Literacy news
Tsar blames lack of specialists for communication breakdown
12 Feb 2010
According to the new government tsar for language development, Jean Gross, a lack of trained teachers and poor awareness of communication problems are fuelling widespread speech difficulties.
Gross has called for urgent action, demanding an increase in the number of specialists working in schools to ensure pupils’ problems do not go undetected by staff who lack the necessary specialist skills.
About 10% of pupils have speech and language difficulties, but ins some cities this rises to 60-75% among deprived communities because parents do not know how to communicate with their children.
As part of the National Year of Communication Jean Gross will be launching, there will be a “Mind You Language” campaign to encourage teachers to be clearer, give shorter instructions and help introduce pupils to new vocabulary. While health visitors and speech and language therapists will produce guidance for teachers and parents which shows the communication milestones children should be reaching.
Speaking about her work, Gross said how: “I hope my efforts will lead to more children getting access to speech therapy. If schools pooled budgets to employ specialists they can also plan together and review together. I will be frank, I know this is an uphill struggle in a time of financial difficulties, but I hope to show people they can get better value for money if they work this way.”
(TES England, 12 February 2010)
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