Supporting Communication in School At St Martins School we assess all new students to find out what language they can understand. We also reassess existing students at regular points. Your child’s teachers may talk to you about their Blank’s level.
What are Blank’s levels? In the 1970s Marion Blank looked at the language teachers were using with their students. She sorted this into 4 levels according to complexity. Level one is the easiest and level 4 is the hardest. The 4 levels help us know what questions students can answer and how they use language for thinking and solving problems (we call this verbal reasoning).
Why do we use Blank’s levels? Knowing their Blank’s level means your child’s teacher can: ask questions your child can understand. This means that they can get the answer right. This makes them feel good about themselves and want to learn more. encourage them to develop their skills by working on the next Blank’s level. use simple questions to help them tell a story a little at a time. Blank’s levels can be used in every subject from Maths to PE. They can be helpful for discipline both at home and school.
Blank’s levels and behaviour Misunderstandings can lead to disagreements which can look like challenging behaviour. When we know a child’s Blank’s level, we can help them explain to us what really happened. Imagine how frustrated you would be if you could not explain yourself! We can use simple concrete questions to ‘scaffold’ their story. Ask “who was there”, “where were you?”, “what did he say” etc. Help them to get the information out a bit at a time. When children fall out, adults often ask, “why did you do that?”, “what would happen if everyone did that” or “how does that make your friend feel?” Lots of students find these questions too tricky. Children and young people who have difficulty with understanding, processing and/or social skills often struggle with questions at Blank’s level 3. At this level children must, tell a story and answer questions including “what is the person feeling/thinking/saying?”; “what could happen next?” and concepts of time, “when did it happen?”. You can help your child by… Making sure you have their full attention. Asking simple questions to get the details bit by bit, “where were you?”, “who was there?” etc. Giving lots of thinking time. Repeat back what you have understood so far e.g. “so you were waiting in the dinner hall…” Use drawings, pictures, photos, objects and gestures as well as words. Remember: We all find it difficult to answer questions when we are upset or excited. Find a quiet space and a time when you are both calm.