1st Edition
Inclusive Teamwork for Pupils with Speech, Language and Communication Needs
This book provides a rationale for teaching inclusive teamwork and for understanding communication as a collective endeavour. It shows how teamwork can be taught within schools and emphasises the role that classmates have in facilitating good communication, particularly in the face of difficulty.
Grounded in evidence from hours of therapy and analysis of children’s accounts of communication and children’s interactions with their peers, the book explores the components of teamwork by looking carefully at the way schoolchildren really interact. It draws on research from the fields of education, psychology and speech and language therapy to propose the framework for a programme suitable for children aged 7 to 14 years, designed to include pupils with speech, language and communication needs. The programme includes activities, a set of criteria to use as an outcome measure and examples of the way that children and young people have responded in practice. In using the inclusive teamwork programme outlined in this book, teachers have the potential to support all children in developing rapport, effective communication and problem-solving skills.
Providing a framework designed to meet the needs of all learners, this book will be highly relevant reading for students of education, speech and language therapy and educational psychology, as well as speech and language therapists and practitioners in the field of education.
Introduction
Researching children’s views of communication
The value of inclusive teamwork
Outline of chapters
References
Chapter One: Communication as a collective endeavour
The shared task of teachers and speech and language therapists
A public health approach to communication
Communication as a shared responsibility
References
Chapter Two: Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) through children’s eyes
Children’s top priorities
Types of communication difficulty
Social skills programmes
Being included
References
Chapter Three: Learning within relationships
Learning to think
Learning to talk
Learning to get on
The role of the teacher
References
Chapter Four: Mental health and experiences of participation
Social connectedness
Communication difficulty and mental health
Positive interaction as protective
Participation and health
References
Chapter Five: The dimensions of inclusive teamwork
Enjoy
Understand
Achieve
Children’s awareness of inclusive teamwork
Motivation
References
Chapter Six: A framework for teaching inclusive teamwork
Timescales and participants
Facilitating inclusive teamwork
A measure of inclusive teamwork
Inclusive teamwork activities
Final reflections
References
Biography
Rosalind Merrick is a speech and language therapist and psychologist, specialising in work with children with speech, language and communication needs in mainstream schools. She has a PhD in Children’s Views and Speech and Language Therapy.
Based on Rosalind’s extensive experience as a psychologist, teacher and therapist, this very readable book does more than make a compelling, evidence-backed case for the role of teamwork in improving children’s communication; it provides a flexible programme of practical and creative activities to support teachers to make teamwork part of their everyday classroom practice.
Rob Webster, Associate Professor, Centre for Inclusive Education, UCL Institute of Education
"An excellent book published at a very important time - a must-have for all those working in the field of SEND. This book not only explores the speech and language difficulties that children and young people may have but it also gives ideas, strategies and activities that will support inclusive teamwork."
Lorraine Petersen OBE, Educational Consultant
