Talk for Learning
Talk For Learning Curriculum
Developing skills for social situations
A whole school intervention currently aims to teach effective social communication skills as related to learning. This is a curriculum programme devised in response to the needs of our cohort as identified when observing trends and behaviours across the school in Summer term 2023.
This programme encourages and expects a high level of engagement and prosocial behaviours from all students while accepting that we all get things wrong and need support at times. This programme was timetabled in lessons for all students and was launched in Sept 2023. It is based on the Autism Progression Framework in the area of social communication and self-regulation skills and has been effective at supporting the development of skills between students in class. It was designed together with our Speech and Language Therapist and draws on the Talkabout for Teens teacher resource.
Staff identify goals for talk for learning lessons in conjunction with their EHCP outcomes and are reviewd each term. The review is recorded in student end of term reports.
| Themes as appropriate |
Autumn 1 | Awareness of self, such as understanding how they are feeling, e.g. selecting objects that they enjoy or recognising what is making them feel angry. Includes emotional understanding and awareness Self awareness |
Autumn 2 | Moderation and control of self, such as thinking before reacting
Accepting others differences Application of coping strategies, such as awareness of change to the structure of the day, |
Spring 1 | Engagement of other people, such as the ability to deal with others in different situations eg in lessons could be individual or group work rules etc
Appropriate greetings, making requests etc Ability to plan and predict outcomes, such as recognising patterns |
Spring 2 | Awareness of self, such as understanding how they are feeling, e.g. selecting objects that they enjoy or recognising what is making them feel angry. Includes emotional understanding and awareness Self awareness, sensory processing, body language Application of coping strategies, such as awareness of change to the structure of the day, |
Summer 1 | Looking after their environment, such as awareness of the wider world Moderation and control of self, such as thinking before reacting
|
Summer 2 | Engagement of other people, such as the ability to deal with others in different situations eg in lessons could be individual or group work rules etc
|