Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a hidden but common lifelong condition that affects an estimated 7.5 per cent of children - approximately two children in every UK classroom. DLD can cause difficulties in understanding and/or using spoken and written language, which can impact educational outcomes and future life chances.
Children with DLD are 12 times more likely to struggle with reading, spelling and mathematics. If left unsupported, they also have a higher risk of developing anxiety, clinical depression and behaviour difficulties.
So, if a child is struggling in any of these areas, it is always worth asking: could it be language?
Although DLD is a common condition and affects many areas of life, many young people are unlikely to access specialist support owing to low levels of awareness, cuts in services and high vacancy rates in the speech and language therapy profession.
DLD: how to support children in the classroom
Teachers can make simple adaptations to their classroom practice which can make a real difference to pupils with DLD:
1. Time
The first step is simple: allow children with DLD more time to process information and instructions, and to formulate answers.
2. Visual support
Visual prompting can signpost activities and trigger memory. Use interactive whiteboards, iPads, apps and videos from the internet. Provide visual timetables, language-rich displays for key learning and processes, and clear and simple signage around the school.
3. Sign it
Signing, gestures, facial expressions and body language give additional visual clues, supporting understanding of instructions and learning of vocabulary.
Consciously use iconic gestures or signs that indicate something about the meaning of the words you use. Ideally, use consistent signs/gestures across a setting, particularly for words involved in everyday classroom instructions.
4. Let pupils learn in a hands-on way
Adopt a teaching approach with plenty of opportunities for hands-on learning, especially in topics that have a heavy language load.
Start with the pupils’ first-hand experience, and incorporate life skills and creative tasks where possible.
Throughout practical activities, model the language you want the pupils to use. This supports any subsequent spoken or written tasks.
5. Modify your language
Slow your rate of speech. Give one instruction at a time, as you build up the task. Keep your sentences short and concise. Be prepared to rephrase what you say more than once.
Try to order your words in a way that follows the timing of activities. For example: “Finish your graph before you write the conclusion” is easier to understand than “Before you write the conclusion, finish your graph.”
When necessary, simplify vocabulary to enable comprehension.
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6. Chunk information
Use pauses to chunk information as a way to support understanding of everyday instructions. For example: “Put the equipment away … collect your planner … then go to your house meeting.”
Repeating the instruction can be helpful. Be explicit and use literal language. Pupils with DLD often struggle to understand inference and language forms such as idioms and metaphors.
7. Target core vocabulary
Pupils with DLD often have difficulties learning new words and require explicit teaching of new vocabulary with multiple exposures. They therefore learn fewer words, so choose the words to target carefully.
Target those words that appear across all subjects or are core to the understanding of a topic area.
Set aside five minutes at the start of lessons for vocabulary instruction. The whole class will benefit, particularly in subjects such as maths and science, where the concepts used can be abstract and include complex temporal or spatial language.
8. Use small steps
Break down longer tasks into smaller and more manageable parts. Provide a framework so that pupils know what to do and can see their progress.
9. Repeat learning
Recap previous learning at the start of each lesson. Many pupils with DLD have difficulties with working memory and so will benefit from prompting.
Throughout the lesson, repeat what you want the pupils to learn. Do the same activity more than once but make small changes each time to extend learning. For example, when introducing a new word, use it in many different ways and contexts before introducing related words or words with opposite meanings.
Ask the pupils to repeat back to you what they have been asked to do, so that you can assess their understanding.
10. Model language
Always model the language you want pupils with DLD to use, whether spoken or written. Provide them with a toolkit of phrases or sentence structures that they can draw on to answer specific question forms.
These 10 strategies create minimal extra work and can be easily implemented in the classroom, benefiting all pupils.
Supporting pupils with DLD is really about providing high-quality teaching for all.
Dr Susan Ebbels is director of Moor House Research and Training Institute and a highly specialist speech and language therapist at Moor House School and College.
Sue Marr is a specialist teacher and trainer at Moor House Research and Training Institute, Moor House School and College.
Two leaflets summarising the signs of DLD and the strategies listed in this article are free to download from The Moor House School and College website
