, 176).

Procedure

1)Begin by showing the main picture and explain that people often say one thing (indicate speech bubble) while thinking another (indicate thought bubble). Set the children the task of matching the thoughts to the speech bubbles. The cards can be placed over the picture and swapped around until the children are happy with their choice (see below).

2)Shuffle 6-12 corresponding pairs of cards and present them to the child(ren) to match together in a number of ways, as detailed below.

Matching games:

•Give all cards to an individual or two teams to match up as quickly as possible.

•Spread cards out, face down on table. Play ‘Pairs’with children taking it in turns to select two and see if they go together. If the cards match they keep the pair, if not they return the cards to the table and try again when it is their next turn.

•Place cards in two piles with thoughts in one pile and statements in another. One child selects a statement and another child selects a thought. They read them out, cued inby the facilitator: e.g. ‘Christian says . . .’ (point to first child), ‘but really he’s thinking . . .’ (point to second child). The rest of the group decide if that makes sense or not. If not, place the cards face-up on the table in a general pool. Repeat the exercise. As soon as children spot two that go together they pair them up until all pairs are found.

Variations

•Use the blank speech and thought bubbles on page 177for your own and the children’s ideas.

•Picking up on children’s comments use cards with symbols or colours to represent feelings e.g. anger, anxiety, disappointment, pain. These can be added to the chest area of the picture to show how our emotions, thoughts and actions are connected.

Strategy to help children develop inferencing skills when given implied directives

You will need the Implied Directives picture: Saying one thing and thinking another (Resources: Step 3, page 176).

When children are familiar with the concept of Implied Directives, keep a laminated copy of this picture handy and warn them when you are about to use an implied directive in classroom situations. Alternatively, produce the picture when you realise you have used an implied directive and are getting no response.

i.e.‘Listen, I’m going to say something (indicate speech bubble). See if you can work out what I want you to do’ (indicate thought bubble).

For example:‘It’s dinner time in 5 minutes’

‘The painting table is in a mess’

‘Our visitors haven’t got anywhere to sit’

‘John is too shy to ask anyone to play with him’

‘People can hear you from the other end of the school’

!!TEACHING POINT!!

Ensure that staff and parents avoid using Implied Directives with children who cannot understand them unless they are able to use the above Strategy or compensate as described on page 96.

Strategy to help children develop inferencing skills when asked questions involving irony

You will need the Implied Directive picture: Saying one thing and thinking another (Resources: Step 3, page 176).

When children are responding to implied directives, the concept of irony can be introduced in relation to questions. Sometimes we ask questions not because we need to know the answer, but because we want the child to ask themselves the same question and realise that they need to take action.

Keep a laminated copy of the above picture handy and warn children when you are about to use irony in day to day situations. Alternatively, produce this picture when you realise you have used irony and are getting no response.

i.e.‘Listen, I’m going to ask you something (indicate speech bubble). See if you can work out what I want you to do’(indicate thought bubble).

For example:‘Are you cold?’(Child has forgotten to remove their coat and scarf)

‘Have you got enough room?’(Any closer and the child would be on your lap)

‘Are you hungry?’(Child is munching on their pencil)

‘Can I get you another cushion?’(Child is lounging on the floor while everyone else tidies up)

!!TEACHING POINT!!

Ensure that unless staff and parents are able to use this strategy, they avoid using irony with children who cannot understand it.

You will need:

Strategy to help children develop a better understanding of emotional language

1)Saying one thing and thinking another picture, laminated (Resources: Step 3, page 176).

2)Adry-wipe pen.

Help children who are familiar with Activity 21 to deal with situations which have become heated or distressing. Once all involved have calmed down, follow these situations up by taking the picture and writing key comments in the speech bubble. Through discussion and suggestion, show that what was said (e.g. ‘I hate you!’) is not necessarily what the child was thinking and write alternative interpretations in the thought bubble (e.g. ‘No-one will play with me, it’s not fair’).

It may also be helpful to use symbols or colours to represent feelings e.g. happiness, anger, fear, anxiety, disappointment, rejection, pain. These can be added to the chest area of the picture to show that words such as ‘You’re stupid!’are not necessarily the result of unprovoked anger, but can result from feeling sad and excluded. Try to conclude the chat by asking the children to suggest a better way of handling the situation next time.

See also the smaller cut-out character on page 159. By making one of these per person and moving them around with dialogue, it is possible to re-enact scenarios and explore alternatives in a detached and calm manner.

Activity 22: Detective Work: Actions

Aim: For children to understand implied directives and idiomatic language in a practical activity.

Preparation

1)Cut out the six Action symbols (Resources: Step 3, page 178).

2)Write corresponding directives from Table E onto individual speech bubbles (Resources:Step 3, page 177or Step 4, page 225). Initially it is best to work with about 12 speech bubbles so either choose 2 directives per action, or limit the number of actions in each session.

Procedure

1)Place the selected action symbols face-up on the table. Explain that here are some things that people might want the children to do; they might want them to walk, sit, hurry up, wait, be quiet or stop what they are doing (point to each chosen action in turn). However, there are lots of different ways that we can say these things and sometimes we have to be a detective and work out what people mean.

2)Agree on a physical action for each symbol, allowing children out of their chairs as much as possible. For example:

walkwalking on the spot sitsit on chair or floor hurry uprun on spot doing ‘headless chicken’impersonation waittwiddle thumbs be quietfinger to lips stopstand with hands at sides

3)Spread out the corresponding speech bubbles facedown on the table. Children take it in turns to turn over a speech bubble and read out the directive or hand it to the group leader to read out. The other children have to decide which action this refers to and perform the agreed action as quickly as possible. Ask the child who has given the directive to place the speech bubble by the action symbol of their choice – they do not need to agree with the ‘audience’! If they get it wrong say that it was very difficult and give them another clue. e.g. ‘Your mum might say this when she’s on the phone and is already talking to someone else. What does she want you to do?’

4)Explore appropriate scenarios for each directive, e.g. ‘When might your teacher want you to hurry up?’and repeat until all the speech bubbles are placed correctly.

5)The group leader winds things up by picking up all the speech bubbles and calling them out in quick succession while the children swap from one action to another as quickly as possible.

Variations

•Older children may prefer to omit the actions and simply place the speech bubbles with the corresponding action symbols as a sorting exercise.

•Give parents and staff a copy of Table E. Ask them to circle any implied directives they are aware of using and to look out for occasions when children have difficulty understanding these expressions.

TABLE E: EXAMPLES FOR DETECTIVE WORK ACTIVITY

Required ActionDirectives (both explicit and implied) and idioms

walkDon’t run!

Slow down.

Come here, please. Take this to the office, please.

sitSit down everyone. Don’t get up.

Everyone on the mat, please. Stay in your seat, please.

stopStand still. Hold it right there! Don’t move!

Don’t come any closer. Freeze!

be quietI want to hear a pin drop. Mouths tight shut, please. No talking!

Shhhh!

Silence!

hurry upDon’t be late! Do it as fast as you can. Quickly please!

There’s only three minutes left. Stop wasting time. Get a move on.

waitYou’re next.

It’s not your turn yet. Just a moment, please.

It’s your go very soon. Not yet!

I’ll be there in a minute.

I’m busy. Hang on, please.

Step 3: Resources

symbol

Information symbol137

Information-giving symbol138 Talking symbol (turn-taking and social interaction)139 Action pictures140-141

Directive symbol and Directive speech bubble142

Finding Out/Seeking Clarification picture143

Twins

Twins/Twins prompt sheets148

Awareness prompt sheets151

True or False? prompt cards152-153

True or False? backing sheet154

Reject and Accept piles155

Lost Property game156-159

Information Swap sheet160

Fast Food game161-162

Question, Statement or Direction? prompt cards163-164

Question, Statement or Direction? backing sheet165

Spot the Directions . . . Spot the Questions: worksheets 1-4166-169

Social Statements: Sharing Information170-171

Implied Directives172-173

Implied Directives: What I REALLYmean!174-175

Implied Directives: Saying one thing and thinking another176

Blank speech and thought bubbles177

Action symbols178

N.B. Before use, photocopy resources onto stiff card and/or laminate to extend use and prevent children seeing through when held up to the light. Answers can also be hidden by backing cards with dark paper or photocopying the appropriate pattern or general pattern on page 416 onto the reverse before cutting. Group facilitators will find it helpful to familiarise themselves with some of the longer activities by first practicing on each other or obliging friends and family.

Name? Boy?Girl?

Hair – colour? Straight, wavy or curly? Long or short?

Clothes?Shoes?Glasses?

Favourite activities? Pets?Family?

Good friend because . . . Helpful in class because . . . Clever because . . .

Dogs can barkBabies cry

Flowers can run

Pigs can fly

The sun is blue

Snow is hot

Children can sing

Birds have beaks

Fish swim

Cows lay eggs

We write with a toothbrush

Milk comes from cows

We sleep in the bathroom

Fire is cold

Trees grow

Cups can talk

Cars moveWasps can sting

Bees make honey

Chocolate is sweet

Kittens are soft

We have three feet

We have twelve fingers

We have two hands

We cook with soap

Lions have long trunks

People can laugh

Apples are round

Wool comes from spiders

Christmas is in October

Monkeys have horns

It’s raining

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Feelings

What is your name?Can you ride a bike?

Where is your coat?

Do you like chocolate?

How old are you?

Where do you live?

What time do you go home?

Who is sitting next to you?

Pick up your pencil.

I’m hungry.

Show me your hands.

Point to the door.

Sit up straight and cross your arms

I’m feeling cold today. I like getting presents at Christmas.

It’s cold outside.

Come inside.Close your eyes.

I have a car.

My cat is white.

Look at me.

We like pizza. Go to bed.

Wash your hands.

Gemma can ride a bike.

Turn on the radio, please.

My leg hurts.

Comb your hair.

Give me the ball.

Your teacher is ill.

I’m tired.

Clap your hands.

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Question, Statement or Direction? backing sheet

Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction? Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement? Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?Question?Statement?Direction?

Name:______________________________________________Date:_______________

Look at these letters, shapes and numbers:

A G5E4 2 S

Read these sentences and find the directions (they tell you to do something)

•Put an exclamation mark [!] at the end of a direction and then do what it tells you to do

•Put a (agree) or a X (disagree) at the end of a sentence that is not a direction

The first two are done for you.

1.Put a tick by the number 5. ________

!

2.There are three shapes. ________

3.Draw a circle around the letter G. ________

4.This is a worksheet. ________

5.The number 5 is next to the triangle. _________

6.Draw a line from the square to the star. _______

7.The number 4 is under the star. _______

8.If there is a number 2, draw an X on it. _______

9.You are using a pencil. _______

10.Draw a face on the triangle. _______

Name:______________________________________________Date:_______________

Look at these letters, numbers and pictures:

M5 J3 7T

Read these sentences and find the directions (they tell you to do something)

•Put an exclamation mark [!] at the end of a direction and then do what it tells you to do

•Put a (agree) or a X (disagree) at the end of a sentence that is not a direction

The first two are done for you.

1.Draw a line under the number 5. ________

!

2.The telephone is in the top row. ________

3.Draw a circle around the hand. ________

4.The letter J is next to a star. _______

5.The numbers add up to 10. ________

6.The number 5 is under the telephone. _________

7.Draw a watch on the hand. _______

8.If you are a girl, draw a ring on the hand. _______

9.The scissors are open. _______

10.Put a tick by the letter M. _______

Name:______________________________________________Date:_______________

Look at these letters, shapes and numbers:

ZF9E6 4 P

Read these sentences and find the questions (they ask you for information).

•Look for the question mark [?] at the end of a question and then write down the answer

•Put a (agree) or a X (disagree) at the end of a sentence that is not a question

The first two are done for you.

1.Which number has a tick? ________

9

2.There are three letters. ________

3.How many numbers are there? ________

4.Your name is at the top of the worksheet. ________

5.The clock is under the letter Z. _________

6.What is under the cross? _______

7.The cross is next to the square. _______

8.What is between the square and the cross? _______

9.Which is the largest number? _______

10.This is the last sentence on the page. _______

Name:______________________________________________Date:_______________

Look at these letters, shapes and numbers:

MC8K3 6 D

Read these sentences and find the directions and questions

•Put an exclamation mark [!] at the end of a direction and then do what it tells you to do

•Look for the question mark [?] at the end of a question and then write down the answer.

•Put a (agree) or a X (disagree) at the end of a sentence that is not a direction and not a question

The first two are done for you.

1.Put a tick by the number 8. ________

!

2.There are four shapes. ________

3.Draw a square around the letter K. ________

4.How old are you? _________

5.Draw a line from C to M. _______

6.The number 3 is under the moon. _______

7.If you are a boy, draw a line under the circle. _______

8.You are standing up. _______

9.Draw a face on the moon. _______

10.How many directions did you find? ________

© Active Listening for Active Learning, QEd Publications

We like pizza

Gemma can ride a bike

My cat is white

You are good at drawing

I walk to school

I can swim

I went to Spain last year

I like your hair

That’s my teacher

That’s a nice bag

This is a good book

My Mum’s just had a baby

My pencil’s broken

Dinner’s ready

I’m hungry

That’s my pen

The TV’s much too loud

My leg hurts

I can’t hear myself think

It’s raining

You are squashing me

You will get very cold

Dan hasn’t got anyone to sit with

You’ve got two more minutes

Can I have another one?

Come and eat it

Can I have one of your sweets?

Give it back

Turn the sound down

Please let me miss PE

Step 4: Concepts of Understanding and Knowledge

Ensure children recognise the difference between knowing and not knowing; understanding and not understanding. Only then can they trust their own judgement and decide when they need to seek clarification.

Teachers and parents may recognise children with specific comprehension disorders. These children’s strengths lie in ‘here and now’language (language relating to concrete facts, visual concepts, the ‘running commentary’and their immediate needs) and rote-learning (which requires good memory rather than true understanding). They experience more difficulty with abstract language, relative concepts and the language of social interaction which includes giving and seeking clarification. For some it is mainly the spoken and written word they find hard to understand or process at speed, for others the difficulty extends to understanding the complex social rules which govern the way we use language to communicate in different situations. A proportion of these children will receive a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder.

Children with comprehension difficulties typically become so used to being confused, that they come to rely on adults to tell them if they are right or wrong. They become passive, in that they expect failure, readily accept correction and do not query explanations. They always try to answer because they think they are supposed to.

Children with social-communication difficulties who cannot mentalise (‘mind-read’) cannot easily visualise an alternative to their own thought process. They come to believe that they are always right, do not readily accept correction and challenge anything that veers from their black and white view of the world. They always try to answer because they think they can.

What these children have in common is a lack of distinction between knowing and not knowing. In fact, we inadvertently reinforce their confusion when we encourage guessing and accept incorrect or inappropriate answers in order to build rapport and self-esteem.

We need to . . .

•Strengthen the child’s understanding so that a clear distinction between knowing and not knowing is experienced.

•Develop awareness that messages cannot always be understood and questions cannot always be answered.

•Establish concepts ‘I don’t know’and ‘I don’t understand’.

•Avoid reinforcement of inappropriate responses, whilst valuing the child’s contribution.

•Ensure that simple question-answer routines are secure before working on expanded or inferred responses.

•Develop flexibility by storing vocabulary in terms of connections rather than absolutes and recognising that there may be several answers to the same question.

N.B. Activities that support vocabulary development and storage are indicated by the filing cabinet symbol.

Activity 1:Recognising Real Words

Aim: To help children recognise that messages cannot always be understood.

Preparation

1)Two pictures or toys representing a familiar character who speaks English and another who speaks an alien or animal language such as ‘Robot’or ‘Chimpanzee’. (Omit this step when children are able to work at a more advanced level).

2)Aselection of 10 easily recognisable pictures of objects that are well-established in the child’s vocabulary – this is not a suitable activity for introducing new topic words.

3)10 words written individually on Post-it notes to be attached to the back of the picture cards. 5 of these are the name of the pictured object and 5 are made-up words attributed to the non-English speaking character.

e.g.

cat:miaowRobot:splinkKlingon:snaarfMartian:oomi mewclunkgorkonpeebles prrrrdonkklagleeloo mew-mewkerplinkkozakmengle miaow-owclankvorcharahma

N.B.Older or more advanced children can do the same activity with 5 ‘real’ words and 5 ‘nonsense’words, or 5 English and 5 French words.

4)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I understand’and ‘I don’t understand’ (Resources: Step 1, pages 41 and 42).

Procedure

1)Introduce the two characters and tell the children that they have named the pictures in the pile of cards set face-down in your lap or on the table. You have stuck what they said on the back of each picture they named. You will read out each word and they have to work out who said it. By way of illustration, let’s choose Bart Simpson and a robot.

2)Explain that if the children know the word it must be Bart who said it because he talks like us (place ‘I understand’picture beside Bart Simpson). But if they do not recognise or understand the word then it must have been the robot talking (place ‘I don’t understand’picture next to this character).

3)Read out the word from the back of the first card, e.g. VIDEO. Say ‘Who do you think said that?’If necessary prompt with, ‘Have we heard the word VIDEO before, does anyone know what VIDEO means?’

4)If the children recognise the word, one of them should be able to judge that Bart Simpson said it.

5)Only now do you turn the picture over and show it to the children saying, ‘Yes, it’s a VIDEO. We know the word VIDEO so Bart must have said it. We understand when Bart is talking, don’t we?’Choose one of the children to peel off the Post-it note and stick it to Bart Simpson (older children make a pile of ‘real’or ‘English’ words).

6)If the children do not recognise the word, e.g. SPLINK, one of them should be able to judge that the robot said it. Say ‘You think the robot said SPLINK because you didn’t understand it. Let’s see if you’re right’.

7)Turn the picture over and say, ‘Well done! We don’t call this a SPLINK, do we! What do we call this? Yes, we call it a LUNCHBOX (actual name of picture). We didn’t understand SPLINK, did we?’Choose one of the children to peel off the post-it note and stick it to the robot (older children make a pile of ‘nonsense’or ‘second language’ words).

8)Repeat until all words have been divided up between the two characters.

9)At the end summarise by saying, ‘Here are the words we did understand, and here are the words we didn’t understand’. Hold up the appropriate Comprehension picture as you read them out.

Activity 2:Rejecting Nonsense Words

Aim: To enable children to reject messages that cannot be understood.

Preparation

1)Exactly as for Activity 1 but use 10 action pictures which children can easily mime – sleeping, drinking, writing, washing, throwing a ball etc. Draw on current topic or target vocabulary as appropriate.

Procedure

1)Tell the children that the two characters have each given you five ‘doing’words this time, and the ten pictures in the pile of cards set face-down on your lap show all the things they want the children to do. You will read out each word and they have to see if they can do it. Warn them that they will only be able to do it if they understand the word. By way of illustration, let’s choose Buzz Lightyear and a Martian, but for older children you will simply talk about real words that we understand and nonsense or foreign words that sound silly or strange.

2)Explain again that if the children know what to do it must be Buzz who said the word because he talks like us (place ‘I understand’picture beside Buzz Lightyear). But if they do not know what to do it must have been the Martian talking (place ‘I don’t understand’ picture next to this character).

3)Read out the word from the back of the first card, e.g. SLEEP. Say ‘[Child’s name], could you do that for us please. Can you show us how to SLEEP?’Everyone can join in the mime. Afterwards say, ‘We all understood that, didn’t we? So we all knew what to do. Shall we see if we got it right?’

4)Turn the picture over and say, ‘Yes, this [person/animal] is SLEEPING. We could understand the word SLEEP’. One of the children should be able to judge that Buzz gave the instruction. Choose one of the children to peel off the Post-it note and stick it to Buzz (older children make a pile of ‘real’or ‘English’words).

5)Repeat with a nonsense word, e.g. NERG. Say ‘[Child’s name], could you do that for us please. Can you show us how to NERG? No? Can anyone else do any NERGING?’

6)Welcome any laughter and agree with them that the word sounds funny. Say ‘You’re right, we can’t do that because we don’t know what it means, we don’t understand the word NERG’. Encourage children to say or indicate ‘I don’t understand’next time you read out an unfamiliar word.

7)One of the children should be able to judge that the Martian said NERG. Choose one of the children to peel off the post-it note and stick it to this character (older children make a pile of ‘nonsense’or ‘second language’words).

8)Say ‘We didn’t understand what he wanted us to do, did we? Let’s see what he was trying to say’. Turn the picture over and say, ‘Oh! This [person/animal] is e.g. JUMPING, he wanted us to JUMP. Never mind, let’s see if we can understand the next one’.

9)Repeat until all words have been divided up between the two characters. Help children to say or indicate (by pointing to ‘I don’t understand’picture or signing) each time they hear an instruction they don’t understand. Only perform the actions which can be understood.

10)At the end summarise by saying, ‘Here are the words we did understand, so we did all these things. And here are the words we didn’t understand so we had to say ‘Sorry, we can’t do that, we don’t understand’. Hold up the appropriate Comprehension picture as you read the words out.

Activity 3:Out of Sight…

Aim: For children to develop a clear distinction between ‘knowing’and ‘not knowing’and learn that ‘I don’t know’can be the right answer.

This activity is particularly useful for children who continually try to answer even when guessing is not helpful, necessary or appropriate.

Preparation

1)Aselection of containers, some with the contents clearly displayed and others that are sealed with the contents hidden.

e.g. a glass of water, a mug of tea, a bowl of paperclips, a clear pack of pens, a wrapped present, a closed unmarked box, a jiffy bag, a carrier bag.

2)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I know’and ‘I don’t know’(Resources: Step 1, pages 41 and 42).

Procedure

1)Place one Comprehension picture on the children’s left and the other on their right.

2)Introduce one container at a time and ask the children what is inside. The objective is for children to only say what is inside if they are sure, otherwise they will need tosay ‘I don’t know’. It is important that the children believe that you don’t know either so that if anyone says ‘What is it?’you can reply ‘Good question!’and model ‘I don’t know’.

3)As you discuss each container get the children to allocate them to either the ‘I don’t know’picture (contents not known) or the ‘I know’picture (contents known) so they end up with two groups of objects.

4)Establish that they know what is in the open containers because they can see the contents (refer to ‘I know’picture, pointing to the eye and ‘knowledge box’). If children start to guess what is in the closed containers say ‘It might be that but I didn’t ask you to guess what’s inside – you can guess in a little while when we play a guessing game. Can you see what’s inside? No, so we don’t know what’s inside. We have to say (refer to the other picture) “I don’t know” ’.

5)When children consistently reply ‘I don’t know’on being asked what’s inside the closed containers, it is time to discover the answer! Pick up one container at a time and ask each child to guess what’s inside. After each guess say, ‘Yes, it might be _____’. Encourage different answers and allow children to have more than one guess. Stress that ‘We don’t know what’s inside so we are guessing.’

6)Finally say ‘We’ve had lots of good guesses. I wonder if anyone got it right. Let’s have a look and then we’ll know.’

7)Once the children discover what’s inside, move that container over to the 4b group (‘Now we know what’s inside!’) until there are no containers left unopened.

8)Be sure to repeat this game until you are confident that children only start guessing once this is invited.

Variations

•It will be useful to sign the bold keywords if children are familiar with a signing system such as Makaton or Signalong.

•This activity is repeated later with visual support (Activity 10.1) for children who are struggling to separate ‘knowing’from ‘guessing’.

BOOKS POSTERS

Useful resources

Makaton Vocabulary Development Project: Signs and Symbols for Core Vocabulary and National Curriculum – www.makaton.org

Signalong – www.signalongshop.org.uk

Strategy to reinforce difference between understanding and not understanding on a day to day basis

Procedure

Once children are aware that not everything makes sense, the terms ‘know’and ‘understand’begin to be meaningful. Give children who have worked through Activities 1 to 3 a copy of the small Comprehension pictures ‘I know/I understand’and ‘I don’t know/I don’t understand’to keep in their trays (Resources: Step 1, page 44) and refer to them on an opportunistic basis during conversations and table top activities.

e.g.‘That’s a funny word. I don’t know what it means.’

‘That’s silly talking, isn’t it! We don’t understand it.’

‘I don’t know what’s in the box – I haven’t looked yet.’

‘Peter’s worked it out – he knows the answer.’

Activity 4:Unfamiliar Pictures

Aim: To help children recognise and indicate lack of knowledge through facial expression and reinforce that it is OK not to know the answer.

This activity will help to develop non-verbal communication skills in children who tend to have fixed or blank faces and those who fail to tune into other people’s facial expressions. We are aiming for a contrast between a worried or puzzled look meaning ‘I don’t know’, and a smiling face to indicate ‘Got it!’, ‘I know this’.

Preparation

1)One pair of small Comprehension cards ‘I know’and ‘I don’t know’per child (Resources: Step 1, page 44).

2)Large Comprehension cards ‘I understand’and ‘I don’t understand’for adult’s use (Resources: Step 1, pages 41 and 42).

3)Picture Naming prompt cards (Resources: Step 4, pages 222-224). Blank cards are included for extra examples – choose pictures of objects that are both familiar and unfamiliar to the children.

Procedure

1)The game requires a ‘thinker’(initially the adult) and an audience (the rest of the group). Sitting in ‘the hot seat,’clearly seen by the audience, the thinker takes a prompt card and has to decide if they know what the item is called. The audience will judge the thinker’s knowledge by ‘reading’their facial expression.

2)Allocate roles and give each member of the audience a pair of small Comprehension pictures. Place the prompt cards in a central pile.

3)Stress that this is a game where the person in the hot seat is the thinker and therefore needs to be quiet until the end of their go . Ask the children to get their cards ready so they can hold one up as soon as they know what the person in the hot seat is thinking.

4)Take a prompt card and indicate through facial expression whether or not you know the name of the picture. It would be easy just to nod or shake your head, so try to use eye-widening, smiling, frowning etc. before you give more obvious clues. Each member of the audience must now decide if you know what it is called and hold up the corresponding Comprehension card.

5)Taking a group consensus, hold up the corresponding large Comprehension card and say (for example), ‘My face told you that I don’t know what this is called. Let’s see if you are right.’This can now be demonstrated by showing everyone the picture and admitting that you don’t know what it is. Repeat with a picture that you are able to name.

6)Once children have the idea, repeat with a child in the thinker role and join the audience. Ask the child to look at the next prompt card and show the audience if they know the name or not. You may need to ask them to put their hand over their mouth to make sure they don’t say anything until each member of the audience has held a card up.

7)If it is not clear (i.e. the child maintains a neutral expression) encourage the audience through your own example to shake their heads or shrug to indicate ‘We don’t know what you are thinking’. This prompts the thinker to change their expression. Be careful that children do not use expressions that are too exaggerated as this can be equally inappropriate. It may be necessary to comment that children look cross or alarmed rather than puzzled.

8)When everyone has ‘voted’, hold up the corresponding large Comprehension card and say (for example), ‘Your face is telling us that you do know the answer. Are we right?’If the child indeed knows they can now tell everyone the answer. If not, they should say ‘I don’t know’. Whether the child knows the name or not, they are congratulated on letting the audience know exactly what they were thinking.

9)Give other children a turn in the hot seat.

Later

•Dispense with the small Comprehension cards and ask the audience to indicate with ‘thumbs-up’that the thinker knows the answer, and ‘thumbs-down’that they don’t. Once everyone has decided, ask the child in the hot seat to also sign ‘thumbs-up’ or ‘thumbs-down’and see if the audience has got it right. Finally ask the child what is on their card so they can either name it or say ‘I don’t know’.

•Collect the children’s comments and write things you might say when you don’t recognise something in speech bubbles, e.g.

That looks funny!

What’s that?

I’ve never seen one of those before?

These suggestions can go on permanent display in the classroom on a Good Listening board.

I don’t know that one

Activity 5:Puppet Observation: Unfamiliar Pictures

Aim: To help children recognise how body language can indicate a lack of knowledge and reinforce that it is OK not to know the answer.

Some children find it easier to monitor others’behaviour than to react appropriately themselves. By observing a puppet they can explore the role of body language in conveying intent and feel more confident about admitting they do not know an answer themselves.

Preparation

1)Child-like puppet with moving head, arms and hands that are controlled by putting your own hands inside.

2)Display large Comprehension cards ‘I know’and ‘I don’t know’on either side of you and the puppet (Resources: Step 1, pages 41 and 42).

3)Pictures that the children have drawn or cut out from catalogues etc.

Procedure

1)Explain that the puppet is very shy and not ready to talk yet but can show what he is thinking by body language – just like real people.

2)Invite the children to hold up their pictures one at a time for the puppet to identify. They need to work out from his body language if he knows the answer.

3)Make the puppet react as if he either:

•knows the answer (e.g. claps hands, bounces up and down, puts thumbs-up or nods).

•does not know the answer (e.g. hangs head, shrugs shoulders, scratches head, looks at adult, puts hand over mouth).

4)The children should decide if he knows the answer or not and point to picture ‘I know’ or ‘I don’t know’accordingly. Ask the puppet if they are right or wrong (he nods or shakes his head).

5)If he knows the answer, invite him to say it very quietly in your ear. Tell the children what the puppet has ‘told you’and ask them if he’s right.

6)If he does not know the answer, make him say something in your ear and tell the children that he has told you he needs some help. Ask for a volunteer to help the puppet and get him to thank them by waving or shaking their hand. Later

•Rather than pointing to the large Comprehension cards, ask the children to indicate with ‘thumbs-up’that the puppet knows the answer, and ‘thumbs-down’that he doesn’t. Once everyone has decided, ask the puppet to also indicate ‘thumbs-up’or ‘thumbs-down’to see if they got it right.

•When the puppet hangs his head and appears sad that he doesn’t know the answer encourage the children to say ‘Never mind’, ‘Don’t worry!’, ‘That’s alright!’etc. Establish that none of us know everything and he does not need to feel sad.

•Invite the children to suggest alternatives to looking sad, e.g. ‘Just shake your head’, ‘Say “I don’t know!”’.These suggestions can go on permanent display in the classroom on a Good Listening board.

BOOKS

POSTERS

Useful resources

‘Signing Puppets’and ‘Living Puppets’by Connevans Ltd – www.connevans.co.uk and Puppets by Post – www.puppetsbypost.com

Activity 6:Simon Says Nonsense Words

Aim: To consolidate children’s awareness that they are not expected to understand everything and discourage inappropriate guessing.

Procedure

Children should be amused when they hear a daft word, not struggle to understand it. Play a version of ‘Simon Says’involving both real and ‘silly’or ‘nonsense’parts of the body. Explain that you will do something and try to get the children to copy by telling them what to do. However, the children must perform the action only if the words make sense. Explain that you will give them a point every time they spot you trying to trick them, i.e. they freeze and do not carry out the action. However, you will get a point every time you trick them. i.e. they copy you when you did not say the right word. First to get 5 points is the winner.

e.g. What you doWhat you say

Put your arms up‘Put your flim-flams up’

Point to your nose‘Point to your slub’

Clap your hands‘Clap your brigs’

Scratch your tummy‘Scratch your toodle-flip’

Activity 7:Points of View

Aim: To help children recognise that different people see different things so knowledge cannot be assumed. (Adapted from ‘Teaching Autistic Children to Mind-Read’by Patricia Howlin, Simon Baron-Cohen and Julie Hadwin)

Preparation

1)Cut out four cards of A5-A4 size and stick a different easily recognisable picture on each side. Use vocabulary that is related to current class topic or children’s individual work programmes.

2)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I don’t know’and ‘I know’(Resources: Step 1, pages 41 and 42).

3)Laminate the Finding Out picture sequence (Resources: Step 4, pages 226-231). You will use these six pictures as DryWipe boards with a non-permanent marker pen (optional).

Procedure

1)Sit opposite a group of children and hold a card up in front of you so that you are looking at the children over the top of it. Ask the children what they can see (e.g. a squirrel).

2)Now ask the children what you can see. Children with difficulty ‘mind-reading’are likely to call out the picture which is on their side.

3)If so, say:

‘You can all see a squirrel. There’s a squirrel on your side and you can see it. And you think I can see a squirrel. But there is a different picture on this side.’ (Tap each side of the picture as you talk about it).

4)Invite one of the children (Peter for example) to come round and look over your shoulder. Ask Peter what he can see (e.g. a flower) and ask him to tell the other children in the group. Agree that that is what you can see too:

‘Peter can see a flower. There’s a flower on this side and that’s what I can see too. We can’t see the squirrel.’

5)Ask Peter to return to his seat while you continue to hold up the picture, still with the squirrel towards the children. Ask the others what you can see. If any children still say ‘squirrel’repeat steps 3 and 4.

6)When all the children are satisfied that you are looking at something else, recap by saying:

‘You can see a squirrel. You thought I could see a squirrel too (or ‘you didn’t know what I could see’) but now you know I can see a flower. We can see different things.

I can’t see the squirrel but I know you can see it. How do I know this is a squirrel (tapping card) if I can’t see it?’

‘Yes, I asked you what you could see and you told me. That’s how I know what’s on the other side of this card.’

7)Repeat with other cards, alternating between asking what the children can see and what you can see first. As soon as a child holds back from telling you what you can see (having realised they don’t know) congratulate them and produce the ‘I don’t know’ picture. Then, when they find out what you can see, exchange it for the ‘I know’picture.

e.g. ‘Well done, Veejay, you can’t tell me what I can see, can you? So you need to say “I don’t know” (pointing to ‘I don’t know’picture). Now, can anyone tell me how you can find out what I can see?’

8)Continue short sessions in this vein until children:

•Are familiar with the ‘I know’and ‘I don’t know’pictures.

•Consistently answer ‘I don’t know’when you ask them what you are looking at.

•Consistently discriminate between ‘What can you see?’and ‘What can I see?’

•Know there are two ways they can find out what you can see – by looking for themselves or by asking and believing you when you tell them! (Let them check for themselves by looking over your shoulder once you have told them).

Variation

•If children do not grasp this fairly easily, present the Finding Out picture sequence after no. 6. Repeat the explanation, pointing to each picture in turn and adding simple drawings of the pictures you have chosen, in this case a squirrel and a flower (see next page). You can also add features like hair or glasses to the adult so the children know who it’s supposed to represent. Don’t worry about how bad your drawings are, children usually concentrate even more! The visual representation will ensure the children grasp the concepts involved as quickly as possible. As you refer to each one, fix the entire sequence on the board or wall, or spread it out on the floor or table so it is clearly visible. Repeat with different pictures.

1.‘You can all see a squirrel. You know it’s a squirrel because you can see it.’

2.‘And some of you thought I could see a squirrel.’

3.‘But [name of child] told you it was not a squirrel on my side, it was a flower. So now you know I can see a flower.’

4.‘So . . . you can see a squirrel and I can see a flower. We can see different things.’

5.‘I can’t see the squirrel but I know you can see it. How do I know that?’

6.‘Yes, I asked you what you could see and you told me. That’s how I know.’

Activity 8:Who knows . . .?

Aim: To help children recognise the difference between knowing and not knowing, and to refrain from guessing when ‘I don’t know’is more appropriate.

We are all familiar with the child who says ‘dunno’as an easy option. This is not the usual pattern for children with impaired language development, in fact it is an important step when they realise that they don’t know and refrain from random guessing.

Preparation

1)Acontainer such as a Quality Street tin, the contents of which have been replaced with an item familiar to the children.

2)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I know’and ‘I don’t know’(Resources: Step 1, pages 41 and 42).

3)One pair of matching small Comprehension pictures ‘I don’t know’and ‘I know’ per child (Resources: Step 1, page 44). (Not to be used in early years settings).

Procedure

1)Display the large pictures where you can point to them, keeping your hands free to hold the other materials. Do not give out the smaller pictures yet.

2)Shake the container and ask the children what they think is inside. Depending on what sound is made, they might suggest the original contents (e.g. sweets). Agree that it might be that and encourage some more guessing.

3)Say you will check to see if anyone has guessed correctly. Have a peep inside the container and with any luck you will be able to say ‘No, it’s none of those things!’If someone has got it right, simply acknowledge that it was a good guess and start again with another object.

4)Replace the lid and ask the children ‘Who knows what’s inside?’

5)If children start to guess, interject by saying ‘I didn’t ask you to guess, you’ve already done that, I asked you who knows what’s in here?’

6)After some clues like ‘There’s only one person in this room who knows’you will eventually be able to say ‘Yes, I know what’s in here, don’t I?!’

7)Ask the children ‘How do I know?’and see if they remember that you looked and that’s how you know.

8)Point to the large ‘I don’t know’picture and recap by saying ‘You don’t know what’s in the [container] yet. You’ve had some guesses, some good tries, but you still don’t know. But I know (point to the black ‘knowledge box’in the other picture) because I had a look (point to the eyes). Give them all a small ‘I don’t know’picture.

9)Choose one of the children to have a look in the container but impress on them not to tell the others (see variations).

10)Swap their small ‘Idon’t know’picture for ‘I know’to signify the moment of discovery.

11)Say ‘Who knows what’s in here now?’and repeat instruction 5 if necessary (it usually is!)

12)Establish that there are now two people who know because they both had a look.

13)Repeat 9 – 11 with a second child and establish that there are now three people who know what’s inside.

14)Invite a third child to come over but this time whisper to them what is in the container. Repeat instructions 10 and 11.

15)Ask how the third child knows, pointing out that they did not look.

16)Establish that they know because they listened when you told them, pointing to the ears on the large ‘I know’picture.

17)Repeat 14-16 if there are enough children in the group, or if you feel this is enough to take on board for one session.

18)If the children are getting tired and there are still children who do not know what is in the container, invite someone with an ‘I know’picture to tell someone with an ‘I don’t know’picture what is inside. Pass it on like Chinese Whispers until everyone has the ‘I know’picture. The last person opens the container to show the answer. Skip to 21 and close the session omitting the ‘working it out’option. However, if the guessing seems to be dying out by now and the children are still on board, continue . . .

19)Finally tell the remaining children that you are going to give them all a clue about what’s in the container. Make it really obvious without actually naming the item. Say ‘Who knows what’s in here now?’and hopefully they will all say that they know this time.

20)When one of them gives you the answer and the others agree, ask how they know when a) they did not have a look, and b) you did not tell them what it was. Using their responses establish that they ‘worked it out’which was very good thinking (point to head in the large ‘I know’picture) and swap over the remaining small pictures.

21)Initially it will probably be enough to look in the container, give everyone a round of applause and terminate the session. When the activity is repeated on subsequent occasions, recap by seeing if they can remember the three ways they found out what was in the container – by looking, by listening and by working it out.

Variations

•Try the activity without picture symbols if children seem able to understand and focus without them.

•Omit use of small picture symbols when working in early years settings or with children with generalised delay.

•When picture cards are needed to support understanding, use them until the concepts become established and then put to one side.

•Some children find it hard to keep quiet about what is inside the container as talking is their way of compensating for poor visualisation. It may help to give them a picture of the hidden object to hold as their ‘secret’.

•It will be useful to sign the bold keywords if children are familiar with a signing system such as Signalong* or Makaton**.

*‘Work it out’is signed with two signs, ‘think’+ ‘find out/solve’.

**‘Work it out’is signed with two signs, ‘think’+ ‘understand/realise’.

Useful resources

Makaton Vocabulary Development Project: Signs and Symbols for Core Vocabulary and National Curriculum – www.makaton.org

Activity 9:Basic Question Words and Categories

Aim: To establish understanding of question words through early categorisation of objects and events.

Preparation

1)Photographs or pictures of people, objects and activities familiar to the children falling into two or more categories listed in Table F on the next page.

2)One large sheet of paper/cardboard per group in different colours (see suggested colours in Table F).

Procedure

1)Take a selection of pictures which can be sorted into two categories (e.g. People and Places).

2)Write the corresponding question on two sheets of paper (e.g. Who? and Where?) with a symbol to aid recall if desired (see Table F for suggestions).

3)Shuffle the pictures and invite children to sort them into the two categories by taking it in turns to select a picture and place on the appropriate piece of paper.

4)Support and generalise the children’s thinking by pointing to the questions and using phrases such as:

Who is this? Is it a person or a place?

Oh, that’s who it is! Do we put him with the people or the places? This looks a nice place! I’d like to go there. Is that where you go swimming? Who has been to this place? Where is it? Who did you go with?

5)Once secure, add a third category to the sorting activity and so on until all five categories and question words have been covered.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

Preschool children would not be expected to get as far as the ‘When’category, nor work with more than two categories at a time.

e.g.People and Places (Who/Where?)

People and Actions (Who/What . . . doing?)

People and Objects (Who/What?)

Places and Actions (Where/What . . . doing?)

Places and Objects (Where/What?)

TABLE F: BASIC QUESTION WORDS AND CATEGORIES

CategoryQuestionColourSymbolExamples (optional)(optional)

PeopleWho?Pinkrelatives, book characters, occupations, celebrities

?

PlacesWhere?Blueholiday photos, local places to visit, rooms, hiding places, preposition phrases such as ‘under the bed’

Objects orWhat?Orangepictures and adverts

Thingsfrom catalogues and magazines

ActionWhat’s (he/she)Yellow doing?

? ? ? ?

When children have a hazy understanding of question-words with no clear distinction between knowing or not knowing the answer, they will tend to change the subject, give irrelevant information or provide any information associated with the concrete words which they do recognise. This is a very different pattern to simply getting it wrong. In order for children to recognise that specific questions target specific information, adults need to provide a consistent, positive and constructive response. This involves remaining doggedly focused on the original question until it has been answered, preferably by the child. This may take several re-phrasings or extra steps at first, but these become less necessary as the child’s understanding improves:

1. Accept the child’s response and put it in the appropriate context

2.Come back to the original question

3.Give a clue if it helps

4.Give a choice if it helps

5.Repeat or provide the correct answer, linking it to the question

‘Pick a colour’(Child picks up a stencil)

You’ve chosen the square – thank you, that’s one of the shapes

First I’m wondering if you can pick a colour?

Colours are what we choose when we are painting.

Would you like red or green? Pick a colour – red or green.

Who would like to pick a colour for John? There we are John, red’s a lovely colour.

‘What did you do with the spoon?’(Child: ‘I’m going to lick it’)

That’s something you could do when we’ve finished. Here’s a picture of you licking the spoon (quick post-it note illustration), and it goes at the end.

Now let’s think again, what did we do with the spoon a little while ago?

We picked the spoon up like this, didn’t we, and what did we do with it?

Did we shake the sprinkles with the spoon? Or did we mix everything up with the spoon?

Well remembered, that’s what we did – we mixed all the ingredients up with the spoon.

‘What does your chinchilla look like?’(Child: ‘I keep stroking it’)

You’ve told us something interesting about your chinchilla – you like stroking its fur, that’s what you like doing

Can you tell us something else about it, Charlotte? What does it look like?

If we look at a snake we see it’s got a long scaly body, a bit like a dragon but no legs – that’s what it looks like. How about your chinchilla?

Let’s all guess what it looks like and Charlotte can tell us if we’re right or wrong. Has it got feathers?

Now we know what Charlotte’s chinchilla looks like – bigger than a gerbil but smaller than a rabbit with soft grey fur and big ears. Well done, Charlotte.

Strategy to facilitate a more appropriate response to questions by keeping children ‘on-target’

Strategy to facilitate a more appropriate and focused response by giving immediate feedback

Children with comprehension difficulties often give too much information (e.g. describe everything in a picture rather than answer a specific question). They cannot identify what information is required so keep going until the adult stops them or they run out of steam.

When responses tend to be verbose but unfocused, it is essential to let children know as soon as they have answered a question, even if it means interrupting them. This may feel uncomfortable when we are keen to build rapport and facilitate talking but can be done in a positive and encouraging way.

e.g.Adult:‘How did the burglar get caught?’

Child:‘There was this man, right, and he went round these houses and took all the computers and stuff and he was crashing around and this lady phoned the police and . . .’

Adult:(interjecting) ‘I see! That’s how the burglar got caught – the woman heard him and called the police, didn’t she? OK, so what do you think the police did when they arrived?’(Repeat both question and answer to establish link before continuing with a new question).

Strategy to strengthen understanding and recall by enabling children to store new vocabulary in an organised internal filing system

When children are familiar with the categories covered in Activity 9, use the same categorisation when introducing new words and classroom topic vocabulary. This should precede any sorting into further sub-divisions such as animals, transport, countries or kings and queens.

Ensure children can:

a)relate new vocabulary and classroom topic vocabulary to the categories of ‘People’, ‘Places’, ‘Objects/Things’, ‘Actions’and ‘Times/Events’in activities such as guessing games, definitions, similarities, and ‘odd-man-out’.

b)respond consistently to the associated questions ‘Who?’, ‘Where?’, ‘What/ What . . . doing?’and ‘When?’rather than simply naming new vocabulary pictures. e.g. ‘Who discovered America?’, ‘Where do foxes live?’‘When do we see pumpkin decorations?’

Add new categories such as ‘Describing words’, ‘Appearance’, ‘Feelings’and ‘Method of Action’as children’s vocabulary becomes more sophisticated. (See Table G on page 210 and Word Links Board page 251).

Activities 10.1 to 10.5: ‘. . . Out of Mind’

Aim: For children to appreciate the difference between guessing and ‘working it out’and to explore different ways of acquiring knowledge.

These activities build on Activity 3 ‘Out of sight . . .’and provide a progression from concrete to more abstract thinking to help children acknowledge when more information is required in order to answer a question. The purpose of the first four activities is to discover what is inside a selection of containers, using a variety of means to gain this information. The principle is then extended to general questions without a visual focus.

10.1 ACTUALOBJECTS – no clues Preparation

1)Aselection of containers, some with the contents clearly displayed and others that are sealed or folded with the contents hidden.

e.g. a glass of water, a mug of tea, a bowl of paperclips, a clear pack of pens, a wrapped present, a closed unmarked box, a jiffy bag, a carrier bag.

2)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I know’and ‘I don’t know’(Resources: Step 1, pages 41 and 42).

3)Guessing/Finding Out face, blank speech bubble and Correct Answer speech bubble (Resources: Step 4, pages 232-234).

4)Small pieces of blank paper or card and pen for ‘guesses’.

Procedure

1)Place ‘I don’t know’picture on the children’s left and ‘I know’picture on their right.

2)Introduce one container at a time and ask the children what is inside. The objective is for children to only say what is inside if they are sure, otherwise they will need to say ‘I don’t know’. It is important that the children believe that you don’t know either so that if anyone says ‘What is it?’you can reply ‘Good question!’and model ‘I don’t know’.

3)As you discuss each container get the children to allocate them to either the ‘I don’t know’picture (contents not known) or the ‘I know’picture (contents known) so they end up with two groups of objects.

4)Establish that they know what is in the open containers because they can see the contents (refer to ‘I know’picture, pointing to the eye and ‘knowledge box’). This means they can tell you what’s inside (add Correct Answer speech bubble to ‘I know’picture).

5)If children start to guess what is in the closed containers say ‘It might be that but I didn’t ask you to guess what’s inside, you can guess in a little while when we play a guessing game. Can you see what’s inside? No, so we don’t know what’s inside. We have to say “I don’t know” (refer to corresponding picture)’.

6)When children consistently reply ‘I don’t know’on being asked what’s inside the closed containers, it is time to discover the answer! Set out the face and blank speech bubble. Say ‘We don’t know what’s inside so let’s have guessing game.’Take a few of the children’s previous guesses, draw or write them down on the small pieces of paper and place them inside the blank speech bubble as shown over the page:

Guessing

7)Ask for a few more guesses, ‘What do you think could be inside?’Again, draw or write the children’s responses down but only accept possible guesses – quickly pass over anything that’s impossible. ‘Thank you Joe but I won’t write down ‘elephant’as it’s too big to fit in the jiffy bag. Oh – a model elephant – yes, that’s OK.’

8)Say ‘These are all good guesses. We don’t know what’s inside but it might be any of these – or something else we haven’t thought of. How can we find out? Yes, we can have a look and then we’ll know.’

9)Once the children discover what’s inside, move that container over to the ‘I know’group (‘Now we know what’s inside!’) until there are no containers left unopened.

Variation

•It will be useful to sign the bold keywords if children are familiar with a signing system such as Signalong* or Makaton**.

*‘Work it out’is signed with two signs, ‘think’+ ‘find out/solve’.

**‘Work it out’is signed with two signs, ‘think’+ ‘understand/realise’.

BOOKS

POSTERS

Useful resources

Makaton Vocabulary Development Project: Signs and Symbols for Core Vocabulary and National Curriculum – www.makaton.org

Signalong – www.signalongshop.org.uk

10.2 ACTUALOBJECTS – clues within object Preparation

1)Aselection of containers as for Activity 10.1, plus some containers where the children can’t see the contents but can work out what’s inside. e.g. an egg-box, CD case, soft pencil-case, packet of crisps, envelope containing recognisable shape such as a key, your mouth!

2)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I don’t know’and ‘I know’(Resources: Step 1, pages 41 and 42).

3)Guessing/Finding Out face, blank speech bubble and Correct Answer speech bubble (Resources: Step 4, page 232-234).

4)Small pieces of blank paper or card and pen for ‘guesses’.

5)Large Working it Out picture (laminated) (Resources: Step 4, page 237) and drywipe pen.

6)Large Guessing picture (Resources: Step 4, page 238) – advanced activity only.

Procedure

1)Place the ‘I don’t know’picture on the children’s left, the ‘I know’picture on their right and the Working It Out picture in the middle.

2)Work through instructions for Activity 10.1 with the addition of establishing that although the children cannot see inside certain containers they can still know what’s inside them. This is not called guessing but ‘working it out’.

Working it out involves using clues – in this case visual, auditory or tactile clues –together with deduction (certain things are always true – we call them ‘facts’– so we can use reasoning rather than eyesight to predict the contents). Many children will instinctively know what’s inside the new containers but be unable to say how they arrived at that conclusion. It is important to tap into this natural ability to demonstrate the nature of ‘clues’, and to demonstrate that it was no accident that they came to that conclusion.

3)Discuss the properties of each new container and add clues to the centre picture as shown below, using dry-wipe marker pen or attaching pictures with blu-tak. Apart from what it may say or show on the outer wrapping, children may like to add extra clues such as weight (we know it’s not empty), unbroken seal, shape, texture or ‘fact’(e.g. mouths have lips, tongues and teeth). This very much depends on the age of the group as it is not necessary to have a lot of clues; one good clue can be enough to move from the ‘I don’t know’picture on the left to the ‘I know’picture on the right.

N.B. One way of defining ‘I don’t know’is by the absence of clues. Unfortunately for logical children, it is often regarded as cheeky to say ‘I haven’t got a clue’rather than ‘I don’t know’! See Activity 3, Step 6, page 386.

a pencil case should have pencils in it

?

rattling noise sounds like pencils contents feel long and hard

Working it out

More advanced:

When children are invited to guess what is in the unmarked containers, compare pictures to show the difference between ‘guessing’and ‘working it out’.

Establish that:

! ‘Working it out’is using clues or information to give us the right answer.

! It’s called ‘guessing’when we don’t know the answer (not enough clues). When we guess we might get it wrong.

! After guessing we can find out the actual answer and see if we guessed right or wrong.

! If people know we are guessing it doesn’t matter if we get it wrong – they like us to try and it’s still good thinking! We can call this ‘having a go’.

Useful resources

Social Skills Poster – Good Listening from Taskmaster Ltd – 0116 270 4286; www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

!!TEACHING POINT!!

If people want us to guess they might say ‘Have a go’or ‘What do you think?’. We can let people know we are guessing by saying ‘I think . . .’or ‘It might be . . .’or ‘This is a guess’etc. Competent communicators may simply adopt a puzzled expression and use a questioning intonation.

Pictures on pages 244 and 245 illustrate ‘having a go’:

a)thinking what the answer might be

b)testing it out or checking if this answer is correct, e.g. ‘Is it a comb?’

Children can be encouraged to play the small Having a Go card any time that they are not sure of the answer but would like to have a guess.

10.3 ACTUALOBJECTS – clues provided Preparation

1)Aselection of containers as for Activity 10.1, with some contents visible and some concealed.

2)Individual clues for the concealed contents, written on small pieces of card using words, pictures and/or symbols as appropriate.

e.g. Spiderman T-shirt: You wear it; it’s got short sleeves; no buttons; picture on the front; Peter Parker.

3)Guessing/Finding Out face (Resources: Step 4, page 232).

4)Small pieces of blank paper or card and pen for ‘guesses’.

5)Large Working it Out picture (laminated) (Resources: Step 4, page 237) and drywipe pen.

6)Speech bubbles for Correct Answer and Guessing (Resources: Step 4, pages 234 and 235).

Procedure

1)Tell the children that you have filled all the containers yourself. Check that they answer the question ‘Who knows what’s in this?’correctly when you hold up a closed container. If not, you may need to go back to Activity 8.

2)Work through instructions for Activity 10.1, but when it comes to finding out what’s inside items from the ‘Not known’group, explain that they will not need to guess this time because you can help them by providing clues. Place the Guessing/Finding Out face and Guessing speech bubble on one side saying ‘So we won’t need these, remember – no guessing!’Place the Working it Out picture between ‘I know’and ‘I don’t know’and add clues, one at a time.

3)Children often start calling out too soon (e.g. the only clue is ‘we can eat it’). When this happens say ‘It might be that but there are lots of other things we can eat too. We need more clues to know the answer. ____ is a guess . . . (point to the Guessing face) . . . wait for some more clues and then you can work it out’(point to the Working it Out face). If guessing persists write each one on a blank card so that later you can say ‘Here are all the guesses we had, were any of them right?’. Be ready to accept there may be a lucky guess!

4)Fade out use of the Working It Out picture and visual clues if the children’s responses show that their thought processes are becoming more logical and automatic, and that their memory allows them to hold several pieces of information at once.

10.4 ABSENT OBJECTS – clues provided Preparation

1)Compile a list of containers/rooms which are out of sight and write each one on an individual piece of paper or card. Use drawings if children find text too abstract or cannot attend without a more visual focus. Include items where content will be known: e.g. child’s bedroom, Tesco’s, reading bag, library, school hall, art cupboard, lunch-box and not known: e.g. teacher’s bag, top-drawer in office, boot of head teacher’s car, parcel in staff room, caretaker’s coat pocket.

2)Prime key adults to be available for questioning regarding the contents of the ‘Not known’items (optional).

3)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I don’t know’and ‘I know’(Resources: Step 1, pages 41 and 42).

4)Guessing/Finding Out face (Resources: Step 4, page 232).

5)Small pieces of blank paper or card and pen for ‘guesses’.

6)Large Working It Out picture (laminated) (Resources: Step 4, page 237) and drywipe pen.

7)Speech bubbles for Correct Answer, Guessing and Finding Out/Seeking Clarification (Resources: Step 4, pages 234-236).

Procedure

1)Tell the children that this time you don’t have the containers with you and have written down what they are instead (show the pieces of paper or card). Explain that you have included rooms and buildings as well as smaller containers.

2)Work through instructions for Activity 10.3, noting that this time, children will know what is inside the first group either because they have seen and remember, or because their general knowledge provides the necessary factual clues. However, they will not be able to work out what is in the second group without some extra clues. Tell the children that for each item in the ‘Not Known’group, one other person knows what’s inside and they have given you some clues which you can pass on.

3)After using the clues to work out what’s inside the ‘Not known’group, ask the children how they can check their answer. This introduces the concept of asking an appropriate person (i.e. someone who would know) to the previously established routes of looking for oneself and working it out

Use the Guessing/Finding Out face with the Guessing and Finding Out speech bubbles as follows:

‘How could we check to see if we’re right? Yes, we could have a look – do you think that’s allowed? We’ve talked about guessing when we don’t know the answer (pointing to the face and Guessing speech bubble), haven’t we? Well, there’s another sort of talking we can do when we don’t know and want to find out. We can ask a person who knows’(swap the Guessing speech bubble for Finding Out). Continue the discussion by agreeing on who you could ask and what you could say. If that person is available (and primed) encourage the children to find out the answers by saying something like ‘Excuse me, what is in _____ please?’

10.5 GENERALINFORMATION – awareness of knowledge Preparation

1)Compile a list of 6-10 questions, only some of which the children will be able to answer. See Questions for judgement task, Resources: Step 4, pages 240-241 for ideas to start you off. Write each question on an individual piece of paper or card, adding symbols or drawings for clarity or a reading aid as required.

2)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I don’t know’and ‘I know’(Resources: Step 1, pages 41 and 42).

3)Guessing/Finding Out face (Resources: Step 4, page 232).

4)Small pieces of blank paper or card and pen for ‘guesses’.

5)Large Working It Out picture (laminated) (Resources: Step 4, page 237) and drywipe pen.

6)Speech bubbles for Correct Answer, Guessing and Finding Out/Seeking Clarification (Resources: Step 4, pages 234-236).

Procedure

1)Tell the children that this time you have some questions rather than statements. ‘Let’s see if you know the answers’.

2)Work through instructions for Activity 10.4, paying particular attention at the end of the activity to the different methods of finding things out – counting, asking, dictionary, internet etc.

3)Fade out use of picture materials as children acquire the concepts involved and can respond consistently to spoken questions without visual support.

Activity 11: Categories: Divergent Thinking

Aim: To help children acknowledge a variety of possibilities rather than assume they know the answer.

Preparation

1)Large Good Thinking and Checking/Having a Go pictures (Resources: Step 4, pages 243 and 244).

2)Apicture of an object belonging to one of the categories below or another category of the group leader’s choosing.

3)Alarger piece of card with a small cut-out (see illustration below).

Procedure

1)Invite the group or individual to think of as many items as they can within one category, ensuring that the picture you have hidden from view is included.

e.g. things that have wheelsthings that have eyes things that have wingsthings that have hands things that have windowsthings that have doors things that have two legsthings that have flames

Write each idea down on a piece of paper or card, with a quick illustration for non-readers, and place on the table.

2)Repeat with a second category so that you have two sets of items.

3)Tell the children that you have a picture of one of these items and you are going to let them see part of it. Using the card to cover most of the picture, let them see just a wheel, wing, window etc.

4)Referring to the Good Thinking picture, tell the children that you have hidden a picture and would like them to have a go at guessing what it is. This first involves ‘good thinking’. Even though they don’t definitely know the answer, they can make some good guesses because you are going to give them a clue. They should look at the small picture clue and think about what the whole picture might be.

5)Invite each child to have a go. Hopefully they will limit their guesses to the right category, but if necessary use phrases like, ‘Well, what are all the things you have just thought of that have wheels?’The children need to think of something it might be (Good Thinking picture) and then check with you to see if they are right (Checking/Having a Go picture).

e.g.‘Is it a racing car?’

‘Is it a jeep?’

‘It might be a tractor’

‘Is it a garage?’

‘I think it’s a go-cart’

N.B. We do not say ‘It’s a racing car!’until we have more clues.

6)Stress that all the guesses showed good thinking and could be right, before finally removing the card to reveal the obscured picture.

! Tell children that you will always let them know when you want them to guess by saying ‘This is a guessing game’or ‘Have a go’.

! Remind children that when they guess they need to think about the clues and let you know they are guessing.

Variations

•Increase the number of categories.

•Omit instructions 1. and 2.

•Encourage children to ask you questions before you reveal the picture so that they add verbal clues (e.g. ‘you find it on a farm’) to the picture clue.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

It is a very a subtle difference but it keeps things clearer if we use the Guessing and Having a Go pictures as follows:

Guessing:

i)random answers or actions that are not supported by reasoning or knowledge/

ii)statements rather than questions.

Having a Go:

i)guessing with other person’s permission or knowledge.

ii)thinking about possibilities and testing them out.

e.g.

GuessingHaving a Go

‘It’s a car!’‘Is it a car?’

‘Red! No, blue!’‘Is it red? (wait for answer) Blue?’

Procedure

Give children who are working through Activities 10 and 11 and inclined to blurt out, a copy ofthe small Guessing and Working it Out pictures to keep in their trays (Resources: Step 4, page 242). Refer to them on an opportunistic basis during conversations and table-top activities.

e.g.‘You said that really quickly – were you guessing or did you work it out?’

‘Well done, that’s the right answer! How did you know? How did you work it out?’

‘What do you think I’ve got in this box? Do you really think I could fit an elephant inside? Have another try and let’s try to work it out this time.’

Keep the large Guessing and Working it Out pictures (Resources: Step 4, pages 237-238) handy to introduce general classroom activities and remind children what type of thinking process is required.

e.g.‘Someone is coming to visit us this afternoon. I’ll give you some clues and see if you know who it is.’(Working It Out). ‘Don’t call out yet, I haven’t given you any clues.’(Guessing).

‘Listen to Daniel’s story and see if you can work out where it takes place.’

‘Let’s have lots of ideas but only sensible ones please!’

Procedure

Give children who are working through Activities 10 and 11 and inclined to be perfectionist or reluctant to guess, a copy of the small Having a Go picture to keep in their trays (Resources: Step 4, page 245). Refer to it on an opportunistic basis during conversations and table-top activities.

e.g.‘You look like you’re not sure about this one. So let’s just have some ideas from everyone please?’

‘Think about what colour it might be. Whatever you say will be a good guess, it could be any colour.’

‘Well done for telling me you don’t know. Now it’s OK to have a guess – that’s good thinking.’

‘It’s OK, I don’t want you to tell me the answer – just think of some things it might be.’

!!TEACHING POINT!!

Some children lack imagination and are unable rather than reluctant to guess. They will benefit from closed question prompts, visual choices to stimulate their thought process, and the vocabulary activities that follow (filing cabinet symbol).

Strategy to encourage careful thinking by reinforcing the difference between ‘guessing’and ‘working it out’

Strategy to encourage divergent thinking and ‘guessing with permission’by reinforcing the difference between ‘having a go’and being wrong

Strategy to strengthen understanding and clarity of focus (knowing what you need to know) by encouraging key-word answers

Spoken conversation requires us to provide concise, relevant answers in response to specific questions, rather than full sentences. Concise answers demonstrate true understanding as we focus straightaway on the specific information required by the speaker and omit redundant information. ‘Expanded’answers are a bonus, but only appropriate after the original question has been answered concisely.

e.g.Adult:‘Where did you see the dog?’

Child:

(a) In the park. He was barking at some swans. (Concise answer followed by extra information)

(b) The dog was running around in the park with some swans. (Unfocused response, answers original question by luck rather than judgement)

Unfocused responses such as b) often mask underlying comprehension difficulties. By accepting such answers we teach children that anything will do and provide no clues as to what information was required. We need to take the opportunity to demonstrate the links between specific question-words and different types of information (Who? requires a Person; Where? requires a Place etc. as discussed in Activity 9).

Respond to full sentences positively but trim them down and keep the child focused:

‘Thank you, now I know what the dog was doing. Do you know where it was running around?’ (repeat original question)

And if necessary a further prompt, ‘It was in the . . .?’

‘Park! That’s it, in the park – that’s where it was running.’

Strategy to develop reading comprehension and clarity of focus (knowing what you need to know) by encouraging key-word answers

Extend Strategy 6 to reading comprehension. If children read fluently but cannot answer questions about what they have read, they are demonstrating good word recognition but poor language comprehension.

! Such children should not be asked to write full sentences in response to reading comprehension questions until you are confident that they truly understand an appropriate range of question-words. This is no more than we would expect of children who are developing language naturally at an age-appropriate rate.

! Encourage poor comprehenders to respond with concise keyword answers in both oral and written work. e.g. Where did the children put the guy? ‘On the bonfire’.

Strategy to further develop understanding and reading comprehension through use of colour-coding

Help children sift text more discerningly by using colour to link written questions to highlighted sections of information. It is often reported that this visual strategy leads to a corresponding improvement in processing spoken language.

Table G builds on the principles covered in Activity 9 ‘Basic Question Words and Categories’and outlines the ‘Language Through Colour’(LTC) system’developed at Laleham Gap School, Kent. When applied to text, sentence patterns, writing-frames and question prompts, the LTC colour-coding system has been found to:

1.Help children access information from written presentations/visual displays.

2.Aid children’s interpretation of questions and improve the quality of their response.

3.Improve information content and word-order in spoken and written language.

TABLE G: LANGUAGE THROUGH COLOUR

Colour Type of information/Question(s)Examples of text to be highlighted

PinkPeopleThe wicked witch of the west, Mum Who? and Dad, her little brother, me, the man in the moon

BluePlacesUpstairs, under the chair, in Where? deepest Africa, to the end of the pier and back

OrangeThings or ObjectsAlittle brown mouse, water, an What? invisible force, my favourite biscuits, two birds

YellowActionPlaying, washed, has been eaten What . . .? [+ doing/did etc.]up, run and jump, went away

GreenDescriptions and DefinitionsGreen, big and hairy, it’s got a long (includes Appearance & Feelings)neck, something sharp that cuts What . . . like? How . . . feel? etc.paper, very sad

BrownTimeYesterday, now, last week, this When?summer

PurpleReasonsbecause it was raining, to cheer her Why?up, for my birthday

DottedMethod of ActionQuietly, slowly, with a knife, on Yellow How . . .? [+ doing/did etc.]tip-toes, as fast as possible

GreyFrequency and DurationEvery day, once a year, half an How often? For how long? etc.hour, until it was finished

Colour-coding will be most effective if used routinely in the classroom as an extra visual aid to support language comprehension difficulties. Materials which can be colour-coded include:

•Reading comprehension exercises (questions and text)

•Worksheets

•Classroom displays

•Sorting activities and word-links

•Topic vocabulary and word-definitions

•Mindmaps

•Narrative frameworks and other writing-frames

•Templates for sentence building

For more activities, see handout ‘Developing Reading Comprehension’(Resources: Step 4, page 247).

N.B. An alternative colour-scheme may be adopted to fit in with existing practice.

Activity 12: Word Links: divergent thinking

Aim: To strengthen understanding, reasoning and recall by establishing connections between words.

Preparation

1)Word Link board (Resources: Step 4, page 251) enlarged to at least A3.

2)Small pieces of paper or card and pen.

3)Topic vocabulary, including some familiar words to introduce the activity.

4)(Optional) Colour-code the sections of the Word Link Board to compliment the categories in Table G on page 210, i.e. People=pink, Places=blue, Time=brown, Description (including materials)=green, Family words and Parts=orange, Actions=yellow. Leave the Reaction section white, as this allows for personal associations rather than recognised word-associations.

Procedure

1)Write a word on a piece of paper and place at the centre of the Word Link board. Invite the group or individuals to think of as many other words which go with this word.

2)Encourage children to use the questions on the Word Link board to stimulate their thinking.

3)Write each word or phrase generated on a piece of paper and place on the board in the appropriate section.

4)Encourage children to think laterally so that they generate words in as many different sections as possible.

5)Set a target or end-point to aid concentration.

e.g.Think of 10 words or phrases that go with ‘winter’

Think of at least one word in each section associated with ‘garden’

Think of as many words as possible in 5 minutes to do with ‘water’

SAMPLE WORD LINKS

Androcles

Variations

•Provide individual A4 Word Link boards to write on.

•Help children select the key words which provide the definition of the starter word.

•Spot similarities and differences between words, e.g. lions and crocodiles are both animals with 4 legs and sharp teeth but differ in habitat and class (mammal/reptile).

Strategy to support creative writing through question-prompts and organisation of information

Word Links boards may be used by individual pupils to generate and record vocabulary needed for descriptive passages, poetry, reported events and story-telling.

This may be done initially with an adult drawing attention to particular categories and prompting with associated questions or acting as scribe. Pupils are then encouraged to ask themselves the same questions to aid recall and generate a list of words to include in their written or spoken narrative.

Activity 13: Word Links: convergent thinking

Aim: For children to have the flexibility to refrain from guessing and recognise when more information is needed.

This activity is the reverse of Activity 12. Word or picture clues are placed in the outer sections of the Word Link Board and the children must decide what word goes in the middle. This is no different to solving Riddles and games such as ‘What Am I?’but the backdrop of the Word Links Board strengthens the internal organisation and associations within the child’s vocabulary storage system.

Preparation

1)As for Activity 12 plus . . .

2)Small pictures of familiar items for the children to identify.

3)Score board to show who is winning – the adult or the children’s team.

4)Large Guessing, Working It Out and Good Thinking pictures (Resources: Step 4, pages 237, 238 and 243).

Procedure

1)Place a picture face down in the middle of the board. Explain that you will be giving some clues so that the children can identify (work out) the hidden picture. If they get it right, they score a point, if they get it wrong, you score a point. Refer to the Working It Out picture to show that they need to think about all the clues before they decide on their answer. It is different to a Guessing Game because they have to use the clues and find the answer themselves.

2)Place one clue on the Word Link Board (see Table H for examples) and ask if anyone knows what the picture is. If nothing is forthcoming, place a second clue on the board. Initially, the children are liable to start guessing at the answer with very little information. Ask if they are sure, and if they say yes, write their answer on a piece of paper and let them turn over the picture to see if they are correct. If they are wrong, explain that they guessed a bit too soon, and place their answer in one of the boxes of the Guessing picture. If this continues, they will see that they need to change their strategy as you are getting a lot of points!

3)If however the children say they are not sure, applaud this and introduce the Good Thinking picture. Write the word down and agree that it might be that but it’s too soon to know for sure. Place the word in one of the boxes in the thought bubble and ask the children to suggest what else the answer might be. They are only exploring possibilities so they will not lose points. Add the children’s suggestions to the thought bubble and acknowledge their ‘good thinking’.

e.g. first clue is ‘vegetable’so it might be carrot, potato, cabbage, runner beans, sweetcorn etc.

4)Give a second clue and ask what it might be now. The children will be able to remove some of the previous ideas, and can possibly add some new ideas.

e.g. second clue is ‘green’so remove carrot, potato and sweetcorn showing that it might be cabbage or runner beans. With some more good thinking the children could also add broccoli, peas etc.

5)Repeat with more clues until there is only one possible answer left. If individuals are reluctant to commit, even when the answer is obvious, explain that when they have thought about all the clues and can only think of ONE possibility they should say, ‘It’s a _____!’or to be on the safe side, ‘I think it’s a _____’. Let one of them turn over the picture to see that they are right.

6)Subsequently, when children call out, you will be able to ask, ‘Is that one of the things it might be?’(pointing to Good Thinking picture), ‘Or the only thing it can be?’(pointing to the centre of the Word Link Board).

7)When teams or individuals are rarely letting you score a point, you know they have the idea!

TABLE H: CLUES FOR WORD LINKS BOARD

CLUES (give more or fewer clues at your discretion) SOLUTION

1st2nd3rd4th 5th

animalpetfurrykept in cageholds food inhamster cheeks

used forsmall andkept inbristleseveryonetoothbrush cleaninglightbathroomowns one

sportball game2 teamskick ballhold ballrugby

vegetablegreenabovegrow in podsroundpeas ground

birdswimseats fishwebbed feetbeak has apelican large pouch

buildingover 600famousLondonQueen’sBuckingham roomshomePalace

personmaleauthorchildren’swroteRoald books‘James andDahl the Giant Peach’

Variations

•compensate for poor imagination by using sets of picture cards initially e.g. a pack of cards showing different foods, sports, animals or transport. Spread all the pictures on the table, write one of them down, fold up the paper and place at the centre of the Word Link Board. Play the game as above, but after each clue, children select or eliminate the picture cards rather than thinking of possible solutions themselves.

•encourage children to identify redundant clues which provide no extra information (e.g. ‘webbed feet’in Table H).

•reverse roles – children take turns to hide a picture and give clues for the rest of the group to consider. We are looking for salient clues (e.g. ‘It chases mice’rather than ‘It’s got eyes’) so either limit the number of clues that children are allowed to give or set a challenge to solve 5 or 10 pictures within a certain time-limit. Agood rule of thumb for salient definitions is:

category or function or simile

unique features(s) e.g.

‘it’s for cooking .

with thorns’

fried eggs’

BOOKS

POSTERS

‘it’s like a horse

black and white stripes’ ‘jumping

on one leg’

Useful resources

Helping Children Hang On To Your Every Word by Maggie Johnson. From QEd Publications, page 68, ‘Introducing new Vocabulary’– www.qed.uk.com

Activity 14: Verbal Reasoning and Problem Solving

Aim: For children to develop a methodical approach to problem solving by applying the principles of Working It Out, Good Thinking, and Finding Out in general reasoning activities.

Preparation

1)Any games or language schemes involving reasoning activities such as Riddles, What Am I?, Guess Who? and Definitions (younger children), or Deduction, Twenty Questions, Enquiry and Elimination and Problem Solving (older children).

2)The large or small Finding Out, Working It Out, Good Thinking, Checking and Correct Answer pictures (Resources: Step 4, see page references on page 221).

(N.B. The Guessing pictures are not appropriate for reasoning activities as the children are being asked to work it out rather than guess.)

3)The small ‘I don’t know’, ‘I know’and ‘I’m not sure’pictures (Resources: Step 1, page 44).

4)Blank pieces of paper or card on which to write or draw pieces of information (clues).

Procedure

Carry out any of the following activities using the picture symbols to demonstrate the thinking processes involved for children who are struggling:

ReasoningExample of Language Used During ActivityPicture Symbols Process

requestingThere are two clowns and I don’t know which‘I don’t know’& one you want. Which one do you want?Working It Out Is it happy or sad?

assimilatingRemember all the clues are important – catsWorking it Out information do eat fish don’t they, but they can’t fly. Let’s put down each thing we’ve got to remember.

informationWe ask questions to find things out. TheFinding Out & seekinganswers are the clues we need to workWorking It Out out the answer.

As we find out more and more we go from‘I don’t know’, knowing nothing, to knowing a bit, to‘I’m not sure’& working it out.‘I know’

Here are all the things it could be. So whatGood Thinking & could we ask that would give us a clue?Finding Out Can you spot a group it might belong to?

eliminationShall we try to work out what colour it is?Having AGo OK, so now we know it’s red. It can’t be blueWorking it Out or green or yellow. Let’s get rid of all the shapes that are not red.

narrowingIt’s one of these two, isn’t it? Can you spot theGood Thinking & the choicesdifference between them? If you ask about thatFinding Out you’ll know the answer.

redundantLook at the clues we’ve got already – we knowWorking it Out guessesit’s a bird so we already know it’s got a beak.

I think you’ve worked it out already! There’sWorking it Out, only one thing it can be so you can tell us theGood Thinking (with answer – you don’t need to ask any morea line through all questions.but one possibility), ‘I know!’& Correct Answer

prematureHave we got enough clues yet? It could stillWorking it Out & guessingbe any of these.Good Thinking

We can’t be sure yet because we only knowWorking it Out, it’s an animal. What else can we find outGood Thinking & about it?Finding Out

deduction –Now you know!‘I know!’& the momentCorrect Answer the penny drops

inference –The boys are wearing coats and boots andWorking It Out making linksleaving the garden centre carrying a Christmas by drawingtree. Those are all clues. So what can we work on existingout from this picture? They’ve just bought the knowledgetree, they’re going to decorate it, it’s December, it’s cold, it’s winter, they’ll be getting presents soon, they’re excited!

BOOKS

POSTERS

Useful resources

‘Description’, ‘Compare and Enquire’and ‘Enquire and Eliminate’from A.M.S. Educational – www.amseducational.com

!!TEACHING POINT!!

There is a significant difference between seekingclarification (i.e. information-seeking) and seekingconfirmation (i.e. checking information), although both processes involve asking questions. To help illustrate this for children who need the distinction, use the Finding Out/Seeking Clarification and Checking/Having a Go pictures on pages 245 and 246 as follows:

Finding Out/Seeking Clarification: Asking Wh____? and How? questions which provide new information.

Checking/Having a Go:

i)Checking that your answer or action is correct.

ii)Eliminating the possibilities with Yes/No questions.

e.g. Finding Out/Seeking ClarificationChecking/Having a Go

? ? ? ? ? ?

‘What colour is it?’‘Is it red?’

‘How many legs has it got?’‘Has it got four legs?’

‘Where do these go?’‘Is that right?’

Step 4: Resources

Resource

Picture Naming prompt cards222-224

Blank speech bubbles225

Finding Out picture sequence (1-6)226-231

Guessing/Finding Out face232

Blank speech bubble for children’s guesses/clarification strategies233

Correct Answer speech bubble234

Guessing speech bubble235

Finding Out/Seeking Clarification speech bubble236

Large Working It Out picture237

Large Guessing picture238

Large Correct Answer picture239

Questions for judgement task - do I know the answer?240-241

Small Guessing and Working It Out pictures242

Large Good Thinking picture243

Large Checking/Having a Go picture244

Small Good Thinking and Checking/Having a Go pictures245

Small Correct Answer and Finding Out/Seeking Clarification pictures246

Developing Reading Comprehension247

Word Link Board251

N.B. Before use, photocopy resources onto stiff card and/or laminate to extend use and prevent children seeing through when held up to the light. Answers can also be hidden by backing cards with dark paper or photocopying the pattern from page 416 onto the reverse before cutting. Group facilitators will find it helpful to familiarise themselves with some of the longer activities by first practicing on each other or obliging friends and family.

QUESTIONS FOR JUDGEMENT TASK – DO I KNOW THE ANSWER?

a) Questions requiring ‘I don’t know’response

When is my birthday?

Where do I live?

How old is Mr. ______

What is 254 x 307?

How far is it to the moon?

(Be prepared for some bright spark to actually know this!)

Where do I keep my bike?

What is Mrs. ______’s favourite food?

What is Mr. _______’s favourite TV programme?

How many paper-clips are in this box?

What is my middle name?

Who cut _______’s hair?

What is the fastest car in the world?

How many trees are there in the park?

Where is [famous person] right now?

Who will win the FAcup next year?

What does ‘rebate’mean?

What time will I go to bed tonight?

QUESTIONS FOR JUDGEMENT TASK – DO I KNOW THE ANSWER?

b) Questions children may be able to answer

When is your birthday?

Where do you live?

How old are you?

What is 11 + 11?

What did you have for breakfast?

What can you buy at MacDonald’s

What is your favourite TV programme?

How many people are in this room?

What is my surname?

What colour is snow?

What do we call baby cats?

How many legs on a donkey?

What do birds eat?

What’s a camera for?

What do you need to make an omelette?

What is Big Ben?

How many fingers have you got?

Developing Reading Comprehension

These activities are recommended for children whose word-recognition skills are developing in advance of their understanding of text. Additional support may be provided by colour-coding words and phrases as described in Language Through Colour handout.

1) Link noun vocabulary to pictures/objects. Children match words to objects, personal belongings, photographs, book illustrations etc. Scavenger Hunt: find a list of items around the school.

2) Link verb vocabulary to action. Children read an instruction and perform or mime the action. e.g. Jump, sit down, stand up, wash your face, clean your teeth, throw a ball. Extend to a series of written instructions. e.g. clues in a treasure hunt, creating a scene, drawing a picture, making a sandwich.

3) Experiment with word order. Turn a picture facedown and present a sentence outline with the main information words on separate pieces of card. Can children work out what’s on the picture?

e.g.The ______ is ______ing or He is ______ing a ______

eat boy paint chair

Children place the words in the spaces and swap them around until happy with the order.

The boy is eating The eat is boying He is painting a chair He is chairing a paint

Enjoy any silly sentences that arise and draw pictures to match! e.g. ‘The burger ate a boy’.

4) Choose illustrated texts and read with a purpose.

i)Precede any reading by discussing the picture and ensuring that children are familiar with the vocabulary they will encounter in the text.

ii)Ask questions before they read the text so that they read in order to discover or check their answers.

5) Encourage key-word answers in written work, rather than full sentences. In spoken conversation, appropriate answers contain only the required information, which reflects understanding of both the question and the listener’s needs.

e.g. ‘How much does this book cost?’ ‘Ten pounds’

e.g. (Not ‘This book costs ten pounds’)

Apply this principle to reading comprehension exercises. Start with closed questions about a sentence or passage that children have just read. Help children to search the text for the keywords that answer each question, and to write these concise answers (examples below).

a)Benny is hiding under his bed.

Who is hiding?

Benny.

Where is Benny/Where is Benny hiding? Under his bed.

What is Benny doing?

© Active Listening for Active Learning, QEd Publications

Hiding under his bed.

b)We made flowers this morning at school out of straws and tissue paper.

What did we make this morning? Flowers.

What did we do at school this morning? (We) made flowers.

When did we make the flowers? This morning.

Where did we make the flowers? At school.

What did we use/make the flowers with? Straws and tissue paper.

Stick to questions where the answers are easily found in the text, gradually increasing sentence-length and amount of text on the page. Later, when good understanding of individual question-words is established, increase language complexity as described in the remaining activities.

N.B. When children can read basic texts for meaning rather than word-recognition alone, make the transition to writing answers in a full sentence. Explain that short answers like ‘on the wall’work well in conversation because we both know the question, but in written language, the questions and answers often get separated. We may read the answer long after it’s been written down, and if we don’t know what the question was, short answers do not give enough information (this is easily proved!). Therefore, in written work, the next step is to write answers in a full sentence, repeating information from the question.

6) Check understanding of pronouns. Start with simple sentences linked to a picture, and see if the child can work out what person or object has been replaced by a pronoun:

e.g.It’s there! What’s there? Aspider.

Peter’s got one too. What has Peter got? Aballoon. She sat on a horse. Who sat on a horse? The queen.

Move towards paragraphs with, and later without, illustrations. Ring all the pronouns and see if children can tell you what each one refers to (the answer will be in an earlier part of the text).

e.g.Phoebe wanted to make her mother a card. It would be a very good one. She found some old seed-packets and cut out the pictures of flowers. They were beautiful colours. She carefully stuck them onto pink paper.

7) Check overall understanding of paragraphs. Ask questions which require children to link several sentences together in order to arrive at the answer. The answers should still be in the text at this stage, but the exact wording will not be. Children need to visualise what is happening as they read, so can often be helped to bring the text to life by acting out or miming the passage before they tackle the questions.

e.g. (referring to the above passage)

How did Phoebe make the card?

What did she do first?

Who is going to be very pleased?

What might her Mum’s favourite colour be?

8) Check that understanding goes beyond the text: word level. Explore children’s ability to derive extra information from words used (semantic links).

e.g.The boys had a snowball fight. What time of year was it?

Vegetable soup. What goes into this soup?

Male changing-room.

He can only wear natural materials.

Who’s allowed in here?

What are his clothes made out of?

What kind of thing is he allergic to?

He loves being outdoors but hates team games. What sports would suit him best?

The fox cubs emerged after sun-set.

Helpful strategies:

a)Children identify key-words in the text, e.g. snow.

How do we know it was dark . . .?

b)Children practice word-association, i.e. make as many links as possible with that word, using closed question prompts if they get stuck.

e.g. cold, winter, snowman, Inuit, igloo, ski, mountain

c)Children ask each other questions to elicit the same information.

e.g. How does snow make you feel? When do we get lots of snow?

d)Children go back to text and give as much information as possible. e.g. It has been snowing, it’s probably winter, the boys’hands will get cold unless they wear gloves.

9) Check that understanding goes beyond the text: discourse level. Introduce questions involving prediction and reasoning that require contextual understanding (pragmatic links) and the child’s own experience.

e.g. (referring to the earlier passage) Why do you think Phoebe made the card? List everything Phoebe needed to make the card. Give two reasons why she was careful.

Why did she use old seed-packets?

What would you write if it was for your mother?

What do you think Phoebe did when she’d finished?

What do you think her mother said?

Helpful strategies:

a)Children identify key-words in the text, e.g. card.

b)Children practice word-association, i.e. make as many links as possible with that word, using closed question prompts if they get stuck.

e.g. birthday, Valentine’s Day, postman, envelope, write, message, funny, pleased.

c)Children ask each other questions to elicit the same information.

e.g. When do we send cards? Who delivers cards?

d)Children go back to text and add as many of the associated words/phrases and new information as possible.

e.g.Phoebe wanted to make her mother a birthday card. It would be a very good one and her Mum would be very pleased. She found some old seed-packets and cut out the pictures of flowers with scissors. They were beautiful colours, red and purple and pink. She carefully stuck them onto some pink paper with glue. After writing her message, Phoebe put the card into an envelope.

e)Children act out the scenario, adding as much dialogue as possible.

10) Comprehension monitoring

Children identify a word or phrase in the text which they do not understand and ask each member of the group what they think it means. After hearing each explanation, the group discuss and vote on the most likely meaning and check it in a dictionary or thesaurus.

11) Narrative structure and cohesion

Structure children’s narrative accounts and creative writing by providing story prompts (closed questions) within a writing-frame, and exploring ideas before they start to write.

e.g. Simple story plan

When does the story take place?

Who is it about?

Where does the story begin?

What happens first? . . . and then? . . . and then?

How does it end up?

What are the characters thinking or feeling?

Advanced story plan

Set the scene (who, where, when)

What happens that causes a problem for the main character?

What action does this character take to try to fix the problem?

What happens as a result? What is the outcome?

Ending (how does the character feel, think or act following the outcome?)

Use the same story plans to help children gain a better understanding of what they are reading.

a) Analyse text. e.g. take the opening paragraph of a familiar story and ask children to find the information that sets the scene: when the story is set, who the characters are and where it takes place.

b) Précis text. e.g. ask children to identify the main points of a story by following the question prompts and writing only the essential information on a story plan.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

Any reading materials can be adapted to follow this developmental progression which mirrors spoken language acquisition. Children could use books from the main class reading scheme, but have individualised Comprehension cards. Or they could follow the main class scheme for reading accuracy and word recognition, but have separate texts for their comprehension work.

Teachers may find it helpful to map the comprehension questions in published reading schemes onto this progression to get an idea of what is expected from children at each stage. The most advanced type of questioning (requiring understanding at discourse level) occurs early on in many reading schemes and is only appropriate for children with good language comprehension. Other children need to work towards this level more systematically.

Who?

When?

FUNCTION / ACTION

What do we do?

What does it do? What happens?

What family group does it belong to?

FAMILY

Where? They go together

Objects/words from the same family

How does this make you feel?

What is it like?

How does it look/feel/sound/smell?

Materials What is it made of?

Parts

What has it got?

APPEARANCE / DESCRIPTION

Step 5: Developing Clarification Skills

Establish appropriate ways to seek clarification by giving children practice in deciding if requests or instructions make sense and asking for more information when they do not.

This section provides clarification skills practice for two groups of children:

Children with delayed development or lack of social experience who are aware that messages do not always make sense but are unable to reliably communicate this to others. Such children tend to:

•look blank or anxious when they don’t know the answer

•wait for an adult to spot that they are stuck

•look worried or unsure but try to follow instructions

•look for adult reassurance and confirmation

Children with specific language and learning difficulties who have worked through the appropriate sections of Steps 3 and 4. Such children should now be aware that:

•messages cannot always be understood

•sometimes ‘I don’t know’is the right answer

•questions require a verbal response

•directions require an action response

For both groups of children, direct practice and reinforcement is now indicated to enable them to ask for clarification when they have not understood. We are aiming for children to:

•Become aware of why they did not understand and their role in putting it right

•Request clarification politely and appropriately

•Gain in confidence, independence and enjoyment of language and interaction

Practice is first provided in non-verbal communication, followed by activities for each of the areas discussed in Step 2: inadequate volume, rapid speech, competing noise, contradictory, impossible, ambiguous and lengthy requests, unfamiliar vocabulary and complex language. Finally, the areas of verbal communication breakdown are combined, and children are given practice using a variety of clarification strategies within the same practical activity.

Facilitators do not need to work through all the activities but may target specific areas as indicated by individual assessment findings or observation.

Non-Verbal Clarification Strategies

This section is appropriate for:

i)children with limited expressive language who rely on signing, facial expression and body language to communicate

ii)children who are poor at taking another person’s perspective and miss the messages we convey via non-verbal communication

iii)children who may show extremes of emotion but tend to display fixed or blank facial expression at other times

The two activities can precede or run parallel to the verbal clarification strategies.

Activity 1: Does It Make Sense?

Aim: To help children recognise and indicate the need for clarification through facial expression.

We are aiming here for a contrast between a mystified or puzzled look meaning ‘I don’t understand’, and a knowing, smiling face to indicate ‘Got it!’, ‘I understand’. As the incomprehensible instructions will make some children laugh, this can be quite a challenge.

Preparation

1)Small Comprehension pictures ‘I don’t understand’and ‘I understand’for each child (Resources: Step 1, page 44).

2)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I don’t understand’and ‘I understand’ (Resources: Step 1, pages 41-42).

3)Does It Make Sense? prompt cards (Resources: Step 5, pages 304-305).

4)Use the blank speech bubbles on page 306 to make extra instructions, adding pictures or symbols to assist poor readers (optional).

5)Reject pile for instructions that cannot be understood (Resources: Step 3, page 155).

Procedure

1)The game requires a ‘speaker’(initially the adult), a ‘listener’(one of the children) and an audience (the rest of the group). Using a prompt card the speaker gives an instruction which the listener may or may not understand. If there are symbols printed on the prompt card, the speaker intersperses the instruction with jibberish to render it incomprehensible. Try to do this with a serious face! The audience have to judge the listener’s understanding by ‘reading’their facial expression. The game is much improved if the audience put their hands over their ears while the speaker gives the instruction.

2)Allocate roles and give each member of the audience a pair of small Comprehension pictures. Place the prompt cards in a central pile.

3)Take a prompt card and ask the audience to cover their ears. Give the direction as written on the card, asking the listener to wait before carrying out the instruction.

4)Invite the audience to uncover their ears and ask them if they think the listener understood the instruction or not. ‘Do you think [child’s name] knows what to do? Can you tell by looking at his face?’ Avoid asking the listener ‘Did you understand?’as they are likely to simply nod or shake their head and give the game away.

5)Each member of the audience holds up the appropriate Comprehension card. If it is not clear (i.e. the listener maintains a neutral expression) the children are encouraged to shake their heads or shrug rather than hold up a card. This prompts the listener to change their expression. Be careful that children do not use expressions that are too exaggerated as this can be equally inappropriate. It may be necessary to comment that children look cross or alarmed rather than puzzled.

6)When everyone has made a decision, repeat the instruction if necessary and ask the listener to point to one of the large Comprehension pictures to show what they are thinking. The audience can then see if they ‘read’the listener’s face correctly and selected the same picture. The listener may well see that laughing gives the wrong message.

7)If the listener did understand this can now be demonstrated by carrying out the instruction. If they did not, agree that it is impossible to follow an instruction when we don’t understand and put the prompt card in a ‘reject’pile.

8)Repeat with a new ‘listener’.

Later

•Dispense with the small Comprehension pictures and ask the audience to sign ‘thumbs-up’if they think the listener understands and ‘thumbs-down’if they think not. If they are not sure (i.e. the listener’s expression is ambiguous) they should oscillate between the thumbs-up and thumbs-down position to encourage the listener to change their expression. Once everyone has made a decision ask the listener if they are right and complete the activity by carrying out or rejecting the instruction.

•Invite children to take it in turns to be the ‘speaker’.

•Discuss what you might say when you don’t understand, and write the expressions on the board or flip chart in speech bubbles. e.g.

Eh?

What did you say?

What?

What does that mean?

Can you say it again, please?

Pardon?

•The speech bubbles generated in this or any of the following activities can also be displayed on the classroom wall to act as a reminder to the children whilst they are developing their confidence in using these requests (see Step 1, page 26).

Activity 2: Does It Make Sense? (puppet)

Aim: To help children recognise the need for clarification through body language and appreciate that they cannot always be understood by others.

Some children find it easier to monitor others’behaviour than to react appropriately themselves. By observing a puppet they can explore the role of body language in active listening and begin to suggest what the puppet might do when it does not understand. It is also an opportunity for children to take listener needs into account and slow down, speak up and be more explicit as and when required.

Preparation

1)Child-like puppet with moving head, arms and hands that are controlled by putting your own hands inside.

2)Display the large Comprehension pictures ‘I don’t understand’and ‘I understand’where children can point to them (Resources: Step 1, pages 41-42).

Procedure

1)Explain that the puppet is very shy and not ready to talk yet but can show its feelings by body language – just like real people.

2)Invite the children to tell the puppet a familiar story, their news or what they have been doing in class. They need to check he understands what they are saying and should let you know the moment they notice him having difficulty.

3)While the children talk the puppet reacts as if it has either:

•understood (e.g. claps hands, bounces up and down, puts thumbs-up, nods or shakes its head.)

•not understood ( e.g. hangs its head, shrugs shoulders, scratches its head, looks at adult, rubs chin, cups ear with hand).

4)The children should call out and point to the ‘I don’t understand’picture as soon as they notice that the puppet is having difficulty understanding. When this happens they can have another go at helping him to understand (e.g. talk slower, give more information, show him a picture) until the puppet is nodding and happy again.

Later

•Dispense with the large Comprehension pictures and ask the children to indicate with ‘thumbs-down’as soon as the puppet doesn’t understand. Now ask the puppet to indicate ‘thumbs-up’or ‘thumbs-down’so they can see if they are correct.

•When the puppet hangs his head and appears sad that he doesn’t understand encourage the children to say ‘Never mind’, ‘Don’t worry!’, ‘That’s alright!’etc. Establish that none of us understand everything all the time and he does not need to feel sad.

•Ask what the puppet might say if he could talk to see if the children can suggest helpful phrases such as ‘Show me please’or ‘I don’t understand’. Write appropriate suggestions in speech bubbles for permanent display in the classroom (see Step 1, page 26).

Useful resources

‘Signing Puppets’from Connevans Ltd – www.connevans.co.uk and Chelltune – www.babysigningstore.co.uk

‘Living Puppets’from Puppets by Post – www.puppetsbypost.com

Social Skills Poster: ‘Good Explaining’from Taskmaster – www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

Verbal Clarification Strategies

As discussed in Step 2, the full range of clarification strategies includes non-specific requests for repetition. Repetition is often all that is needed: it provides a second chance against competing noise and gives children with language processing difficulties more time to absorb the information they have been given.

However, requests for repetition are not helpful when the problem lies with the language content or delivery - we all know the feeling when we’ve said ‘Pardon?’several times and are still none the wiser! At this point we need to be much more specific about what it is we need the speaker to do in order to help us understand.

The rest of this section focuses on helping children recognise why they don’t understand so that they can choose appropriately from a range of specific clarification strategies. The activities are set out roughly in order of difficulty, reflecting the natural development that takes place from about 5 to 7 years of age if language is developing well.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

In all activities and classroom follow-up it is important to respond to what children actually say, rather than what you think or assume they mean. Otherwise they have no need to change the words they use and will continue to rely on other people’s interpretation and goodwill. For example, if you are deliberately speaking too quietly and the child asks for repetition, repeat the phrase but at the same volume. Do not speak louder until the child specifically indicates that this is needed.

This may sound tough but ultimately it will give the children what they need – control over the language choices they make and a real sense of independence.

Coping with messages that don’t make sense

In this section:Dealing with unfamiliar vocabulary Dealing with impossible requests Dealing with contradictory information

Activity 3: Silly or Sensible? (body parts)

ages 5 and above

Aim: To enable children to recognise unfamiliar vocabulary within instructions.

Preparation

1)Make up the prompt cards for Nonsense Words (Resources: Step 5, pages 307-310) and place in a pile.

2)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I understand’and ‘I don’t understand’if children still need a visual reminder of the concepts (Resources: Step 1, pages 41-42).

Procedure

1)Explain that you are going to read out instructions from the cards, asking the children to point to different parts of their bodies. They need to listen carefully; sometimes the instructions will be easy to understand (point to the ‘I understand’picture) and sometimes they will be impossible to understand (point to the ‘I don’t understand’ picture) because you have used a ‘made-up’or ‘silly’word.

2)Read out a prompt card and if the child knows what to do, give them the card to reinforce the fact that we do not need to challenge every utterance – a ☺ appears at the bottom of the card underneath a picture of the body part.

3)If the instruction cannot be followed because a nonsense word has been used, the child should state this, e.g. ‘That’s not a real word!’, ‘You made that up!’Give the child the prompt card with the silly words to reinforce their decision not to guess.

4)If children think they know what to do and carry out the instruction incorrectly, tell them it was a difficult one but they ‘had a go’. Do not give them the prompt card but put it at the bottom of the pile so it will be repeated later (not necessarily with the same child).

5)Continue until all cards have been given out.

Variations

•Omit use and references to ‘I understand’and ‘I don’t understand’pictures if not needed.

•Use blank cards on page 311 to add your own ideas or cater for different language levels.

Activity 4: What Does It Mean (body parts)

Aim: To enable children to recognise unfamiliar vocabulary within simple commands and seek clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Make up the prompt cards for Unfamiliar Vocabulary (Resources: Step 5, pages 312-316) and place in a pile.

2)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I understand’and ‘I don’t understand’if children still need a visual reminder of these concepts (Resources: Step 1, pages 41-42).

Procedure

1)Explain that you are going to read out instructions from the cards for the children to carry out in turn. They need to listen carefully; sometimes the instructions will be easy to understand and sometimes they will be hard to understand (point to the corresponding pictures). This is because they might include a new word that the children do not recognise. If they are not sure what to do they should not guess, but try to find out what the word means.

2)Read out a prompt card and if children are able to follow the instruction, give them the card to reinforce the fact that we do not need to challenge every utterance – a ☺ appears at the bottom of the card.

3)If the instruction is not clear, children should request clarification. The prompt card with a suggested clarification request will help children who do not know what to say and reinforce that it is good not to guess.

4)It is important to acknowledge and respond to any spontaneous requests for clarification that occur without a prompt. This reinforces that it is good to challenge adults and request clarification, as long as it is done politely.

5)If children think they know what to do and carry out the instruction incorrectly, tell them it was a difficult one but they ‘had a go’. Do not give them the prompt card but put it at the bottom of the pile so it will be repeated later (not necessarily with the same child).

6)Continue until all cards have been given out.

Variations

•Omit use and references to the Comprehension pictures if not needed.

•Use blank cards on page 317 to add your own ideas or cater for different language levels.

Activity 5: What Does It Mean? (classroom objects)

Aim: To enable children to recognise unfamiliar vocabulary within simple commands and seek clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Place a variety of suitable objects around the room or in a cupboard, or make use of items already in place. Make sure that some of the items are ‘unknown’.

2)Write a label for each object (e.g. on a Post-it note).

Procedure

1)Ask the children in turn to retrieve an item.

2)If children can get the correct item, it is acknowledged that they have done well.

3)If children do not know what item to get because they do not know that particular word, they should be prompted to indicate this.

4)The group can discuss and list different ways of doing this, e.g. ‘I don’t understand what that means!’, ‘I don’t know what a compass is!’, ‘What’s a compass?’.

5)It is important to acknowledge and respond to any spontaneous indications that words have not been recognised. This reinforces that it is good to help move things forward by admitting lack of knowledge or seeking clarification.

6)Continue until all objects have been found and have a label.

Activity 6: What Does It Mean? (worksheet)

Aim: To enable children to recognise unfamiliar vocabulary within longer instructions and seek clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Acopy of the What Does It Mean? worksheet (Resources: Step 5, page 318) for each child.

2)Make up the What Does It Mean? prompt cards (Resources: Step 5, pages 319-321) and place in a pile.

Procedure

1)Explain that you are going to read out instructions from the cards for the children to carry out in turn. They need to listen carefully; sometimes the instructions will be easy to understand and sometimes they will be hard to understand. This is because they might include words that the children do not recognise. If they are not sure what to do they should not guess, but try to find out what those words mean.

2)Read out a prompt card and if children are able to follow the instruction correctly, give them the card to reinforce the fact that we do not need to challenge every utterance –a ☺ appears at the bottom of the card.

3)If the instruction is not clear, children should request clarification. The prompt card with the suggested clarification request will help children who do not know what to say and reinforce that it is good not to guess.

4)It is important to acknowledge and respond to any spontaneous requests for clarification that occur without a prompt. This reinforces that it is good to challenge adults and request clarification, as long as it is done politely.

5)If children think they know what to do and carry out the instruction incorrectly, tell them it was a difficult one but they ‘had a go’. Do not give them the prompt card but put it at the bottom of the pile so it will be repeated later (not necessarily with the same child).

6)Continue until all cards have been given out.

Variation

•Use blank cards on page 317 to add your own ideas or cater for different language levels.

Strategy to enable individuals to identify unfamiliar words in their reading books and respond appropriately

When children come across a word on a worksheet or in their reading book that they do not recognise or understand, encourage them to let you know rather than stare at it in silence, wait for a prompt to ‘sound it out’or carry on reading without understanding.

This could be done by:

Pointing to the word and looking puzzled.

Or a better option is:

Pointing to the word and requesting clarification, either directly or by implication.

e.g.‘That’s a new word for me!’

‘I’ve never seen that word before.’

‘What’s that word?’

‘What does that word say?’

‘What does that word mean?’

‘I don’t know that word!’

‘How do you say that word?’

Two or three appropriate phrases should be discussed and written down to help children remember for another time.

It is important to acknowledge and respond to any spontaneous indications that words have not been recognised. This reinforces that it is good to help the adult move things forward by admitting lack of knowledge.

Once a child is using clarification strategies with unfamiliar text fairly confidently at school (see previous strategy), ask parents to reinforce the strategy at home when hearing their child read.

Provide the child with a bookmark with appropriate phrases or a simple speech bubble to act as a reminder, and ask parents to wait for the child to ask for help when faced with an unfamiliar word.

See Step 6, pages 396-397 for more examples.

BOOKS

POSTERS

Useful resources

Literacy Bookmarks by Jan Baerselmann – www.literacybookmarks.co.uk

‘Brill the Brave’Thinking Skills pack by Mike Lake

Strategy to enable individuals to respond appropriately to unfamiliar words in their reading books (generalisation)

Activity 7: What Does It Mean? (classroom)

Aim: To enable individuals to recognise unfamiliar vocabulary and seek clarification appropriately (generalisation).

Once a child is using clarification strategies fairly confidently in structured activities, introduce some requests using unfamiliar vocabulary into their daily routine.

e.g.‘Oh William, could you bring my eraser over here please?’

‘Give Peter some assistance please.’

Will they request clarification? Reward the child with a star, sticker or verbal acknowledgement if they ask you what the word means or suggest an alternative.

e.g.‘Is that the same as ‘rubber’?’

‘Help him you mean?’

Warn the child that you may try and ‘trick’them again the next day, to see if they are actively listening and remembering to ask for clarification when they do not understand.

Depending on the child’s age and the way in which they respond, it may be helpful to divide clarification strategies into acceptable and unacceptable responses.

e.g.

Grown ups

Friends

What does that mean?

What is that please?

I don’t know that word.

Eh?

That’s a funny word!

What are you on about?

What an earth are you talking about?

What are you on about?

You’re talking rubbish!

Activity 8: Contortionists!

Aim: To enable children to recognise and reject impossible requests appropriately.

Procedure

Challenge a group of children or an individual to perform more actions than you! With each difficult task they must keep going until someone gives in by saying ‘I can’t do that’, ‘That’s impossible!’etc.

e.g.Wink one eye!

Touch your nose with your tongue!

Lick your ear!

Shake your own hand!

Roll up your tongue!

Whistle!

Look at the back of your head!

Pop your cheek! (‘Pop goes the weasel’)

Touch your head with your foot

Clasp hands behind your back!

Touch your ankle with your elbow!

Put your foot behind your head!

Click your fingers!

Hop!

Lick behind your knee!

Stand on your hands!

Sit on your hair!

Variation

•Play the game like ‘Simon Says’. The children must only attempt the action if preceded by ‘Simon says . . .’and then decide whether or not they can do it.

Activity 9: Stand Up If . . .

Aim: To enable children to recognise and reject impossible requests appropriately.

Procedure

1)Give a series of instructions where the children must listen to the second part before knowing whether they should perform the action.

e.g.‘Stand up if you are wearing grey socks.’ ‘Clap your hands if your name begins with T.’

2)Ask any child who does not follow the instruction to explain why they did not.

e.g. ‘I can’t because I’m not wearing grey socks.’

Activity 10: Can I, Can’t I?

Aim: To enable children to recognise and reject impossible requests appropriately.

Preparation

Make up the prompt cards for Impossible Directions (Resources: Step 5, pages 325-328) and place in a pile.

Procedure

1) Explain that you are going to read out instructions from the cards for the children to carryout in turn. They need to listen carefully; sometimes the directions will be possible and they should do the action. However, if the direction is not possible they should tell you that they cannot do it. If they are really feeling clever, they can tell you why!

2) Read out a prompt card and if the instruction is possible and the child carries it out correctly, give them the card to reinforce the fact that we do not need to challenge every utterance – a ☺ appears at the bottom of the card.

3) If the instruction is not possible the child should indicate this and be given the prompt card to reinforce that their judgement was correct.

4) It is important to acknowledge any appropriate indications that requests cannot be carried out and agree that the request was impossible or too difficult. This reinforces that it is good to challenge adults as long as it is done politely.

5) If children indicate inappropriately that requests cannot be carried out (e.g. 'are you mad?', exaggerated facial expressions), agree that the request was impossible or too difficult and suggest an alternative (e.g. So you could just say 'That's impossible'). Do not give them the prompt card but put it at the bottom of the pile so it will be repeated later (not necessarily with the same child).

6) If children think they know what to do, and carry out the instruction incorrectly, tell them it was a difficult one but they 'had a go'. Again, do not give them the prompt card, but put it at the bottom of the pile so it will be repeated later.

7) Continue until all cards have been given out. Variations

•After recognising an impossible command, children complete the sentence ‘I can’t do that because .’

•Use the blank cards on pages 329-330 to add your own ideas or cater for different language levels.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

The strategies written on the prompt cards are purely suggestions and children should be reassured that these are not the only correct ways to seek clarification. The expressions they use will largely depend on their command of grammar and children who struggle with expressive language may sound a bit abrupt and even impolite at first. Let these children gain confidence with short phrases such as ‘I can’t!’ and ‘I don’t know’ before encouraging longer sentences such as ‘I don’t know how many there are’ or ‘That’s too difficult’.

Activity 11: Farmyard Swap

Aim: To enable children to recognise contradictory requests and seek clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Find a selection of farm animals, either toys or pictures. The children should be given one animal each and asked to sit in a circle, with their animals visible to all.

2)Timer or stopwatch with alarm.

Procedure

1)Ask each child in turn to make the noise of the animal that they are holding. However, make some intentional errors as you ask around the group, to facilitate the appropriate request for clarification.

e.g.‘Sam, can you make the noise of your pig? . . . Great! . . . Now Lucy, can you make the noise of your cow?’

‘I’m not Lucy, I’m Vikram!’

‘Sorry, Vikram! Can you make the noise of your cow?’

2)Once everybody has made the sound of their animal correctly, the ‘changing places’ game can be started: Tell the children that you are going to call out 2 names or 2 animals or both. If the children hear their own name or the name of the animal that they are holding, then they are to get up and swap places. The children who stand up make the sound of the animal that they are holding as they move to their new seat (optional for older children).

3)Warn the children that you may make some mistakes. If the children hear a mistake, then they should tell you.

e.g.Group Leader: ‘Sam you’ve got a pig, please swap with Lucy’s cow’.

Lucy: ‘But I’ve got a cat’.

Vikram: ‘I’ve got the cow. Do you want me or Lucy to swap?’

Group Leader: ‘Well spotted – I’ll try again.’

4)Set the timer for 3-5 minutes. The children who are standing when the alarm goes off collect in the pictures, deal them out for another round, help set up the next activity or put away the chairs as appropriate.

Variations

•Set the timer for a minute at a time – the children who are standing when it goes off remain standing until everyone has been eliminated.

•Change the farm animals for letter names and their sounds.

•Omit the sounds with older children. Use pictures such as science equipment, cooking utensils or topic vocabulary, asking them to say what each item is used for in the initial round.

Activity 12: Picture Search

Aim: To enable children to recognise and reject impossible requests appropriately.

Preparation

1)Find about 12 picture cards which can be sorted into 4 different categories. Three sample sheets which can be cut up into individual cards are included in Resources: Step 5, pages 322-324.

2)Write a series of descriptions on a piece of paper or individual cards, only some of which match the pictures (see examples below).

Procedure

1)Ask the children to sort the items into groups of their choice.

2)Explain that you are going to describe an item and they should try to find it. They need to listen carefully; sometimes it will be possible to find an item and sometimes it won’t be possible. Let them know that you are going to try and ‘trick’them – if they can find something, they must give you the item; but if it’s not possible to find something, they must tell you.

3)Read out the descriptions, asking the children to find the item as quickly as possible and to call out or put their hands up if it’s not there.

4)Award the group or individual child a point for every correct response and yourself a point for catching them out.

e.g. Sample sheet 1

ANIMALS cat horse dog

VEHICLES car bus lorry

FURNITURE chair table wardrobe

CLOTHES coat trousers shirt

‘Give me an animal that is furry’

‘Give me a vehicle that flies’

‘Give me something you wear that has buttons’

I can’t, because there isn’t one!

‘Which piece of furniture’s made for sleeping?’ There isn’t a bed there!

‘Give me some fruit’

‘Give me something you can ride in’

I can’t, because there isn’t any fruit!

e.g. Sample sheet 2

PLANTS flower tree cactus

FRUIT apple banana grapes

BIRDS duck seagull parrot

SPORTS tennis football cricket

‘Give me a long piece of fruit’

‘Which ball do you kick?’

‘Give me the bird with a long neck’ I can’t, because there isn’t one!

‘Find a plant with petals’

‘Where’s the water sport?’

‘Which fruit is orange?’

e.g. Sample sheet 3

It’s not there!

None of them!

ANIMALS giraffe crab sheep

TELLING THE TIME watch Big Ben clock

SHAPES cross triangle star

TRANSPORThelicopter aeroplanemotorbike

‘Which shape has four sides?’

‘Give me something you wear’

‘Which animal can swim?’

None of them!

‘Give me the animal with a trunk’ I can’t see an elephant there!

‘Where’s the building?’

‘Give me the vehicle with sails’ I can’t because there isn’t one!

Variations

• Explain that sometimes people say the wrong thing - they are not trying to trick the child as you have been doing, they just made a mistake. This activity is a good way to practise what to say when someone gets something wrong.

• Explain that sometimes the child might be asked to do something that they don't agree with. This activity is a good way to practice standing up for yourself when you think something is a bad idea.

Coping with distorted messages

In this section:Dealing with inadequate volume

Dealing with competing noise

Dealing with rapid speech

Activity 13: Can You Hear? (routine games)

ages 6 and above

Aim: To enable children to seek clarification appropriately when somebody is speaking too quietly

Preparation

1)Any game the children are already familiar with that requires following short instructions. e.g.:

Simon says: Give the children action instructions, which must only be followed if preceded by ‘Simon says . . .’. e.g. ‘Simon says “Touch your toes”’.

Can I trick you?: Tell the children to point to parts of their bodies whilst pointing to a different part of your own body each time. The children must follow the verbal instruction and ignore the deliberate visual distraction. e.g. ‘Point to your ear’(but point to your nose).

Stand up if . . .: Give a series of instructions where the children must listen to the second part before knowing whether they should act. e.g. ‘Stand up if you are wearing grey socks’or ‘Sit down if your name begins with T’.

2)Volume Control illustration for pupils who need extra clarification or who find it difficult to monitor their own voice levels (Resources: Step 5, page 331).

3)Blank speech bubbles to collate children’s ideas for appropriate clarification strategies (Resources: Step 5, page 306). Enlarge to A3 if preferred or write straight onto the whiteboard.

Procedure

1)Explain that you are going to play a game where the children will find out what to do when they cannot hear properly. Play the chosen game in the normal way giving some instructions in a voice that is easily heard and others in a very quiet voice that the children will struggle to hear. Be aware that some children are able to hear very quiet sounds and may react quickly, allowing others to copy them. It is not necessary to make the whole instruction too quiet, as it can be equally confusing if just part of an instruction is inaudible.

2)When the occasion arises following a quietly spoken direction and somebody asks for clarification, acknowledge this: ‘Well done, I was speaking too quietly!’

3)It may be useful to write the words the child used to request clarification in speech bubbles, providing a model for other pupils.

4)Role-reverse so that children take the lead and are given a chance to legitimately speak too quietly. This will give them the opportunity to be aware of how it feels to speak at different volumes and also, how to react when somebody asks for clarification.

5)Use the Volume Control to illustrate the concepts of quiet/soft, loud and louder if children appear to have difficulty understanding.

That was too quiet for me!

What did you say, I didn’t hear you?

Variation

Sorry, I can’t hear you!

Can you speak up, please?

•If there are children with a tendency to speak too loudly, use this opportunity to introduce the notion of speaking at an uncomfortable volume at close quarters, so that children know how to politely ask their peers to speak more quietly and how to respond when adults or peers ask them to do the same. The volume control is a good way to give children feedback on how they are doing.

BOOKS

POSTERS

Useful resources

Taskmaster Social Skills Poster: ‘Watch This Space’(for acceptable body distance and volume in social situations) from Taskmaster –www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

Activity 14: Can You Hear? (individual)

Aim: To enable individuals to seek clarification appropriately when somebody is speaking too quietly

1)Read a passage from a book to the child. Gradually reduce the volume of your voice until it is too quiet. Can the child recognise the change in volume and request that you increase the volume, so that they can listen more comfortably?

2)Reward the child with a star, sticker or verbal acknowledgement when they ask you appropriately to speak louder.

3)Depending on the child’s age and the way in which they respond, it may be helpful to divide clarification strategies into acceptable and unacceptable responses.

e.g.

Grown ups

Friends

Sorry, I can’t hear you. Abit louder please.

Speak up! I can’t hear.

Speak up! Talk louder.

What are you mumbling for?

Activity 15: Noise Pollution

Aim: To enable children to seek clarification appropriately when a competing noise prevents them from hearing properly.

Preparation

1)Make up the prompt cards for Unclear Speech (Resources: Step 5, pages 332-336) and place in a pile.

2)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I understand’and ‘I don’t understand’if children still need a visual reminder of the concepts (Resources: Step 1, pages 41-42). Can now add the ‘I understand/know some of it’picture to indicate partial understanding, e.g. ‘I know I’ve got to touch something, but I don’t know what’(Resources: Step 1, page 43).

Procedure

1)Explain that you are going to read out instructions from the cards for the children to carry out in turn. They need to listen carefully; sometimes the instructions will be easy to understand and sometimes they will be hard to understand (point to the corresponding pictures). This is because some of the words are not clear or ‘covered up’by other noises. The children might know a bit of what they have to do (point to the ‘I know some of it’picture) but not the whole thing. If they are not sure what to do they should not guess, but try to discover the missing information.

2)Some of the prompt cards have words which are crossed out. These are the words which you need to mask or replace with another sound as you read them out, e.g. yawn, cough, sneeze, cover your mouth with your hand, ring a bell, shake maracas, squeeze a squeaky toy or clap. Performing the actions in front of your mouth will help to prevent lip-reading. More realistic noises include scraping your chair across the floor, tipping pencils onto the table, opening a tray noisily under the table and other people talking, but these may not be as quick or easy to arrange!

3)Read out a prompt card and if the instruction is clear and the child carries it out correctly, give them the card to reinforce the fact that we do not need to challenge every utterance – a ☺ appears at the bottom of the card.

4)If the instruction is not clear, the child should request clarification. The prompt card with suggested clarification requests will help children who do not know what to say and reinforce that it is good not to guess.

5)It is important to acknowledge and respond to any spontaneous requests for clarification that occur without a prompt. This reinforces that it is good to challenge adults and request clarification, as long as it is done politely.

6)Respond to any general requests for repetition by saying the instruction again in exactly the same way. This provides another opportunity to seek clarification.

7)If children think they know what to do and carry out the instruction incorrectly, tell them it was a difficult one but they ‘had a go’. Do not give them the prompt card but put it at the bottom of the pile so it will be repeated later (not necessarily with the same child).

8)Continue until all cards have been given out.

Variations

•Omit use and references to Comprehension pictures if not needed.

•Use the blank cards on pages 337-338 to add your own ideas or cater for different language levels.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

In real-life it is often enough to say ‘Pardon?’or ask for repetition. However, this only works if done immediately in one-to-one conversation. Children need to develop more specific clarification strategies if they are to avoid becoming reliant on support staff who happen to be close by.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

The strategies written on the prompt cards are purely suggestions and children should be reassured that these are not the only correct ways to seek clarification. The expressions they use will largely depend on their command of grammar and children who struggle in this area may simply go blank or shake their heads. Let these children gain confidence with short phrases such as ‘Write what?’before encouraging longer sentences such as ‘Write what please?’, ‘I don’t know what to write’or ‘Sorry, I didn’t hear the last thing you said’.

See also Activity 23 which is designed to help children with grammatical difficulties formulate appropriate clarification strategies.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

Group leaders may use and encourage any of the following expressions when referring to the ‘I understand/know some of it’picture.

I We You

heard understand know can do

some of it the first bit the last bit a bit of it a bit

Activity 16: Motormouth (routine games)

Aim: To enable children to seek clarification appropriately when somebody is speaking too fast

Preparation

1)Any game the children are already familiar with that requires following short instructions. e.g.:

Simon says: Give the children action instructions, which must only be followed if preceded by ‘Simon says . . .’. e.g. ‘Simon says “Touch your toes”’.

Can I trick you?: Tell the children to point to parts of their bodies whilst pointing to a different part of your own body each time. The children must follow the verbal instruction and ignore the deliberate visual distraction. e.g. ‘Point to your ear’(but point to your nose).

Stand up if . . .: Give a series of instructions where the children must listen to the second part before knowing whether they should act. e.g. ‘Stand up if you are wearing grey socks’or ‘Sit down if your name begins with T’.

2)Sheet of blank speech bubbles (possibly enlarged to A3) to collate children’s ideas for appropriate clarification strategies (Resources: Step 5, pages 306). Or simply write straight onto the whiteboard.

Procedure

1)Explain that you are going to play a game where the children will find out what to do when someone is talking too fast for them to understand. Play the chosen game in the normal way giving some instructions at a comfortable conversational speed which can be easily followed and others at a rapid pace, running words together incoherently.

2)When the occasion arises following an incoherent direction and somebody asks for clarification, acknowledge this: ‘Well done, I was speaking too quickly!’

3)It may be useful to write the words the child used to request clarification in speech bubbles, providing a model for other pupils.

4)Role-reverse so that children take the lead and are given a chance to legitimately speak too quickly. This is great fun and gives them the opportunity to be aware of how it feels to speak at different rates and also, how to react when somebody asks for clarification.

Activity 17: Motormouth (individual)

Aim: To enable individuals to seek clarification appropriately when somebody is speaking too fast

1)Read a passage from a book to the child, gradually increasing your speaking rate. Does the child recognise that you are speeding up and request that you slow down so that they can understand?

2)Reward the child with a star, sticker or verbal acknowledgement if they ask you to speak slower.

3)Warn the child that you may try and ‘trick’them again when you are working with them on a one to one basis, to see if they are actively listening and remembering to let you know when it’s difficult to follow what is being said.

4)At some point the next day, talk much too fast and reward the child with a star, sticker or verbal acknowledgement if they ask you to speak slower.

5)Repeat 3 and 4 as necessary.

Activity 18: Motormouth (dictation)

Aim: To enable individuals to seek clarification appropriately when somebody is speaking too fast

1)Read a dictation passage out loud to the child. Gradually increase the rate at which you are reading the passage, until they tell you that you are speaking too fast. If the child does not request that you speak slower and starts to struggle to keep up with the dictation passage, explain what could be said to make the task easier.

e.g. ‘You’re having difficulty keeping up, aren’t you? That’s because I’m speaking too fast. When this happens, you need to tell me or I won’t know that you’re having difficulty. You could say, “Can you slow down, please?” Or “That’s too fast for me”, then I’ll know and slow down. OK? Let’s try again . . .’

2)Depending on the child’s age and the way in which they respond, it may be helpful to divide clarification strategies into acceptable and unacceptable responses.

e.g.

Grown ups

Could you slow down please?

Sorry, that’s too fast for me.

Slow down!

Hang on – that’s too fast.

Slow down! Don’t talk so fast.

You’re talking rubbish! Have you gone mad?

!!TEACHING POINT!!

The next set of activities for dealing with ambiguous or incomplete requests are similar to Activities 8 – 12 but involve a higher level of reasoning. Ambiguous statements give children several possibilities to consider rather than clearly impossible statements which can be rejected outright. The big challenge for children with language-processing difficulties or attention deficits who tend to be impulsive, is to avoid reacting to the first thing they recognise and to refrain from guessing.

Building in a slight delay can sometimes be helpful, either by asking children to repeat requests to themselves before they respond, or by encouraging them to ask for repetition before deciding if they need more information.

N.B. Children under the age of 7 can now proceed to page 295.

Coping with too much or too little information

In this section:Dealing with incomplete messages

Dealing with memory overload

Dealing with complex grammar

Activity 19: Listen and Select

Aim: To enable children to recognise ambiguous (incomplete) requests and identify the information needed for clarification.

Preparation

1)Place about 12 objects on the table in front of the group. Select the items carefully, so that there is a similar choice for each type of object.

e.g.a red, blue, green and yellow pencil

a red, blue, green and yellow dice

a red, blue, green and yellow book

a large, medium and small triangle

a large, medium and small square a large, medium and small circle a large, medium and small oblong

3-4 of the same items belonging to each child: lunchbox, rubber, exercise book, ruler, shoe, reading bag etc

2)Write down some requests for various objects on individual pieces of paper (the blank cards on pages 344-345 provide a useful template). Some requests should be clear and make it easy for the child to confidently select the required item (add a smiley face). Other requests should be intentionally ambiguous, so that at least two items fit the criteria and could be selected. Use symbols or pictures to accompany the text if there are poor readers in the group. This visual ‘proof’is necessary for children who convince themselves they know what other people are thinking, and allows you to share the children’s confusion, e.g. ‘We don’t know which dice it is, do we, because this doesn’t tell us the colour’.

3)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I know’, ‘I don’t know’and ‘I know some of it’(Resources: Step 1, pages 41-43).

Procedure

1)The children are asked to take turns to select an item from the table in response to a request. They should only select one item. Explain that if they are not sure which one you mean it is because the request was not clear and did not provide enough information.

e.g.‘Point to the red book’

‘Pick up the pencil’

‘Where’s the small triangle?’

‘Give me the big one’

Which pencil do you mean? You didn’t say the colour!

What shape is it?

‘Pick up the one you can hold’ You can hold all of them! Which one do you mean?

‘Find Sarah’s shoe’

‘Lift up Colin’s thing’

Which one?

2)Before proceeding, point to the ‘I don’t know’picture and remind the children that no-one will know the object they have to choose until they listen to the request.

3)Read out a request. If it is clear (e.g. ‘point to the red book’) and the child selects the correct object, acknowledge this by pointing to the ‘I know’picture and saying ‘Yes, you know it must be this because there’s only one book that’s red’. Place the written request by the ‘I know’picture to reinforce the fact that it contained all the information that was needed to know the answer.

4)If the request is ambiguous (e.g. ‘pick up the pencil’) but the child guesses, see what the other children think. ‘Do we know it’s this pencil?’(holding it beside the ‘I know’ picture). ‘Are there any other pencils? Yes, there are three more so we can’t be sure which one we’re meant to pick up’(move the pencils to the ‘I know some of it’picture). ‘What else do we need to know?’Place this (and all other ambiguous requests) by the ‘I know some of it’picture.

5)If the request is ambiguous and the child appears hesitant but unsure of what to do next, praise them for thinking hard and agree that this is a difficult one. Ask them what they know so far and which ones it might be. Place the possible choices by the ‘I know some of it’picture and say it is not surprising that they were not sure what to do. Agree on what extra information is needed.

6)If the request is ambiguous and the child spontaneously states the reason for this or seeks clarification, give praise to reinforce the behaviour and let children know it is good to ‘challenge’adults, as long as they do so politely.

7)After all ambiguous requests, place the written request by the ‘I know some of it’picture to reinforce the fact that it was the request that was unclear, rather than the child not paying attention. Acknowledge any extra information needed (colour, shape, name etc) but explain that as it’s not written down, you don’t know the answer either.

8)By the end of the activity, the requests should be sorted into two piles beside the ‘I know’ picture and the ‘I know some of it’picture. The ‘I don’t know’picture is reserved for when we don’t know anything about the requested item.

•Dispense with Comprehension pictures as children become more confident and can quickly decide if a request is ambiguous.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

For some children the difficulty lies in understanding the difference between ‘a’and ‘the’. ‘The’pen refers to a particular pen, while ‘a’pen refers to any pen.

We use ‘a’for all general naming, ‘I can see a cat, a tree, a car . . .’, and when any object will do as in ‘Pass me a cup please’.

We use ‘the’when only one exists as in ‘Bring me the register please’and when we are referring to a particular item or group of items, ‘Put the cards away please’.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

While learning to recognise ambiguous or inexplicit requests, children are simultaneously becoming aware of the need to include all salient information in their own requests. Peer to peer barrier games where children have to give each other precise instructions, are likely to be more effective after Activities 19-21.

Activity 20: What’s Missing? (simple commands)

Aim: To enable children to recognise ambiguous (incomplete) requests and seek clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Make up the prompt cards for Incomplete Directions 1 (Resources: Step 5, pages 339-343) and place in a pile.

2)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I understand’and ‘I don’t understand’if children still need a visual reminder of the concepts (Resources: Step 1, pages 41-42). The ‘I know some of it’picture on page 43 may also be used to indicate partial understanding, e.g. ‘I know I’ve got to point to the window, but I’m not sure which one’.

Procedure

1)Explain that you are going to read out instructions from the cards for the children to carry out in turn. They need to listen carefully; sometimes the instructions will be easy to understand and sometimes they will be hard to understand (point to the corresponding pictures). This is because not enough information has been included. The children might know a bit of what they have to do (point to the ‘I know some of it’picture) but not the whole thing. If they are not sure what to do they should not guess, but try to discover the missing information.

2)Read out a prompt card and if the instruction is clear and the child carries it out correctly, give them the card to reinforce the fact that we do not need to challenge every utterance – a ☺ appears at the bottom of the card.

3)If the instruction is ambiguous, the child should request clarification. The prompt card with suggested clarification requests will help children who do not know what to say and reinforce that it is good not to guess.

4)It is important to acknowledge any spontaneous requests for clarification that occur without a prompt. This reinforces that it is good to challenge adults and request clarification, as long as it is done politely. However, show them the prompt card and explain that as it’s not written down, you don’t know the answer either.

5)If children think they know what to do and carry out the instruction incorrectly, tell them it was a difficult one but they ‘had a go’. Do not give them the prompt card but put it at the bottom of the pile so it will be repeated later (not necessarily with the same child).

6)Continue until all cards have been given out.

Variations

•Omit use and references to the Comprehension pictures if not needed.

•Use the blank cards on pages 344-345 to add your own ideas or cater for different language levels.

!!TEACHING POINT!!

The strategies written on the prompt cards are purely suggestions and children should be reassured that these are not the only correct ways to seek clarification. The expressions they use will largely depend on their command of grammar and children who struggle in this area may sound a bit abrupt at first. Let these children gain confidence with short phrases such as ‘Who?’or ‘Do what?’before encouraging longer and more polite phrases such as ‘Who did you say please?’or ‘I don’t know what to do’.

See also Activity 23 which is designed to help children with grammatical difficulties formulate appropriate clarification strategies.

Activity 21: What’s Missing?(descriptions)

Aim: To enable children to recognise ambiguous (incomplete) requests and seek clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Find 12 picture cards which can be sorted into 3 or 4 differentgroups with 3 or 4 different attributes. Three sample sheets which can be cut up into individual cards are included in Resources: Step 5, pages 346-348.

2)Write a selection of clear and unclear requests on a piece of paper or individual cards, each of which gives one or two pieces of information about the pictures (see examples below).

Procedure

1)Ask the children to sort the items into groups of their choice and then suggest different ways of sorting (see ideas below).

2)Explain that you are going to give some instructions relating to the pictures. They need to listen carefully; sometimes it will be possible to follow the instruction and sometimes it won’t because you have left out some important information. Let them know that you are going to try and ‘trick’them to see if they can spot instructions that are hard to understand.

If the instruction is clear they should carry it out, but if it is not you do not want them to guess. Rather they should try to ask for the missing information.

3)Read out the instructions, addressing one child at a time.

4)Encourage group members to look out for more than one answer and to put their hands up if anyone forgets to ask for more information.

5)Once children have stopped guessing and acknowledge that some requests are not sufficiently explicit, write extra information on the prompt cards in brackets and repeat the activity.

e.g.Touch the soft one(with long ears)

What’s he doing?(the man)

N.B. Supply the information in brackets only in response to requests for clarification.

e.g. Sample sheet 1 – ADJECTIVES

LONG crocodile cucumber snake ROUND orangedoughnut or cakenest

COLD ice lolly igloo snowman

SOFT kitten rabbit hamster

‘Touch the soft one’

‘Touch the round fruit’

‘Pick up something cold that you can eat’

‘Point to the furry animal’

‘Point to the cold one that’s got eyes’

‘Touch the round thing’

Which one?

Which furry animal?

Which round thing?

CRYING baby boy girl

WALKING man dog lion RUNNING horse boy girl

CLIMBING girl boy goat

‘Show me where the boy is climbing’

‘What’s he doing?’ (don’t point)

‘Which girl is climbing?’

‘Give me the one who’s crying’

‘Which animal has four legs?’

‘Give me the animal that’s walking’

Who do you mean?

There are 3 people crying!

They all do!

Which one?

one syllabletwo syllablesthree syllables

k key kennel kangaroo

p pear parrot parachute

t train toaster triangle

f frog feather factory

‘Show me the animal that starts with ‘f’’

‘Give me the one that starts with the sound ‘k’’ Do you mean key or kennel or kangaroo?

‘Find a ‘p’word that has 2 syllables’

‘Where’s the one that rhymes with ‘carrot’?’

‘Where’s the one that rhymes with ‘pea’?’

‘Find the one with three syllables’

Variation

Which one? The tree or key?

Which of these do you mean?

•Use published sorting materials rather than pictures (examples below).

• Give children practice interacting with each other. Take two matching sets of sorting materials or attribute pictures and spread out one set in front of Child A. Child B selects an item from the other set and keeps it hidden while they request the matching item from Child A. The adult discourages guessing if Child B gives Child A insufficient information, but otherwise lets the children do all the work

Useful resources

Attribute blocks class set by Invicta – www.rapidonline.com

Dinosorts – Visual Perception Activity Cards

POSTERS

Taskmaster Ltd – www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

Guess Who? by MB Games – www.amazon.co.uk

Three Bear Family Sorting Kit – NES Arnold, www.nesarnold.co.uk

e.g. Sample sheet 2 – ACTIONS

e.g. Sample sheet 3 – INITIALSOUNDS and SYLLABLES

Activity 22: What’s Missing? (classroom instructions)

Aim: To enable children to recognise ambiguous (incomplete) requests and seek clarification appropriately.

This activity is an extension of Activity 20 using more general directions which reflect the type of language that may be heard in the classroom.

Preparation

1)Make up the prompt cards for Incomplete Directions 2 (Resources: Step 5, pages 349-353) and place in a pile.

2)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I understand’and ‘I don’t understand’if children still need a visual reminder of the concepts (Resources: Step 1, pages 41-42). The ‘I know some of it’picture on page 43 may also be used to indicate partial understanding, e.g. ‘I know I’ve got to write something, but I don’t know what’.

Procedure

1)Explain that you are going to read out instructions from the cards for the children to carry out in turn. They need to listen carefully; sometimes the instructions will be easy to understand and sometimes they will be hard to understand (point to the corresponding pictures). This is because not enough information has been included. The children might know a bit of what they have to do (point to the ‘I know some of it’picture) but not the whole thing. If they are not sure what to do they should not guess, but try to discover the missing information.

2)Read out a prompt card and if the instruction is clear and the child carries it out correctly, give them the card to reinforce the fact that we do not need to challenge every utterance – a ☺ appears at the bottom of the card.

3)If the instruction is ambiguous, the child should request clarification. The prompt card with suggested clarification requests will help children who do not know what to say and reinforce that it is good not to guess.

4)It is important to acknowledge any spontaneous requests for clarification that occur without a prompt. This reinforces that it is good to challenge adults and request clarification, as long as it is done politely. However, show them the prompt card and explain that as it’s not written down, you don’t know the answer either.

5)If children think they know what to do and carry out the instruction incorrectly, tell them it was a difficult one but they ‘had a go’. Do not give them the prompt card but put it at the bottom of the pile so it will be repeated later (not necessarily with the same child).

6)Continue until all cards have been given out.

Variations

•Omit use and references to the Comprehension pictures if not needed.

•Use the blank cards on pages 344-345 to add your own ideas or cater for different language levels.

Later

•Once children can do this task without guessing, write extra information on the prompt cards in brackets.

e.g.Tell me how many there are (chairs)

Come here and ask me (for a sticker)

•Repeat the activity and give this information only in response to clarification questions.

When looking at pictures in books and day to day activities include a couple of ambiguous questions in the manner of Activity 20. Will the child refrain from guessing and request clarification? Reward the child with a star, sticker or verbal acknowledgement if they ask you for more information.

e.g.‘Why is he laughing?’‘Who do you mean?’

Warn the child that you may try and ‘trick’them again the next day to see if they are actively listening and remembering to ask for more clues when you don’t give them enough information to understand.

Strategy to enable individuals to recognise ambiguous questions and seek clarification appropriately (generalisation)

Activity 23: Question Word Shuffle

Aim: To enable children with sentence formulation difficulties to produce clarification requests for missing information (incomplete requests, competing noise and implied information).

This activity helps children compensate when they hear only part of a sentence due to poor attention, overload or background noise, or when they are unable to use verbal reasoning to infer information.

e.g. ‘Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. He led three ships out of the Spanish port of Palos’. We can infer that ‘he’refers to Christopher Columbus but many children with language difficulties would not make this link.

Preparation

1)Precede this activity with Activity 9 from Step 4 so that children are already aware of the question words that refer to different categories of information: People, Places, Objects, Actions and Times.

2)Write the questions ‘Who’, ‘Where’, ‘What’and a question mark on separate pieces of paper. Add the symbols from page 196 (Step 4, Activity 9) to the question words for an additional cue if necessary, using the symbol for ‘Object’rather than ‘Action’to accompany ‘What’.

3)Write a selection of sentences on strips of card, replacing one or two objects, people or places in each sentence with a pronoun.

e.g.Mr Jones washed it (Object)

She lost her purse(Person)

Peter saw one there (Object, Place) Show him something (Person, Object)

4)Write the missing information on separate pieces of card.

e.g.

his car The queen a robin on the climbing-frame

Richard a Roman coin

5)(optional) Colour code the questions, sentences and answers (seepage 210 in Step 4), making sure the pronouns are the same colour as the answers they represent.

6)Scissors.

Procedure

1)Take each sentence and ask the children to help you work out what you already know and what you need to know.

e.g.Mr Jones washed it. We know who this is about and what he was doing but don’t know what he washed.

Cut and remove the pronoun - in this case, ‘it’. Replace this with the corresponding question word and add the question mark to produce:

Mr Jones washed what ?

Invite a child to ask this question. Respond by providing the answer card which the child substitutes for the question word to produce:

Mr Jones washed his car

In this way children see a direct link between what they need to know, what they ask, and what they find out

2)Later children can be encouraged to guess the answers to ensure they are predicting within the correct grammatical category. i.e. Mr Jones could have washed his hair, cup, dog or car. He could also have washed ‘quickly’or ‘last Tuesday’but these phrases would not be replaced by ‘it’.

3)Continue until children can ask questions without the question and answer cards.

e.g.Give Lana a red one. Give Lana a red what? Show her your work Show who my work?

Sally put it here. Sally put what where?

4.Children may also be encouraged to tag ‘When?’onto the end of any sentence to find out more information.

e.g.

Mr Jones washed his car when ?

Variation

•This activity can be extended to demonstrate formulation of Wh-questions, e.g. ‘What did Mr Jones wash?’, ‘When did he wash his car?’

Activity 24: Shopping List

Aim: To enable children to recognise overload (requests that are too long to remember) and seek clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Place 10-12 objects at one end of the room which the children will be asked to go and fetch.

2)Make a list of these items.

3)Blank speech bubbles to collate children’s ideas for appropriate clarification strategies (Resources: Step 5, page 306). Enlarge to A3 if preferred or write straight onto the whiteboard.

Procedure

1)Ask a child to fetch 5-8 items from the other end of the room – you want this to exceed their memory span. Read the items from the list without repetition and do not say how many items there are to remember.

2)The child is encouraged to have a go and bring back as many items as they can remember. Do not let them think they have failed, stress that you deliberately made the task very difficult and express surprise that they managed to remember as many as they did.

3)Explain that this was a demonstration of something that often happens – people say too much for us to remember it all. You want the group to think about what we can do when this happens.

4)Repeat the first instruction but this time ask the group (including the child on task) for ideas of what the child can do to help themselves remember all the items. Try out their ideas and agree on useful strategies.

e.g.ask the person to repeat the list ask how many they’ve got to remember ask the person to say only a couple of items at a time ask the person to show them the list or draw the items (i.e. reinforce visually) ask if they can take the list with them ask the person to repeat the items one at a time so they can write it down and make their own list ask about a specific item (e.g. What came after ...? What was the last one again?)

Useful phrases can be written in the blank speech bubbles to serve as prompts in the next activity.

Activity 25: Long Instructions

Aim: To enable children to recognise requests that are too long to remember and seek clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Make up the prompt cards for Long Directions (Resources: Step 5, pages 354-358) and place in a pile.

2)Large Comprehension pictures ‘I understand’and ‘I don’t understand’if children still need a visual reminder of the concepts (Resources: Step 1, pages 41-42). The ‘I understand some of it’picture on page 43 may also be used to indicate partial recall, e.g. ‘I know it was L-A-B but I can’t remember the rest’.

3)Speech bubbles with the clarification strategies agreed during activity 24.

Procedure

1)Explain that you are going to read out instructions from the cards for the children to carry out in turn. They need to listen carefully; sometimes the instructions will be easy to follow and sometimes they will be hard to follow (point to the corresponding pictures) because they are too long. The children might remember a bit of what they have to do (point to the ‘I know some of it’picture) but not the whole thing. If they cannot remember what to do they should tell you, rather than try to guess.

2)Read out an instruction if children are able to remember and carry it out correctly, give them the prompt card to reinforce the fact that we do not need to challenge every utterance – a ☺ appears at the bottom of the card.

3)If the instruction is too long to remember, children should state this. The prompt card will help children who do not know what to say and reinforce that it is good not to guess.

4)It is important to acknowledge and respond to any spontaneous indications that children cannot do something and requests for clarification that occur without a prompt. This reinforces that it is good to admit when something is impossible for them to do, as long as it’s done politely with an explanation for the difficulty.

5)Continue until all cards have been given out.

6)When all the instructions have been read out and the cards distributed, gather in one ‘too long’card from each child. See if this time the children can manage to carry out these instructions by using appropriate clarification strategies (see speech bubbles for ideas).

Variations

•Omit use and references to the Comprehension pictures if not needed.

•Use blank cards on pages 359-360 to add your own ideas or cater for different language levels.

•Repeat the activity omitting no. 6 and encouraging children to seek clarification as soon as they recognise that an instruction is too long.

e.g. ‘I can’t remember all that. How many things were there? Could you say it again please? Could you just say the last bit again?’

!!TEACHING POINT!!

The strategies written on the prompt cards are purely suggestions and children should be reassured that these are not the only correct ways to seek clarification. The expressions they use will largely depend on their command of grammar and children who struggle with expressive language may shake their heads or sound a bit abrupt at first. Let these children gain confidence with short phrases such as ‘I can’t!’and ‘I don’t understand’before encouraging longer sentences such as ‘I can’t remember all that’, or ‘I don’t understand what that means’. Once the breakdown is acknowledged, repair strategies such as ‘Can you say it one bit at a time please?’can be introduced.

Activity 26: Complex Commands

Aim: To enable children to recognise requests that are too complex to understand and seek clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Make up the prompt cards for Complex Directions (Resources: Step 5, pages 361-364) and place in a pile.

2)Small Comprehension pictures ‘I understand’and ‘I don’t understand’if individual children still need a visual reminder of the concepts (Resources: Step 1, pages 41-42).

3)Blank speech bubbles to collate children’s ideas for appropriate clarification strategies (Resources: Step 5, page 306). Enlarge to A3 if preferred or write straight onto the whiteboard.

4)Large Good Thinking and Having a Go pictures (Resources: Step 4, pages 243 and 244) – advanced activity only.

Procedure

1)Explain that you are going to read out instructions from the cards for the children to carry out in turn. They need to listen carefully; sometimes the instructions will be easy to understand and sometimes they will be hard to understand (point to the corresponding pictures if used). This is because some of them include difficult words and expressions that they won’t understand until they are older. If they are not sure what to do they should not guess, but let you know.

2)If children are able to follow the instruction correctly, give them the prompt card to reinforce the fact that we do not need to challenge every utterance – a ☺ appears at the bottom of the card.

3)If the instruction is too difficult to understand, children should state this. The prompt card will help children who do not know what to say and reinforce that it is good not to guess.

4)It is important to acknowledge and respond to any spontaneous indications that children are having difficulty and requests for clarification that occur without a prompt. This reinforces that it is good to admit when something is hard to understand, as long as it’s done politely.

5)If children think they understand and carry out the instruction incorrectly, tell them it was very difficult but they ‘had a go’and got some of it right. Do not give them the prompt card but put it at the bottom of the pile so it will be repeated later (not necessarily with the same child).

6)Continue until all the cards have been distributed to the children.

7)Gather in one ‘too difficult’card from each child. Read one out again and see if the group can think of what to say when they don’t understand, giving as much help as is needed. Write their answers down in blank speech bubbles:

e.g.‘What do you mean?’

‘Could you say it another way please?’

‘Please explain what that means.’

8)Work through the cards that have been handed in, responding to these strategies, until the directions have been understood and carried out correctly.

Variations

•Omit use and references to the Comprehension pictures if not needed.

•Use blank cards on page 365-366 to add your own ideas or cater for different language levels.

•Repeat the activity omitting no. 7 and encouraging children to seek clarification as soon as they are confused, e.g. ‘I don’t understand that. Could you say it another way please?’

More advanced

Complex sentences tend to produce the most frequent errors as grammatical markers are easy to miss and children simply do not realise they have misunderstood. The extended activity below may help children who tend to rush in with their best shot, without seeking clarification:

1)Repeat instructions 1-6.

2)Gather in one ‘too difficult’card from each child. Referring to the Good Thinking picture, say that often we are not quite sure what something means but think we might know. Moving to the Checking/Having a Go picture, explain that it’s always best to let people know we are not sure before we try out this idea and ‘have a go’.

e.g.‘Is this right?’

‘Does that mean . . .?’

‘Do you mean . . .?’

‘This is a guess, OK?’

3)See if the children can put this into practice using the cards that have been handed in. If their attempt is not correct, tell them it was a good try but not quite right. They should then fall back on one of the clarification strategies they have identified:

e.g.‘What does it mean then?’

!!TEACHING POINT!!

While it is important to ensure that children do not randomly guess, nor do we wish to encourage the under-confident child to check their every move with available adults. This can be addressed by encouraging children to talk through a work-plan before they start (page 385) and to check with peers rather than adults whenever possible (page 385 and 390).

Coping with a variety of barriers to understanding

ages 6 and above

Activity 27: Mix It Up

Aim: To help children recognise when they do not understand spoken instructions and seek clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Combine any 2-3 sets of previously covered prompt cards choosing from Unfamiliar Vocabulary (pp 312-316), Impossible Directions (pp 325-328), Unclear Speech (pp 332-336), Incomplete Directions (pp 339-343 and 349-353), Long Directions (pp 354-358) and Complex Directions (pp 360364).

2)Blank speech bubbles (Resources: Step 5, page 306).

Procedure

1)Explain that you are going to read out instructions from the cards for the children to carry out in turn. They need to listen carefully; sometimes the instructions will be easy to understand and sometimes they will be hard to understand for a variety of reasons. If the children do not know what to do they should not guess, but let you know and try to use an appropriate request for clarification.

2)Clarification requests can be written down in the speech bubbles and placed on the table in front of the group to encourage use of these phrases. How many different ways of asking appropriately for clarification can the group use?

3)If children are able to follow the instruction, give them the prompt card to reinforce the fact that we do not need to challenge every utterance – a ☺ appears at the bottom of the card.

4)If the instruction is too difficult to understand, the prompt cards will help children who do not know what to say and reinforce that it is good not to guess.

5)It is important to acknowledge and respond to any spontaneous indications that children are having difficulty and requests for clarification that occur without a prompt. This reinforces that it is good to explain why something is hard to understand, as long as it’s done politely.

6)If children think they know what to do and carry out the instruction incorrectly, tell them it was a difficult one but they ‘had a go’. Do not give them the prompt card but put it at the bottom of the pile so it will be repeated later (not necessarily with the same child).

7)Continue until all cards have been given out.

Variations

•Use blank cards from each set to add your own ideas or cater for different language levels.

•Omit use of speech bubbles with clarification requests when children no longer need visual prompts.

•Write extra information on the Incomplete Directions prompt cards in brackets and give this only in response to clarification questions.

e.g.Point at her (Lauren)

Turn the chair round (the one by the art display)

Activity 28: Drawing a Clown’s Face

Aim: To help children recognise when they do not understand spoken instructions and take the initiative in seeking clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Pencils and A4 size paper placed in the middle of the table (one sheet per child).

2)Acopy of the Drawing a Clown’s Face instructions for the group-leader (Resources: Step 5, page 367).

Procedure

1)Do not tell the children what they are about to draw. Leave it a mystery!

2)Go straight into the activity without any prompts. By now the children should be able to request clarification without a reminder at the beginning of the activity to ask questions if they don’t understand what is said.

3)Read the instructions one at a time. The words underlined on the sheet are potential areas of difficulty. If the children request clarification, respond to the request. Do not give any information that has not been requested, respond to what is actually said. So, if a child asks ‘Can you say it again, please?’repeat what was said in exactly the same way which provides another opportunity for the child to be more specific.

4)Positively reinforce all appropriate requests for clarification. When children request clarification appropriately, explain why their request was useful for other children’s benefit.

5)At the end of the activity, see if the children can guess what they have drawn. Advise them to turn the page upside down if they have any difficulty!

6)How many ‘new’vocabulary words can the children remember?

Extended activities

•Ask children to make or draw their own picture using simple shapes, hide it from general view and give instructions to the group. Encourage active listening between peers rather than via the group facilitator. At the end of the activity invite the group to guess what they have drawn and see whose picture is closest to the original!

•Use this format to practice new vocabulary in context whenever words from topic lists can easily be incorporated into a starter drawing.

Activity 29: Understanding Stories

Aim: To help children recognise when they do not have the full picture and seek clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Acopy of the two page Understanding Stories worksheet for each child (Resources: Step 5, pages 368-369) and something to write with.

Procedure

1)Ask the group to listen to a very short story that you are going to read. Explain that you will set them a task at the end of the story to see how much they can remember. If they have any questions about the story, they should ask them when you have finished reading it out.

2)Read aloud one of the stories on page 1 of the worksheet (do not give the children a copy yet).

3)Ask the children to raise their hands if they have any questions and make a mental note of who has done so. Check again that there are no more children who want to ask questions: ‘So everybody else understood the story? Great! Wait here while I go and speak to the children who had questions’.

4)Take the children who wanted to ask questions out of earshot of the remaining group members. When all questions have been answered, everybody returns to the group.

5)Give each child page 2 of the worksheet, read through the story again and ask them to complete the corresponding task or questions, e.g. Draw a degu (a rodent resembling across between a gerbil and a chinchilla). Children who asked questions after the story willknow what to draw or write, but the others will not be able to start until they can copy the answers.

6)Ask the children who are stuck why it is that the other children know what to do. Establish that it would have helped them to seek clarification. ‘If you don’t understand the meaning of a word, you need to ask me’etc.

7)Repeat with another story, asking children to visualise the events (‘see it in your mind’). If the words do not create pictures for them, they need to ask questions to help them ‘see’what is happening.

8)Finish the session by giving the children page 1 of the worksheet to see if they can remember which questions enable them to gain a full picture. This can be done verbally or completed as a written record of the session.

Variations

•Omit no.7 and leave until the next session

•Cut each page into four and give children only one story and follow-up task at a time.

•Write down the missing information if there are children in the group who assume that whatever they imagine must be correct. This will help them to see that they must ask for information rather than draw their own conclusions.

•The activity can be repeated by changing the key vocabulary items and names on the worksheet.

•Worksheets can be sent home to involve parents.

•Create your own stories by using names and pronouns rather than descriptions of characters, or adult vocabulary with empty verbs like ‘did’.

e.g. Sarah smashed it and ate Joey in one gulp. (Sarah is a cat and Joey is a goldfish). She was crestfallen when Philip did it three times to her new ottoman. (The teacher’s new kitten is scratching the furniture).

Activity 30: Paper Weaving (age range 6-11 years)

Aim: To help children recognise when they do not understand spoken instructions and take the initiative in seeking clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Two different colours of A4 size paper for each child, one cut lengthwise into 2cm strips.

2)Access to pencils, rulers, Pritt stick (or equivalent) and scissors.

3)Acopy of the paper weaving instructions for the group leader (Resources: Step 5, pages 370).

Procedure

1)Read out the instructions one at a time. These instructions will enable the children to produce a mat as illustrated below, but have been modified to provide active listening practice at the same time. Do not remind the children that they should request clarification if they do not understand what is said.

2)Respond to whatever requests are made. If anyone asks you to ‘Say it again, please!’ repeat the instruction in exactly the same way to give the child a chance to be more specific. Only change the way you give an instruction (e.g. by speaking louder) if this is actually requested.

3)Positively reinforce all appropriate requests for clarification and signs that children are taking the initiative. When children make appropriate requests or suggestions, explain why this is useful for other children’s benefit.

Fold paper in half and make cuts from centre fold

Open

Activity 31: Can You Draw It?

Aim: To help children recognise when they do not understand spoken instructions and take the initiative in seeking clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Acopy of the Can You Draw It? worksheet for each child (Resources: Step 5, page 371) and something to write with.

2)Acopy of the Can You Draw It? worksheet instructions for the group leader (Resources: Step 5, page 372).

Procedure

1)Read out the instructions which are deliberately confusing at times to provide active listening practice. Do not prompt the children to request clarification, but respond to whatever requests they make.

2)If anyone asks you to ‘Say it again, please!’repeat the instruction in the same way to give the child a chance to be more specific. Only change the way you give an instruction (e.g. by speaking louder) if this is actually requested.

3)Positively reinforce all appropriate requests for clarification and signs that children are taking the initiative. When children make appropriate requests or suggestions, explain why this is useful for other children’s benefit.

4)Use the instruction sheet to observe and record the responses of individual children if desired. Children need to exercise judgement in all Comprehension tasks so it is equally important not to question instructions that are clear.

Later

•Give each child a clean copy of the worksheet and repeat the activity with a new set of instructions. See the Can You Draw It Again? worksheet instructions on page 373.

Activity 32: Origami Bat

Aim: To help children recognise when they do not understand spoken instructions and take the initiative in seeking clarification appropriately.

Preparation

1)Access to A4 size paper (preferably black), pencils, rulers, scissors and black thread (optional).

2)Acopy of the Origami Bat instructions for the group leader (Resources: Step 5, pages 374).

Procedure

1)Read the instructions for the paper folding activity to the children. These instructions will enable the children to produce a bat as illustrated on the next page, but have been modified to provide active listening practice at the same time. Do not remind the children that they should request clarification if they do not understand what is said.

2)Respond to whatever requests are made. If you are asked to ‘Say it again, please!’ repeat the instruction in exactly the same way to give the child a chance to be more specific. Only change the way you give an instruction (e.g. by speaking louder) if this is actually requested.

3) Show children what to do as soon as this is requested; even adults would be hard pressed to follow origami without a demonstration or diagram!

4)Positively reinforce all appropriate requests for clarification and signs that children are taking the initiative. When children make appropriate requests or suggestions, explain why this is useful for other children’s benefit.

Origami Bat Activity (age range 6-12 years)

This bat is simple to make and very effective but you do have to cheat and use scissors at the end!

1. Make a square

2. Fold square in half in other direction and fold over again to make tail

3. Mark dots for ears and draw ‘fold’lines either side of tail. Fold one side over…

4. …and back again. Repeat on the other side.

5. Cut away between the ears.

As an optional finishing touch, thread cotton between the ears and suspend from the ceiling, light fittings or mobiles.

Step 5: Resources

Can You Draw It? worksheet371

Can You Draw It? worksheet instructions372

Can You Draw It Again? worksheet instructions373 Origami Bat instructions374

N.B. Before use, photocopy resources onto stiff card and/or laminate to extend use and prevent children seeing through when held up to the light. Answers can also be hidden by backing cards with dark paper or photocopying the pattern from page 416 onto the reverse before cutting. Group facilitators will find it helpful to familiarise themselves with some of the longer activities by first practicing on each other or obliging friends and family.

Point to your mazz -dezz!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your sibb-tee!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Point to your lid-bar!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your hig-lay!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Point to your see-dar!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your nort-tazz!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Point to your dorm-tar!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your daffle!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Point to your eyebrow

Point to your eye

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense

Point to your elbow

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Point to your toes

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Point to your knee

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Point to your heel

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your eyelashes

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your mouth

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Point to your sar-lee!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your dock!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Point to your lee-tar!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your hort-nee!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Point to your liff-day!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your late-too!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Point to your nissle!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your sannock!

? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your hand

Show me your fingers

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense

Show me your teeth

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense

Point to your nose

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense

Point to your wrist

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense

Point to your hair

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense

Show me your legs

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense

Point to your chin

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense

Point to your

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Point to your

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your

Point to your ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Point to your

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Show me your

☺ ☺ ☺ ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Nonsense Words

Expand your chest!

‘What does expand mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Rub your shin!

‘What does shin mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Where is your ‘Adam’s Apple’?

‘What does ‘Adam’s Apple’mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Touch one of your nostrils!

‘What does nostril mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Wrinkle your forehead!

‘What does wrinkle mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Point to your calf!

‘What does calf mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Touch your funny bone!

‘What does ‘funny bone’mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Touch both ears simultaneously!

‘What does simultaneously mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Pull in your abdomen!

‘What does abdomen mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Pat the crown of your head!

‘What does crown mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Utter your name!

‘What does utter mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Bridge your fingers!

‘What does bridge mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Link arms with the person next to you!

‘What does link mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Snap your fingers!

‘What does snap mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Pucker your lips!

‘What does pucker mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Spread your mouth!

‘What does spread mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Elevate your right hand!

‘What does elevate mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Waggle your eyebrows!

‘What does waggle mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Flex your wrist!

‘What does flex mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Squint your eyes!

‘What does squint mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Rotate your foot!

‘What does rotate mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Flap your hands!

‘What does flap mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Invert your hand!

‘What does invert mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Raise your humerus!

‘What does humerus mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Puff out your cheeks! ☺ ☺

Blink your eyes! ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Clap your hands! ☺ ☺

Stamp your feet!

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Cross your ankles! ☺ ☺

Fold your arms! ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Rub your tummy!

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

Tickle under your arm!

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

‘What does mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

‘What does mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

‘What does mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

‘What does mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary ☺

Find the one that makes light!

☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Draw a badge on the jumper!

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Draw some spots on the handle!

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Draw a star on the flame!

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Put your thumb on the one that can be registered!

‘What does registered mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Draw a line from the candle to the one that is made of yarn!

‘What does yarn mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Point to the one that a scribe would use!

‘What does scribe mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Which one covers your sternum!

‘What does sternum mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Find the pencil and then draw a circle around it!

☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Draw a happy face on the plate!

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Draw some stripes on the jumper!

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Draw a line from the pencil to the letter!

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Draw a cross on the one that illuminates!

‘What does illuminates mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Find the one that is edible and put a tick next to it!

‘What does edible mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Draw a line under the one that’s a disinfectant!

‘What does disinfectant mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Point to the one that has been franked!

‘What does franked mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Does It Mean? prompt

Write your name on the letter!

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Draw a spoon in the saucepan!

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Draw some tomato sauce on the hotdog!

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Which one can be eaten?

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Which one do we use for sketching!

‘What does sketching mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Which

one makes lather?

‘What does lather mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Show me the item of crockery!

‘What does crockery mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Which one is for your ablutions?

‘What does ablutions mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unfamiliar Vocabulary (What Does It Mean? worksheet)

Put the table in your pocket!

‘I can’t do that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Cross your toes!

‘I can’t do that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Whistle the ‘Happy Birthday’ song!

‘I can’t do that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Say the alphabet backwards!

‘I can’t do that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Wiggle your ears!

‘I can’t do that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Stand on the wall!

‘I can’t do that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Grow a moustache!

‘I can’t do that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Spell your name backwards!

‘I can’t do that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Whisper my middle name!

‘I don’t know it!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Tell me how many doors there are in school!

‘I don’t know that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

How many children are in school today?

‘I don’t know how many!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

How many chairs are there in school?

‘I don’t know how many!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Tell me where my keys are!

‘I don’t know where they are!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Point to the oldest child here!

‘I don’t know who is the eldest!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Tell me how fast a jet can fly!

‘I don’t know that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Tell me what my favourite sweet is!

‘I don’t know that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Bark like a dog!

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Point to the rubbish bin! ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Tell me your favourite meal! ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Tell me how many letters are in your first name!

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Tell me how many people are in this room! ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Tell me how old you are! ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Tell me the traffic light colour that means ‘go’! ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Tell me the name of your friend!

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

‘I can’t do that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

‘I don’t know that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

‘I can’t do that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

‘I don’t know that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

‘I can’t do that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

‘I don’t know that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

‘I can’t do that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

‘I don’t know that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Impossible Directions

Tap your nose!

‘Tap what?’

‘What should I tap?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Ask me what time it is

‘Ask you what?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Touch the floor!

‘What should I touch?’

‘Touch what?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Open your mouth!

‘What should I open?’

‘Open what?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

‘What should I write?’

‘Write what in the air?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

I want you to clap your hands!

‘What do you want me to do?’

‘You want me to what?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Pretend you are very cold!

‘Pretend I’m what?’

‘What should I pretend to be?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Pinch your nose!

‘What should I pinch?’

‘Pinch what?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Tell me something you wear on your head

‘On my what?’

‘Where do I wear it?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Tell me what you ate for breakfast!

‘What meal do you mean?’

‘Tell you what I ate when?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

What colour is your jumper?

‘What colour is what?’

‘What do you want me to say the colour of?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Shout out the number eight!

‘What number should I shout?’

‘Shout what?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Touch your eyebrows

‘What do I touch?’

‘Touch what?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Pull up your socks

‘Pull up what?’

‘What should I pull up?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Tell me your favourite drink

‘My favourite what?’

‘What favourite thing should I say?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Wiggle your fingers

‘What should I wiggle?’

‘Wiggle what?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Wave your hand above your head

‘What should I do with my hand?’

‘Do what with my hand?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Shake hands with (name of another child)

‘Shake hands with who?’

‘Who should I shake hands with?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Tell me the number that comes after 3

‘The number after what?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Tell me your favourite fruit

‘My favourite what?’

‘What favourite thing should I say?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Tell me something that you find in the bedroom

‘Where did you say?’

‘Something I find where?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Pretend you are a cat

‘What should I pretend to be?’

‘Pretend I’m a what?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Touch your knees with your fist

‘Touch my knees with what?’

‘What should I touch my knees with?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Tell me your favourite drink

‘My favourite what?’

‘What favourite thing should I say?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Draw a star in the air ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Pretend you are writing ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Pretend you are sneezing ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Wave

both

Point to a girl, then to a boy ☺

Touch the thing that you smell with ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

© Active Listening for Active Learning, QEd PublicationsUnclear Speech prompt cards

Pull

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Blink both eyes! ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Look

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Whisper your name ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Nod your head

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Look at me and say ‘Hello!’ ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

Wink one eye! ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

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CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Unclear Speech

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Pat it with your hand!

‘Pat what please?’

‘What do I have to pat?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Rub it with your foot!

‘Rub what please?’

‘What do I rub?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Turn the chair round

‘Which chair do you mean?’

‘Which one please?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Show him your tongue!

‘Show who my tongue?’

‘Who do I show?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Point at her ‘Point at who?’

‘Who do I point at?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Hold it up

‘Hold what up?’

‘What do I have to hold up please?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Put it on your shoulder

‘Put what on my shoulder?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Point to the corner of the classroom

‘Which corner do you mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Look at the boy

‘Who do you mean?’

‘Look at who?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Smile at the person

‘Who do you mean?’

‘Smile at who?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Point to the child sitting next to you

‘Which child do you mean?’

‘Which side please?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Point to the window

‘Which window do you mean?’

‘Which one please?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Cover that with your hand

‘Cover what with my hand?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Wink at the person

‘Who do you mean?’

‘Wink at who?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Do it with your arm

‘Do what with my arm?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Tap your finger on the book

‘Which book do you mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Shake his hand

‘Whose hand do you mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Move the chair with your foot

‘Which chair do you mean?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Do it with your finger

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Do it to your shoulder!

‘Do what to my shoulder?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Touch part of your face!

‘Which part?’

Make a shape with your hand!

‘Do what with my finger?’ CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

Put your thumb there!

‘Where do I put it?’

‘Put it where please?’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

‘What shape shall I do?’

Scratch it with your finger!

‘Scratch what please?’

‘What do I scratch?’

STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions 1

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

Incomplete Directions 1 blank prompt cards

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Incomplete Directions

Incomplete Directions 1 blank prompt cards

Tell

‘I

Let

‘I

Go

‘I

‘I

‘Who

‘Count what please?’ CLARIFICATION

‘What word please?’

‘I don’t know what word to write!’

‘I don’t know who to point to!’

‘Which

‘I

‘What

‘I

‘Ask you what please?’

‘I

‘I

‘Who

‘I

‘I

‘I

‘How

Look at the door, point to a light, clap your hands, stand up, cross your arms and say your name!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

I want you to say these letters after I have said them:

L, A, B, R, A, D, O, R and S!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Tap your chair with each foot twice, then link your little fingers together and then blink your eyes three times!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Do these things in the order that I tell you: Look out the window, look under your chair, look up at the ceiling and then tell me your favourite colour!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

When I say ‘Go!’, point to these things in the order that I say them: eyes, feet, nose, chest, chin, tummy and neck. Go!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Clap your hands then put them on your head, flap each arm twice and then cross your arms!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Raise your right hand, then stamp your left foot and then clap your hands together four times before you put them on the table!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

When I say ‘Go!’, point to these things in the order that I say them: your eyes, feet, nose, chest, chin, tummy and neck! Go!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Before you jump up and down six times with your eyes closed, count up to 15 and tap your left shoulder twice.

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Stand up and spell your name, then tell me the colour of your hair, the number that comes after 3 and what your had for breakfast!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Say these colours after I say them: red, grey, purple, pink, black, peach, white and blue.

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Listen to these numbers: 6, 2, 7, 9, 1, 14, 3 and 8

(Wait) . . . Now, tell me the number that I said third and last!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

After you open your mouth and close it, clap your hands 4 times and then stamp your foot twice before you fold your arms!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Raise your hand after you first say these words: teacher, fireman, nurse, doctor, secretary and engineer!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Repeat these animals after me: cat, mouse, pig, lion, sparrow, snake, dog and goat!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Stand up and say your name, then turn around three times before saying the last three letters of the alphabet!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

I want you to repeat these numbers after me: 7, 3, 8, 11, 2, 6, 12, 9 and 4

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Raise your hand after you say these words: table, apple, desk, boat, shoe, chair and ball

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

When I say ‘Go!’, point to these things in the order that I say them: eyes, feet, nose, chest, shin and tummy! Go!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Raise your right hand then stamp your left foot, clap your hands and place them on the table!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Shake your hands then sit on them, stamp each foot once and then cross your arms!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Stand up and tell me how old you are, then tell me what you ate for tea last night, your favourite colour and the best film you’ve ever seen!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Listen to these numbers: 6, 2, 7, 9, 1, 14, 3 and 8 . . .

(wait) Now, tell me the fourth and last numbers!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Tap the table with each thumb twice, then tap your thumbs together and then cross your fingers!

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Sneeze

and ask

Close your eyes and then open them!

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Point

Wiggle your toes! ☺ ☺☺ ☺☺ ☺☺ ☺

Touch your cheeks!

Say these letters after I say them: M, F, B and L.

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Put your hands on your head and then wink!

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Stand up and stretch your hands to the ceiling!

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Put your palms together and then cross your thumbs

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Repeat these numbers after me: 2, 4, 6 and 8.

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Cover your face with your hands!

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Shake hands with the person sitting next to you!

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

Stand up, say your name and then sit down again!

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

‘I can’t remember all that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Long Directions

If you are less than 12 but more than 7 stand up very slowly

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

If you come to school by bus or think you might do soon stand up, but if you don’t, cross your arms!

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

If the sun is shining, clap your hands three times, but if the lights are on stamp your feet once!

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

If you are wearing black shoes, shut your eyes, and if you have two ears, open your mouth!

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

If you were born after March but before October, tell me when you were born

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Before you stand up and spell ‘go’, tell me your house number and who sits next to you in class!

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Raise your hand after you count to 5, but only if there is the letter ‘y’in your name!

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Stretch your arms up to the ceiling but only if I clap my hands!

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

If I don’t nod my head, I want you to whisper your name in your neighbour’s ear!

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Divide your age by two and add it to your door number plus three

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Unless your shoes are black, put your hands on your shoulders if you are a boy and on your knees if you are a girl.

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

If the sun is shining, don’t clap your hands until I nod my head!

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Repeat the first and tenth letters of the alphabet one after the other for twenty seconds

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Write the letters of your name leaving out any that come after the letter P and before the letter T

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Tell me which letters are vowels but don’t include any that come before the letter M

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Don’t show me the parts of your body that you point with, only the bit you nod with or the part you smell with.

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Put ☺

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

your right foot

your right shoe on your left foot!

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Count to 5 in your home language before I stand up

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Donnes-moi deux livres

s’il-te plait

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Find the most comfortable position to fall asleep

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Show me a way to fidget that does not disturb other people

If you were born before November but after April, tell me where you were born

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Tell me what you probably would have been doing if you hadn’t come to school today

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Stick your tongue out before you count to 7, but only if there is the letter ‘e’in your name!

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Explain the difference between an apple-cook and a cooked apple

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

‘I don’t understand that!’

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

CLARIFICATION STRATEGIES: Complex Directions

Drawing a Clown’s Face instructions

Aim: To give children the opportunity to practise using clarification strategies within a ‘real-life’ situation.

Preparation:Do not remind the children that they should ask questions if they don’t understand things that are said. Place pencils and A4 sheets of paper in the middle of the table for each child and let them know the activity is starting. Read the instructions out loud. The underlined words are potential areas of difficulty. If children request clarification, respond to the request, but do not give any information that has not been requested

Instructions:

1)Take a piece of paper and place it in portrait on the table, in front of you.

2)Give a pencil to the second child on your left.

3)Draw an inverted triangle at the bottom of the page.

4)Draw another inverted triangle next to it. Make it the same size.

5)Draw an upright oval above the left triangle.

6)Draw an identical item above the triangle on the right.

7)Draw a line horizontally across each oval.

8)Draw a line vertically through the middle of each oval.

9)Draw a larger circle in the middle of the page, above the ovals.

10)Draw an inverted banana-shape above the big circle.

11)Draw a line down the length of the banana.

12)Can you guess what you have drawn? Turn the page upside down to help!

Understanding Stories worksheet (1)

Name:______________________________________________Date:_______________

Instructions: Read these short stories. If there are any questions you need to ask, write them down under the story.

1)One day I was walking to school and a degu ran past me. It looked very frightened. I wondered where it had come from.

2)He had such a surprise. He found the missing object in a mouthful of jelly at his friend’s party.

3)Peter’s Auntie said ‘We’re going out today. Do you want to come? Don’t forget to bring your things and don’t be late or we’ll go without you!’

4)Jane was very sad. Her favourite toy was broken. Mum said she would buy her another one because it wasn’t her fault.

Instructions:

When you have read the short stories and got the answers to your questions, complete the following tasks:

1)One day I was walking to school and a degu ran past me. It looked very frightened. I wondered where it had come from.

Draw a degu

2)He had such a surprise. He found the missing object in a mouthful of jelly at his friend’s party.

Who had a surprise?

Whose birthday is it?

What had been lost?

3)Peter’s Auntie said ‘We’re going out today. Do you want to come? Don’t forget to bring your things and don’t be late or we’ll go without you!’

Who is going out?

Where are they going?

What time are they leaving?

4)Jane was very sad. Her favourite toy was broken. Mum said she would buy her another one because it wasn’t her fault.

Draw Jane’s toy

How did it get broken?

Paper Weaving instructions

Do not remind the group that they should ask questions if they do not understand. Wait and see what happens!

1) (Speak quietly and rub your nose so your mouth is covered) ‘Today we are going to make a mat using paper weaving.’

2)‘Everyone will need a pencil, a ruler and some adhesive.’ (See if anyone queries ‘adhesive’. Do they ask if they should get them straightaway? If glue is usually kept in a cupboard you may need to warn other staff not to provide it before the children have asked.)

3)‘There are some A4 sheets of paper at the front. You need to select one each and put it in front of you on the desk. Have it in a landscape position.’ (See if anyone queries ‘landscape’.)

4)‘Fold the paper in half top to bottom and draw a line across the bottom, 3cm from the open edge.’ (Say this too fast. If asked simply to repeat the instruction do so exactly the same to highlight the fact that they need to say how they want you to repeat it i.e. slower.)

5)‘Now, from the centre, draw lines to the bottom line about 2 cm apart.’ (This is confusing and should promote a request to be a bit clearer.)

6)‘Cut along the vertical lines and open the paper out.’ (They haven’t got any scissors and may not understand vertical. Again, you may need to warn other staff not to provide scissors before the children have asked.)

7) (Say this quickly without pausing) ‘Now come and choose 8 strips of coloured paper. You’ll need them to be a different hue from your base sheet. You can have them all the same or different colours, but they must be a different colour from the main sheet you’ve just cut.’

8)‘Take one strip of paper and weave it in and out of the slots you cut in the big sheet of paper.’ (The children might ask for a demonstration.)

9)‘Now take another strip of paper and weave it in and out, the opposite way from the one you’ve just done.’ (They might ask for a demonstration.)

10) (Speak normally) ‘Do this with all the other strips until you get to the bottom of the big sheet.’

11) (Speak quietly) ‘Glue all the ends on both sides of the paper.’

12)‘Well done!’ (See if children ask where they should put the mats, if they can take them home etc.)

Name:______________________________________________Date:_______________

1)Look at the sheet in front of you. Write your name and today’s date at the top.

Response:

2)Draw a line around the number. (If asked, you meant the largest number.)

Response:

3)(Read this running words together so that it is very unclear.) Draw a moon and star in the sky behind the helicopter; a pencil next to the notebook; a small bowl next to the box of cereal; a cushion on the chair and some straw beside the farm animal.

Response:

4)Draw a teddy bear on the bed.

Response:

5)Draw some kind of dairy produce for the mouse. (If asked, explain that dairy means something that is made of milk, like butter, cheese or cream.)

Response:

6)Draw a party hat on the animal. (If asked, explain that you really meant the rodent. Explain that rodents are animals like rats and mice, if another question is asked.)

Response:

7)Colour the string on the middle balloon red.

Response:

8)Draw rosy cheeks on the animal’s face. (If asked, explain that you meant on the horse.)

Response:

9)There is a wooden thing in the picture. Draw number 3 on it. (If asked, explain that you meant on the shed door.)

Response:

10)Now you have the opportunity to select whatever hue and graphic you desire for the proceeding time interval. (If asked, explain that the children can now choose a colour to draw whatever shape they want on their picture.)

Response:

© Active Listening for Active Learning, QEd Publications

Can You Draw It Again? worksheet instructions

Name:______________________________________________Date:_______________

1)Write your school’s name at the top of the page. (Mumble this at low volume.)

Response:

2)Put a star on the one that nourishes.(Unfamiliar vocabulary)

Response:

3)Draw a happy face on the plate.

Response:

4)Draw a line under the crockery item.(Unfamiliar vocabulary)

Response:

5)Write your name on the thing that’s got pages.

Response:

6)Put a cake on the plate but don’t draw any food.(Contradictory)

Response:

7)Cut off the corner of the page.(Impossible without scissors)

Response:

8)Draw a line underneath the fish.(Impossible)

Response:

9)Put a (cough) pocket on the clown’s trousers.(Competing noise)

Response:

10)Wait until I’ve finished and then follow the instruction: Put a tree beside the shed, a plug on the computer, a rubber by the notebook, your name on the balloon and draw a circle around the animal that will become an insect.(Too long)

Response:

Origami Bat instructions

Do not remind the group that they should ask questions if they do not understand. Wait and see what happens!

1)‘Today we are going to do some simple origami’. (If no-one asks what that means, ask one of the children to explain. If they don’t know ask them how they could find out.)

2)‘We’re going to make a bat’. (Does anyone ask you what kind of bat?)

3)‘Everyone will need a pencil, a ruler, a pair of scissors and a piece of paper’. (Nothing is in front of them - see if children can take the initiative and ask what kind of paper and gather equipment. You may need to warn other staff not to provide materials before the children have asked. Does anyone apply strategies to remember four items?)

4)‘First we have to make a square. Fold one corner of the paper over until it meets the long edge, crease it firmly into a triangle shape and cut the excess rectangle away.’ (Say this too fast. If asked simply to repeat the instruction do so exactly the same to highlight the fact that they need to say how they want you to repeat it i.e. slower, and one bit at a time. Hopefully they will also query ‘excess’.)

5)‘Open up the square and fold it again between the other two corners’. (All the way through, see if children ask for demonstration or to see the pictures.)

6)‘Place the triangle with the longest edge at the (sneeze.) top’.

7)‘Fold the top edge over in a straight line so there is a small triangle sticking out the bottom - that will be the bat’s tail.’

8)‘Now for the tips of the bat’s ears. Put two dots at the top either side of the centrefold, about 2 and a half centimetres apart.’ (By now you should be demonstrating the activity as you speak, but when you have finished keep your hands over the paper until they ask you to let them see properly.)

9)‘Draw two slanted lines outwards from each dot to the bottom edge of the wings’.

10)‘Fold one wing over on the line you have drawn, like this’. (This should be clear - it’s important to check that children do not query instructions unnecessarily.)

11)‘Hold the crease down tightly with one hand and fold the wing back out again a bit lower down so you can see an ear appearing.’ (Encourage the children to ask each other for help if they are unsure what to do.)

12)Great. That’s one wing done! (Wait… do they ask if they should repeat on the other side?)

13)‘Now trim the space between its ears.’ (Do not demonstrate this straightaway - first see if they know that ‘trim’means ‘cut’.)

14)‘Wonderful! Now (optional) suspend it so it looks like it’s flying’. (Initiative test!)

Step 6: Maintaining Active Listening Skills

Facilitate carryover into the classroom with consistent encouragement and reinforcement of active listening principles, ensuring that children use each other for support and avoid over-dependence on adults.

Many children develop and use active listening effectively in one to one, small group or familiar settings but fail to generalise these skills to the classroom or a new environment. There are a number of possible reasons for this:

•Children may lack confidence to use skills in new settings without explicit invitation and approval

•Staff in new settings may be unwittingly discouraging requests for repetition or clarification

•Children may not be aware that the strategies they have practiced in small groups have a wider application

•Children may be conscious of their peers and afraid that asking questions will make them look stupid

•Children may be poor at initiating conversation and uncertain of the best time to seek clarification

•There is no need to seek clarification (often a direct result of providing one to one support)

•Children may have become dependent on one trusted adult and view only this person as a means of support.

So we need to . . .

•Adopt a whole class approach where active listening is routinely and consistently encouraged and reinforced

•Ensure continuity of approach with changes of staff, class and school

•Ensure we do not remove opportunities to practice seeking clarification by over-anticipating children’s needs

•Ensure children know when and how to seek clarification within the classroom and work as a team to support each other’s learning

•Capitalise on links with home to reinforce learning and promote generalisation.

Having established a classroom ethos where children are comfortable with the principles of active listening, the majority of children will continue to seek clarification naturally and appropriately. This is not the case for children with communication disorders or low self-esteem however, and this section includes simple strategies which need to be applied on a routine basis to maintain their confidence and focus.

Ensure that any principles successfully adopted in the classroom are demonstrated to parents with examples of application at home and in the wider community setting.

Strategy to reinforce appropriate active listening behaviour in the classroom context

Keep a Good Listening board in the classroom (see Step 1, page 26 and Step 4, Activities 4 and 5, pages 185 and 188).

When children request clarification appropriately using speech, body language or agreed signal (depending on the stage they have reached), a note is placed on the board.

Sarah looked puzzled

Carl put up his ‘Help!’sign

Hari said ‘Again, please!’

Strategies to reinforce appropriate active listening behaviour in the classroom context and at home

Use ‘Working towards . . .’charts. If a child gets 5 marks on their chart for requesting clarification appropriately, they receive an appropriate reward.

Provide children with personalised bookmarks with appropriate phrases and stick a star on each time they spontaneously seek clarification.

What does that mean please?

Pardon? I don’t understand

I forgot what you said

See Resources: Step 6, pages 396-397 for bookmark templates which staff and children can copy onto card and use to target specific clarification strategies or develop their own ideas. These bookmarks are an excellent way to share information with parents and promote consistent reinforcement in the home setting. Circle a trophy each time the child uses a strategy spontaneously and sign the card when all three are circled.

Useful resources

Literacy Bookmarks by Jan Baerselmann www.literacybookmarks.co.uk

Strategy to ensure children do not associate efforts to seek clarification with negative consequences

Active Listening requires continued effort from the language-impaired, easily over-loaded or under-confident child, and sensitive handling and encouragement from their families and teachers. It is vital that genuine requests for repetition or clarification are not met with comments such as ‘Why weren’t you listening in the first place?’. Remarks like this are damaging to children with already low self-esteem who value the approval of their peers above all else. They are unlikely to continue a self-help strategy if they see it leading to negative attention, and will be unable to listen with enthusiasm if they feel humiliated or misjudged.

Ensure that new and covering staff are aware of children who require extra repetition, explanation, appropriate encouragement and modelling of clarification strategies. Add some brief notes to the register where they are bound to be seen and include a copy of the handout ‘What is an Active Listener?’with transition documents, highlighting sections that are particularly relevant for specific pupils (Resources: Step 1, page 28). Finally, ensure that families are involved with reinforcing these skills at home.

BOOKS

POSTERS

Useful resources

Helping Children Hang On To Your Every Word by Maggie Johnson, see chapters on ‘Troubles’and ‘SuXess Factor’– www.qed.uk.com

Activity 1: Deliberate Mistakes

Aim: To facilitate and reinforce appropriate active listening behaviour in the classroom context.

Preparation

When preparing a lesson think of a few incorrect facts or unrecognisable words which could be included. If children are listening carefully they should be able to easily spot these ‘mistakes’. e.g. ‘Make sure you set the room alight’, ‘These are the three colours of the rainbow’, ‘Horry Patter’or ‘When you multiply by 10, always add 5’.

Procedure

1)Slip an error into the lesson and wait to see who notices.

2)Ask children who do not react if they agree with what you have just said and repeat it if necessary. Ask someone who did notice the error, to explain what you said to the rest of the class.

3)Advise the children that you will be making deliberate mistakes each day when you say things that don’t make sense to check that they are listening. Can they catch you out and spot the mistakes? Whenever they hear something odd, they should raise their hands immediately. Anyone who thinks that what you said was OK should keep their hands down.

4)When you make a deliberate mistake, invite one of the children to explain why they put their hand up. e.g. ‘I don’t think that makes sense’, ‘I didn’t understand that word, what does it mean?’. Rather than responding yourself, turn to the children who did not put their hands up for an explanation. This should encourage good listening next time round.

5)Consider a reward system e.g. if everyone put their hands up and the person that you select seeks clarification appropriately five times running, the class gets an extra 10 minutes golden time at the end of the day or no homework.

BOOKS POSTERS

Useful resources

Activities 1 and 2, Step 6 have been adapted from It’s Time To Listen: Metacognitive Activities for Improving Auditory Processing in the Classroom Patricia McAleer Hamaguchi (1995. 2nd edition 2002), published by Pro.Ed www.proedinc.com

Strategy to establish clear guidelines for when guessing is acceptable and appropriate

Most pupils with poor active listening skills will have a history of hazy understanding or lack of confidence and a tendency to give everything their best shot (i.e. guess). This can become an automatic response, even when being asked to tell the truth, and leads to them getting into all sorts of trouble, particularly in their teenage years. When working through the small group activities in this book, such pupils are dissuaded from guessing when they don’t know the answer to a question unless this is specifically requested. They are encouraged to use alternative strategies such as admitting lack of knowledge, looking for clues and asking for more information.

These skills require active reinforcement through general classroom policy and consolidation. It is helpful for adults to agree and promote a common message:

• ‘Guessing’ is what we call it when we can’t possibly know the answer and there is not enough information to work it out.

•Guessing can waste time and get us into trouble if people don’t realise we are guessing.

•It is better to say, ‘I don’t know’, ‘I don’t understand’or ‘Sorry, I wasn’t listening’ rather than guess. Or we can ask if it’s OK to guess.

•Guessing is fine if we let people know we are guessing; this is called ‘having a go’.

•Having a go is about trying hard, stretching the imagination, suggesting different possibilities or taking a gamble (hoping for a lucky guess). In all cases people know we are guessing and cannot be mislead.

It is OK to guess or have a go if people ask us to (e.g. a guessing game or test) It is OK to guess or have a go if we let people know (see below)

It is NOTOK to guess when we haven’t heard or understood the question properly It is NOTOK to guess if a grown-up is trying to find out what happened or asks us to ‘tell the truth’

We let people know we are guessing by: saying something like ‘I think . . .’or ‘it might be . . .’ using appropriate facial expression and questioning intonation selecting the ‘I’m not sure’or ‘I’m having a go’picture

See the next strategy for visual symbols to support the understanding and application of these concepts.

Useful resources

Social Skills Posters – Good Thinking and What’s On Your Mind from Taskmaster Ltd – www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

As a general backup to classroom discussion, use the pictures below to help children with poor Comprehension differentiate between providing reasoned answers and guessing, and recognise when each is appropriate. This will often be in association with Step 4 activities.

•guessing

•answering too quickly

•saying the first thing that comes into your head

[Step 4 Resources, pages 238 and 242]

•having a go

•trying when you are not sure

•double-checking

•‘Is it OK to guess?’

•suggestions/possibilities

[Step 4 Resources, pages 244 and 245]

•the correct answer

•‘I got it right’

•working it out before answering

•being sure

[Step 4 Resources, pages 239 and 246]

For example

•Children can appraise their own work by saying which answers they are sure about and which are guesses.

•Children can be encouraged to have their ‘first thoughts’and discussion in small groups and present only their solution to the whole class.

•Children can be given permission for calling out when lots of suggestions are needed.

•Individuals can be reminded when guessing is NOTappropriate (e.g. trying to find out what happened in a dispute).

•Incorrect information may be more positively regarded as ‘having a go’rather than making a mistake or lying (particularly relevant for children with Comprehension or social communication difficulties).

•After giving incorrect information, children can be asked if it is something they definitely know or a guess. If they were just thinking about it or having a go, they may need some individual help to signal the difference (see guidelines on previous page).

•Rather than giving a blanket yes or no, guesses can be linked to the right answer, highlighting any associations or similarities.

Strategy to reinforce the difference between knowing and not knowing, so that children can make a more appropriate contribution

Strategy to help children with poor comprehension and reasoning trust their own judgement

Some children will not want to volunteer information in class discussions unless they are absolutely sure it is correct, despite reassurances that all efforts are welcome. Initially a learning support assistant may wish to give them a choice of answers or pictures for them to select. Once the adult has confirmed the correct choice the child can then confidently raise their hand and, if chosen by the teacher, provide the answer.

However, while encouraging greater participation, this practice can increase reliance on assistants and do little to boost confidence. We need to help children recognise the thought process involved in answering questions, rather than foster their belief that it’s essential to be right every time.

Extend the first strategy by encouraging children to come up with an answer themselves and check it quietly with the learning support assistant before raising their hand. If inappropriate, the assistant can point to the Having a Go picture (see previous strategy) to indicate ‘Good try’. If appropriate, the Correct Answer picture is shown to indicate ‘Go for it!’Using picture symbols in this way minimises background talking for the teacher and other children.

Later the assistant can encourage children to both whisper their answer and indicate the Having a Go or Correct Answer picture to show how confident they are feeling. After a nod from the assistant, they can raise their hand within the main group.

Finally, when children are frequently making the right judgement and answering questions correctly, they can try this without the assistant and hold up the Having a Go or Correct Answer picture as they raise their hand.

N.B. This strategy will be most effective if inappropriate answers within the main group are related to the target answer or accepted with ‘Well done for having a go!’.

Activity 2: Television Challenge

Aim: To extend active listening behaviour to visual media such as television programmes and video presentations and build confidence in a whole-class situation.

Many children concentrate on the action and sound-effects rather than dialogue, particularly when watching cartoons and comedy. This activity encourages them to focus on the words.

Preparation

1)Preview 10-20 minutes of a recorded television programme, video or dvd and note any words or phrases that some or all of the children are unlikely to understand.

2)Large ‘I don’t understand’picture, Resources: Step 1, page 42, for unfamiliar words/phrases.

3)Large Having a Go picture, Resources: Step 4, page 244, for suggestions.

4)Large ‘I understand’picture, Resources: Step 1, page 43, for correct definitions.

Procedure

1)Divide the board into 3 sections for unfamiliar words, suggested definitions and actual answers. For additional visual support, identify the columns with the three symbols.

2)Tell the children that while they watch the programme you want them to listen out for any words or phrases which they do not recognise or are difficult to understand. Explain that you think there are at least . . . (give a number based on your preview) and that you challenge them to spot them all. Ask them to put their hands up as soon as they spot something they are not sure about. The class will then work together to agree on what they mean.

3)Start the recording. When a child raises their hand, congratulate them and see if they can repeat the word or phrase. Rewind if necessary and write the item on the board.

4)Invite the child to ask one of the others what it means. If that person is not sure, they should ask someone else. Children are allowed to guess but are encouraged to indicate this clearly (see guidelines on page 379). Their suggestions are added to the board until the class are agreed on a definition or explanation.

5)Back track the recording a little to repeat the unfamiliar item and continue watching in this way until you get to the end of the programme. Consider a class reward if they spot all the items on your list.

6)Close the session by reviewing the new vocabulary and overall content of the programme or by letting the children watch it again uninterrupted.

Strategy to help staff differentiate between rudeness and lack of social skills

Seeking clarification requires a sophisticated level of language development if it is to sound socially acceptable. Staff need to understand that if children sound rude at times it is likely to reflect a lack of grammatical flexibility rather than deliberate bad manners. Note that in the following developmental progression, it is the simpler language structures which children manage more easily that sound the least polite:

What?

Do what?

What do I do?

What do I do please?

What should I do please?

What would you like me to do?

I don’t know what I have to do.

I don’t know what I’m meant to do.

Sorry, I don’t know what I have to do.

Sorry, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be doing.

Could you please explain again what you’d like me do?

In order to reinforce the active listening principles they have learnt, children need to be praised for asking, but gently reminded to add ‘please’if this seems appropriate.

Strategy to facilitate self-help skills and lessen children’s dependency on supportive adults

Support staff may unwittingly remove the need to seek clarification by providing extra help as soon as the child looks confused or makes a mistake. In order for children to continue practising the skills they have learnt and develop effective coping strategies which they can use in a range of situations, it is important for adults to give children the chance to seek clarification rather than automatically providing it. In one to one exchanges in the classroom (e.g. when sitting at a child’s table) there will be an opportunity to facilitate active listening every time the child hesitates to respond or goes off-course.

If we ask ourselves why the child is having difficulty, we can then model an appropriate clarification strategy.

e.g.‘Maybe you didn’t hear me. Would you like me to say it again?’

‘That’s a new word that you didn’t understand. If you’re not sure, say “what does it mean?” and I’ll give you a clue.’

‘I think I was speaking too fast. It’s OK for you to ask me to slow down.’

In time we can fade the prompts:

e.g.‘Are you sure you understand? Can you remember what to say if you’re confused?’

‘Do you remember what to do with the beans? What could you say if you’re stuck?’

Strategy to increase children’s understanding of spoken language and encourage children to ask for repetition

Seeking repetition is a common clarification strategy for both adults and children and is often all that is needed. Momentary lapses of concentration, competing background noise, mumbled delivery . . . all are dealt with swiftly by saying ‘Pardon?’

Similarly, for children with language processing difficulties or memory issues, repetition often assists their understanding as it provides a second chance to process the same utterance and ‘fill the gaps’. In contrast, if an utterance is immediately rephrased, children have something completely new to remember and process which can add to their difficulty.

•Avoid automatically rephrasing when you see a child has not understood - try repetition in the first instance.

•If children still do not understand, encourage them to ask what you mean (individual session) or rephrase it (group session).

•Later you can try offering a choice, ‘I’ll say it again for you. Do you want me to say it the same or change it?’

Teachers will observe that it is the most organised children who ask the most questionsthey have a clear idea about what they are supposed to be doing and can therefore ask specific questions to clarify the task. In contrast, disorganised children tend to wander aimlessly, do the wrong thing until stopped, passively wait for guidance or repeat the very general question ‘What now?’. Under-confident children constantly check that they are doing the right thing rather than trusting their own judgement.

Provide detailed work plans whenever possible and when individuals ask ‘What now?’, refer them to their plan so that they can either answer their own question or make their request more specific:

e.g.What do I need?

Where are the scissors?

How many questions shall I do?

What do I do when I’ve finished?

Encourage under-confident children to talk through their work plan before they start and to complete an increasing number of steps before checking with an adult or willing peer.

See suggested workplans 1 and 2 (Resources: Step 6, pages 398-399).

BOOKS

Useful resources

POSTERS

Social Skills Poster – Good Asking from Taskmaster Ltd – www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

Helping Children Hang On To Your Every Word by Maggie Johnson see chapter on ‘Organisation’and the trouble-shooting checklists on pages 79 and 80 from QEd Publications – www.qed.uk.com

Strategy to promote independent requests for help and reduce unnecessary ‘checking’questions

Activity 3: Classroom behaviour policy

Aim: To establish a classroom policy on acceptable and unacceptable ways of gaining attention/coping with overload/seeking clarification, while helping children appreciate each other ’scomprehension difficulties.

Preparation

1)Choice of material depends on the behaviour you need to flag up as unacceptable (anything from passively waiting for help and doing nothing to silly noises or inappropriate language), and the type of activity that tends to elicit such behaviour. This will usually be an activity where children need help but are unable or unwilling to admit this.

e.g.

•read a short passage (possibly one of the children’s stories) where several of the words have been changed to nonsense words and sentences include impossible or contradictory information and follow this with questions ‘to see if they’ve been listening’

•read out a series of instructions at breakneck speed and ask the children to complete the task as quickly as possible

•present a list of questions which are impossible to answer.

2)Divide whiteboard or flipchart in half to list acceptable ☺ and unacceptable behaviours.

Procedure

1)This activity can be done as part of Circle Time or in a smaller group with selected children. In either case it is essential to relate the activity to general class rules that apply to everyone, and to precede it with earlier activities so that targeted children are already aware of positive coping strategies as an alternative to disruptive or unhelpful behaviours. By now, all children should be aware of the general message that ‘it is good to ask’but not all will be consistently putting this into practice. If Circle Time is chosen it may be possible to split the class into two smaller circles to increase each child’s involvement. This requires two adults and a timer. After an agreed period of time (e.g 10 minutes), the children should make one large circle to pool their ideas.

2)Tell the children you have a task for them which they might find difficult to complete. Nonetheless you want them to do their very best and afterwards you will talk about how it felt and the best way to get help.

3)After presenting the chosen activity and briefly observing their reactions, ask the children what they are thinking and feeling in order to share some of the emotions around being out of one’s depth. Agree that when we don’t understand a task we often regard it as stupid, or feel angry, worried or left out. Discuss the various ways these emotions might cause us to behave and allow the children to enact these behaviours if they can do so while remaining in control.

4)Now turn to the blank columns ☺ and . Explain that while we cannot help our feelings, we can try to choose how we react and what impact that has on other people. List the children’s ideas, steering towards a class consensus on acceptable and unacceptable coping strategies (see Table I for examples).

5)If no ideas are forthcoming or some behaviours that you wish to highlight have not emerged, make use of role-play. Ask a good-reader or second adult to present the task and ask the children to watch you or a puppet and decide if your reactions are acceptable or unacceptable. This may include phrases which might be regarded as cheeky or impolite (see Table J).

Table I: When a task doesn’t make sense

Get helpLaugh or mess about to make your friends laugh

Let someone knowSay ‘this is really boring/stupid’

Put your hand upPull a face

Wait until teacher has finished talking then explain that you don’t understandWalk off

Hold up ‘Help please’signDistract others so they can’t do it either (e.g. make silly noises, poke or hit people) Ask neighbour what to do

Tell classroom assistant you need help

Call out while teacher is still explaining task

Grab or tap adult to get help/attention

Do nothing, day-dream

☺ Sounds polite Sounds cheeky

I really don’t knowI haven’t got a clue

I don’t understandI’ve no idea

That didn’t make sense to meYou’re not making any sense

I’m not sure what you meanThis is mumbo-jumbo

I don’t get itYou’re talking rubbish

I’m stuckWhat on earth are you talking about?

Sorry . . .I haven’t got the faintest idea what you’re going on about

I’m afraid . . .

6)Once the list has been personalised to the needs of the class and agreed by all, make sure it is on prominent display!

Useful resources

Social Skills Posters: Good Listening, Good Talking, Good Explaining from Taskmaster Helping Children Hang On To Your Every Word, QEd Publications, chapters on SuXess Factor and Motivation – www.qed.uk.com

Living Puppets – www.thepuppetcompany.com

Puppets by Post – www.puppetsby post.com

Signing Puppets, Connevans Ltd – www.connevans.co.uk and Chelltune – www.babysigningstore.co.uk

Table J: Letting adults know you don’t understand

Establish a classroom policy with regard to appropriate ways of gaining attention and seeking clarification (see previous Activity). Children with difficulty understanding abstract concepts require much more specific guidance than ‘Be polite’or ‘Be considerate’. These concepts need to be translated into actual behaviours that are acceptable and unacceptable. Ensure the finished result is on display and referred to frequently to reinforce desirable behaviour.

Provide individual students with a laminated copy of the agreed class rules or relevant sections (e.g. Tables I and J on previous page) which can be brought out as a reminder at opportune moments.

BOOKS

POSTERS

Useful resources

Social Skills Posters: Good Friends, Good Listening, Good Talking, Good Explaining from Taskmaster Ltd – www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

Strategy to reduce the incidence of unacceptable behaviour as a consequence of poor comprehension, lack of coping strategies or impulsivity

Strategy to ensure children seek clarification at the appropriate time

It would be impossible for teachers to deliver a lesson if children were constantly calling out every time they did not understand. Clearly there is a time and a place for seeking clarification and the rules depend on the social situation; for example, we tend to seek clarification immediately during conversation but wait for question time during a formal presentation.

As you swap from one activity to another, make it clear what behaviour is expected.

e.g.‘You’ll have plenty of time for questions afterwards, but first just listen while I explain.’

‘This is a quiet time. If you want to say something, put your hand up first.’

‘When I’ve finished explaining [name] will come round to see who would like to go through it again. Make sure you tell [name] if you don’t understand.’

This is nothing new – but children with social-communication difficulties may be unable to instinctively judge appropriate timing and need clear reminders long after the rest of the class have internalised the rules. A visual prompt to indicate the desired behaviour at different times of day will have more effect than repeated verbal reminders - the sound of someone talking can become ‘white noise’when these children are trying to concentrate on more than one thing at a time. The Information-seeking symbols on page 400 (Resources: Step 6), can be used for this purpose.

N.B. Different teachers will have different ground rules. The important thing is for children to know where they stand and what is expected in particular situations.

BOOKS

Useful resources

POSTERS

Social Skills Posters: Good Waiting from Taskmaster Ltd –www.taskmasteronline.co.uk

Functional Language In the Classroom by Maggie Johnson (3rd edition, 2005): chapter on ‘Turn-taking’.

Strategy to ensure children use teacher’s time efficiently and gain independence

Once questioning strategies are well-established there is also an issue of WHO to ask for clarification. It is neither appropriate nor possible for teachers to deal with every query that arises. Nor is it good for children to become over-reliant on adults. Much of the time they simply need confirmation that they are doing the right thing, and in most cases the best person to do this is the child sitting next to them.

The following four point plan may suit many age-groups, and can be adapted as required. Each step will need to be discussed, demonstrated and possibly practised in small groups or Circle Time, and then the agreed rules need to be prominently displayed.

When the teacher is talking to the whole class and you are not sure what to do:

1)See if the person next to you can explain (they mustn’t do it for you).

2)If neither of you know what to do, check with the rest of the table.

3)If none of you know, put your hands up or ask _____ to come over.

4)If _____ doesn’t know, one of you needs to ask the teacher for help like this:

Put your hand up

Put your Help! sign up

Go up to the teacher

Write a Q down

Older children may simply need the following reminder:

(tick as appropriate)

(seefour people before coming to me)

The Information-seeking posters on pages 401 and 402 can be laminated as an individual reminder or enlarged for classroom use.

These principles are summarised on the handout ‘Giving and Seeking Clarification’ (Resources: Step 1, page 29).

Strategy to develop children’s self-awareness and ensure continuity of support

In addition to the usual information which is passed to a new class teacher or school, children will benefit from contributing to a personalised record to raise their own and other people’s awareness of strategies to take forward into teens and adulthood.

The pupil record sheets 1-4 (Resources: Step 6, pages 403-406) provides a starting point for a framework which can be discussed individually or in small groups to build up a picture of each pupil’s learning style and appropriate compensatory strategies. It should be completed and illustrated by the pupils themselves as far as possible and may contribute to a larger transition booklet if desired. Table K on the next page includes examples which are particularly relevant to Active Listening, though hopefully pupils will be able to identify 3-5 key strategies in each area from their own experience.

Table K: Self-help Strategies

AreaExamples of things that help

ListeningLooking at the person who is speaking

Looking to one side and concentrating on the words

Moving away from background noise

Thinking about what is being said

Holding something and fiddling with it (e.g. blu-tak)

Not talking at the same time

Seeing what the person is talking about (e.g. following a diagram)

Headphones

Being in a good mood

Other people being quiet and still

Sitting a comfortable distance from other people or at the end of the row

Being sure about what’s happening

UnderstandingTell the speaker I don’t understand

Ask questions to make sure I understand (clarification)

Ask person to say it again

Ask person to explain what it means

Ask person to show me

Ask a grown up for help

People talking slowly (i.e. pausing not rushing)

People using easy words

Vocabulary work

Ask for a lesson plan

Concentrating on one thing at a time

MemoryAsk person to write it down

Ask person to repeat it

Store it in my mobile phone

Tell person I forget if there’s too much all at once

Think of an action to remind me

Repeat back what I can remember and ask person to say the rest again

Ask person to tell me one step at a time

Mindmaps in straight lines so I can see information more clearly

Post-it note on my computer screen

Index cards and bullet points

Activity 4: Active Listening Survey

Aim: To raise staff and pupil awareness and reinforce appropriate active listening behaviour at home and at school.

This activity explores ways in which children and adults perceive and cope with poor understanding and can be incorporated into whole class activities involving opinion polls, data collection or information management.

Preparation

Active Listening Survey (Resources: Step 6, pages 407-412) or similar schedules adapted to children’s age and ability.

Procedure

1)Use some or all of the questionnaires provided or encourage children to devise their own.

2)Involve parents and other key adults at home as appropriate.

3)Agree whom each child should interview/target to avoid duplication.

4)Once information has been collected, help children represent the findings in barcharts, piecharts etc.

5)Ask pupils what they have learnt from the survey.

6)Present findings in assembly if appropriate.

7)Inform parents of relevant findings and implications for supporting their child.

Step 6: Resources

This bookmark belongs to ________________________

Date: ______________

My challenge for this week is to ask for help when I hear something that I don’t understand. Things I can say:

What do you mean?

This bookmark belongs to ________________________

Date: ______________

My challenge for this week is to ask for help when I hear a new word that I don’t understand. Things I can say:

What does that word mean?

I don’t understand!

Please explain it again.

Teacher’s name: ________________________

Date achieved:

I don’t know that word!

This bookmark belongs to ________________________

Date: ______________

My challenge for this week is to ask for help when I don’t know a word in my book. Things I can say:

What does that word mean?

What’s a . . . ?

Teacher’s name: ________________________

Date achieved:

I don’t know that word! How do you say that?

Teacher’s name: ________________________

Date achieved:

This bookmark belongs to

Date: ______________

My challenge for this week is to

Things I can say:

1. 2. 3.

Teacher’s name: ________________________

Date achieved: _____________

This bookmark belongs to

Date: ______________

My challenge for this week is to Things I can say:

This bookmark belongs to

Date: ______________

My challenge for this week is to ask for help when I can’t remember what I have to do.

Things I can say:

I can’t remember all that!

Teacher’s name: ________________________

Date achieved: _____________

Sorry, I forgot what you said! Can you say that again please?

Teacher’s name: ________________________

Date achieved: _____________

What do I need? (make a list)

What do I have to do?

1. Get everything Ineed

2.

What to do when finished

Organisation Sheet

1.Read all through your task

ASK IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND

2.Think what to do first, then what to do next

3.Write it down if you need to 1. 2. 3. 4.

5.

6.

↓ until you have finished

4.Make a list of all the things you need to complete the task

5.Put away everything that you do NOT need and make sure you have enough space to work in

6.Get all the things you need

7.DO IT!

8.If it is written down, cross off each stage as you do it

9.Check you have done what was asked

10.Tell an adult you have finished

When you need help . . .

C 4 B 4 M E

What I am looking forward to:

Things I would like to achieve:

Small steps I can take towards these goals:

Class: ______________

CHILD GROUPSURVEY

Interviewed by: ____________________

Date: _____________

Do you have any difficulty understanding what says?

(Insert name of teacher/classroom assistant etc.)

Hardly any difficulty

Abit of difficulty

Alot of difficulty

NAME of child

(Easy to understand or work out)

(Sometimes hard to understand)

(Quite hard to understand)

CHILD QUESTIONNAIRE/INTERVIEW

Name: _____________________ Class: ____________________ Date: _____________

What does do when you don’t understand?

NoYes a bitYes a lot

1.Gets cross

2.Tells me to get on with my work

3.Says it again

4.Says it slower, one a bit at a time

5.Explains it again with different words or more information

6.Writes it down

7.Draws a picture

8.Uses pictures or symbols or signing as well as talking

9.Does it for me

10.Finds someone to help me

11.Answers all my questions

12.Shows me how to do it and lets me copy

13.Checks that I understand

Which THREE strategies do you like best?

THANK YOU!

(Insert name of teacher/classroom assistant/parent/peer etc.) ©

Name: __________________ Class: __________ Interviewed by: __________________

What do you do when you don’t understand? (Children may record the interview and transcribe afterwards)

1.Do you feel worried or upset or get angry?

?

2.Do you pull a face?

3.Do you put your hand up (or other agreed signal)?

4.Do you ask the person to say it again?

5.Do you ask what a word means?

6.Do you ask the person to tell you one step at a time?

7.Do you ask the person to go through it more slowly?

8.Do you ask the person to write it down?

9.Do you ask the person to show you what they mean?

10.Do you look at someone else’s work to see what to do?

11.Do you ask someone else to help? Who?

12.Do you do anything else?

Thank you very much

Name: _____________________ Class: ____________________ Date: _____________

Do you think these children have any difficulty understanding what you say?

NAME of childHardly any difficultyAbit of difficultyAlot of difficulty

Thank you for your time

STAFF/PARENT QUESTIONNAIRE

Name: _____________________ Class: ____________________ Date: _____________

What do you do to help children understand what you are saying?

NoYes a bitYes a lot

1.Do you repeat what you said?

2.Do you ask them to listen harder?

3.Do you write it down?

4.Do you draw a picture?

5.Do you give visual clues as you speak?

6.Do you give extra information?

7.Do you ask another child or adult to explain it?

8.Do you slow down?

9.Do you say it doesn’t matter?

10.Do you show them what you mean through demonstration?

11.Do you do it for them?

12.Do you say ‘Has anyone got any questions?’

13.Do you help children to ask questions?

Which THREE strategies do you think are most helpful?

THANK YOU!

Name: __________________ Class: __________ Interviewed by: __________________

What do children in your class do when they don’t understand what you are saying?

(Children may record the interview and transcribe afterwards)

1.Do they pull faces?

2.Do they put their hand up?

3.Do they say, ‘I don’t understand’?

4.Do they say it’s boring?

5.Do they ask you what you mean?

6.Do they say ‘Pardon?’or ‘What?’

7.Do they ask for a clue or more information?

8.Do they ask ‘Is that right?’

9.Do they just keep quiet?

10.Do they stop listening?

11.Do they mess about?

12.Do they do anything else?

Thank you very much