Our Further Education Speech & Language Support Service is tailored to the specific needs of each college.
Speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) don’t disappear when students leave school. Many young people entering further education continue to face challenges with understanding and using language, social communication, and expressing themselves confidently.
Around 10% of young people have long-term SLCN, including those with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), autism, and other communication difficulties.
Students with SLCN may struggle with lectures, coursework, group discussions, and job placements. Communication difficulties can have an impact on their confidence, independence, and mental health, leading to increased dropout rates.
Providing the right support ensures that all students can access education, develop essential life skills, and transition successfully into employment or further study.
How We Can Help
We have been working with further education colleges in the East of England for the past 20+ years. The support we provide may include a combination of the below:
1. Training for Staff
We offer tailored training to equip college staff with the skills to support students with SLCN. This includes:
- Awareness training for all staff on recognising and supporting communication difficulties.
- Specialist training on working with students with a range of communication difficulties, including Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), autism, or social communication difficulties.
- Strategies for adapting teaching and assessment methods to be more communication friendly.
- Supporting staff to implement and use Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) with students.
2. Skills and Environment Audits
We conduct Skills and Environment Audits to help colleges create inclusive learning environments. These audits identify:
- Existing strengths in supporting students with SLCN.
- Areas where further development is needed.
- Practical recommendations for improving communication support across the college.
3. Direct Support for Students
We work directly with students who have speech, language, and communication difficulties, offering:
- One-to-one support to develop communication skills for education, work, and social life.
- Small group sessions focusing on confidence, interaction, and workplace communication.
- Support with reasonable adjustments, including alternative ways to access learning and assessment. Including the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems.
By embedding speech and language support within further education, we can help young people develop the communication skills they need to succeed in college, work, and beyond.
Get in Touch
Our Further Education Speech & Language Support Service is provided through our sister company Bailey, Booth & Massingham Ltd (‘BBM’) and more information about it can be found on their website.
If your college is interested in our support, contact us to discuss how we can tailor our services to your setting.
- Web: www.baileyboothmassingham.co.uk
- Tel: 01603 664433
- Email: bbm@islts.co.uk
