The Value of Speech & Language Therapy In The Early Years: A Look Into Our Schools Service

“The children receiving speech and language therapy from Magic Words are all making great progress and achieving their outcomes. We can see improved self-confidence and even some of our most complex children are visibly communicating more effectively.”

“Having a speech and language therapist available one day a week in a primary school is invaluable.“

Sarah Pearce, SENCO, Heronsgate School

Written by: Magic Words Staff - Andrew Fraser (Marketing Exec), Meghan van der Walt (Specialist Speech & Language Therapist)

At a time when funding is being cut and schools are fighting to find local speech and language support for SEN pupils, more than ever before, we see the value and importance of the work that we do as speech and language therapists. Speech and Language UK is an organisation focused on raising money, developing tools and resources for schools and nurseries, giving advice and guidance to families as well as putting pressure on politicians to enact change. According to their latest study and 5-year strategy, the number of children with speech and language difficulties/differences in the UK has increased to a staggering 1.9 million children - the highest number they have ever recorded.

Here at Magic Words Therapy, we understand the hugely positive impact that speech and language therapy can have on a child’s development. The earlier they can be assessed and start regular therapy sessions focusing on their unique needs, the better the outlook for that child’s future wellbeing and happiness.

In our case, we offer in-person therapy at 7 clinic locations, as well as effective speech and language therapy services to 100+ schools across the South East of England, the Midlands and London - helping thousands of children and young people to shine by removing barriers to their communication development and learning. We carefully structure our sessions to ensure children and young people are stretched enough to learn and develop their speech, language and communication skills - while maintaining the fun and enjoyment that keeps them motivated. Our therapy spaces are laid out in such a way that learning, development and fun always take priority.

One of our specialist Speech and Language Therapists, Meghan van der Walt, spends part of her week working at Heronsgate School in the heart of Walnut Tree, Milton Keynes. Meghan has built a strong rapport, not only with the pupils, but with the headteacher, SENCO, support staff and parents of the children she supports.

Sarah Pearce - SENCO at Heronsgate School has been a huge advocate for the services that Magic Words provides to the pupils at her school. “The children receiving speech and language therapy from Magic Words are all making great progress and achieving their outcomes. We can see improved self-confidence and even some of our most complex children are visibly communicating more effectively.”

We are passionate about our schools service because, time and time again, we see how effective speech and language therapy provision can be when it is prioritised and schools have consistent specialist input from a designated therapist or therapy team.

“Having a speech and language therapist available one day a week in a primary school is invaluable” said Sarah. We can also ensure that our children with EHCPs have a speech and language report for their annual reviews and appropriate outcomes set for their next steps – something that just is not possible with the NHS backlogs.”

On top of supporting pupils individual needs, our therapists aim to also offer schools guidance at a universal, whole school level. Meghan also had the opportunity to speak to Rebecca Styles - Speech, Language & Communication HLTA (Higher Level Teaching Assistant) at Heronsgate School about her experience with our schools service. “Meghan joined us well into the school year, after the long absence of a therapist, and she has fit in like a member of our staff. She is very knowledgeable and obviously cares deeply about the children she works with. In turn I have seen that they are very comfortable with her and have witnessed their confidence and engagement rise, particularly with a non-verbal child, who now does not avoid eye contact with me.”

Our schools service is designed to be flexible to accommodate different budgets and the specific needs of each school and its pupils. When Meghan asked Julie Dankwa - Learning Support Assistant running a SEN classroom at Heronsgate about her experience working closely alongside a Speech and Language Therapist from Magic Words, she had this to say:

“It is so important to have Magic Words Therapy in school because it taps into areas of a child's speech, language and communication development in ways that someone less specialised may not be able to. Meghan is very approachable, and the children warmed to her quite quickly. She is always happy to answer any questions and suggests strategies to help support the children I work with.”

Our therapists are dedicated to offering valuable guidance and support to SENCOs and headteachers at a universal, whole school level. They aim to help embed strategies and techniques that maximise each pupil’s communication potential. Our team of therapists can see pupils individually, in groups or a combination of both and we are proud to offer in-class therapy and joint teaching for pupils experiencing a broad range of speech, language and communication difficulties and differences, including but not limited to: Autism, Situational Mutism, Stammering, DLD, d\Deafness, Speech Sound Difficulties, Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia.

If you or someone you know would be interested to learn more about our schools service here at Magic Words Therapy, head over to our contact page to get in touch – we look forward to hearing from you!

Babbling: A Sign of Communication in the Early Years

‘The nature and amount of babbling and vocal play a baby produces can be an indicator of the later speech, language and communication needs of a child and therefore it plays a vital role in childhood. So it’s definitely something to pay close attention to and encourage!’

By Kate Lewis, Specialist Speech and Language Therapist & Regional Service Lead

From birth, your baby will be using their ‘voice’ in a range of natural sounds, including the very familiar sound of crying. This is your baby’s way of letting you know they want something – they’re communicating with you already!

After this stage, babies typically move on to cooing, then onto a variety of squeals, growls, laughter and generally exploring what their voice can do. When a baby plays with their voice, this is them exploring how their lips and tongue can move around to make different sounds.

At first, there won’t be any clear single words which we could interpret, however all these beautiful gargles and squeals are supporting a child to develop their vocal play, which typically then goes on to develop into strings of babble and then later into words!

Responding to your young baby not only helps them to hear language, developing their understanding or words, but also supports them to learn about the back and forth of conversations. If your baby is making lots of sounds with their voice, it’s a great idea to respond to them in a similar way, e.g. with similar vocal noises. This may feel uncomfortable at first, but your baby is likely to enjoy this back and forth and be motivated to continue to respond. This way, you’re acknowledging your child’s attempts at their exploration and play with their voice, as well as supporting them to develop the understanding of how conversation works in the world.

If you have a young infant, these are some tips and tricks you can use to support their language development:

• Copy and respond to noises that your child makes

• Read books to your child, allowing them to link the spoken words you use to the pictures and start to learn what words mean

• Sing nursery rhymes with your child; children pick up on the pattern of your voice

• As your child gets older, model simple language onto the vocalisations they make, for example, if they babble ‘ca-ca-ca’ while pointing to the toy car, you could say ‘the car!’

The nature and amount of babbling and vocal play a baby produces can be an indicator of the later speech, language and communication needs of a child and therefore it plays a vital role in childhood. So it’s definitely something to pay close attention to and encourage!

If you have any concerns or questions regarding your child’s language development, feel free to get in touch with us and we can see if an assessment into your child’s communication skills would be appropriate.

Taylor Swift themed Speech, Language and Communication Activities Perfect for Swiftie's

Taylor Swift themed Speech, Language and Communication Activities (Magic Words’ Version)

Are you a Swiftie at heart, eager to infuse some Taylor Swift magic into your speech, language, and communication sessions? Or are you working with a keen Swifite and are looking to really engage them? Look no further! We've curated a list of engaging activities that capture the essence of Taylor's music while working on a range of Speech, Language and Communication Skills.

LYRIC ANALYSIS

Use Taylor’s song lyrics to explore language concepts like vocabulary, figurative language, and social pragmatics. Break down lyrics of her songs and discuss the meanings of metaphors, similes, and idioms. This can help individuals develop their understanding of language in context.

SONG PARODIES

Write your very own song parodies based on Taylor Swift's music with your child or client. This activity can support creativity, wordplay, and rhyming skills. You can modify lyrics to reflect your own experiences or therapy goals, making the process personalised and engaging.

ARTICULATION

Choose Taylor Swift songs with repetitive lyrics and use them for articulation practice. Focus on specific speech sounds by practicing articulating the target sounds while singing along to the songs. This can make repetitive drills more enjoyable and motivating.

NARRATIVE BUILDING

Taylor Swift's songs often tell stories. Encourage your child or client to listen to a song and then retell the story in their own words. This can help with sequencing, organising thoughts, and improving storytelling skills.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

Taylor’s music is popular and widely recognised. Use her songs or recent news about her as conversation starters to work on social communication. This can help improve conversational skills, turn-taking, and topic maintenance.

Unmasking Neurodivergence: Acceptance and Building Self-Esteem

By Laura Boutarfa

Magic Words Speech and Language Therapy Apprentice Practitioner

Society expects all people to conform to behavioural norms: unwritten rules that, if broken, cause the person to be labelled as “strange” or “other”. But this idea in and of itself is flawed – we as a human race are a diverse population of different languages, cultures, religions, and values and inherently we are all unique. So, how can we expect all individuals in a society to follow the norm, and who even decides what this norm is? 

For many years, therapies have tried to cure or lessen neurodivergent traits in children and young people. Approaches such as Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) have sought to withhold items from a child in order to get them to complete a task in the way the therapist wants. Often, this will result in the child complying out of fear or a desire to get a certain item, but there is no intrinsic motivation to learn the new skill. As a result, they do not generalise the skill, and in many cases, we see the child in fight or flight mode, ready to escape or attack whenever they feel threatened. Many autistic adults report suffering with PTSD in adulthood because of such therapies.  

Unfortunately, many approaches used with autistic children, or children with other neurodivergences such as ADHD, are deeply rooted in ABA. Sticker charts, work-reward systems, Now and Next boards, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)… all of these involve withholding something the child wants or needs, such as a sensory accommodation, until they do what an adult is demanding of them. We would not withhold physical accommodations such as a wheelchair from a child, so why are we withholding ear defenders, fidgets, or trampolines? 

When we aim from early childhood to make a child appear “less autistic” or “behave normally”, we are feeding into a life-long narrative for them that they are deficient in some way. That they are not enough. This message often becomes internalised and leads to children, especially those with low support needs, masking their neurodivergence to fit in and make friends. And if they cannot mask, they are frequently ostracised from society.  

Neurodivergence does not have to be a disability – society is what makes being neurodivergent a disability, because society is ableist and geared towards neutotypicals, with the onus on neurodivergents to request accommodations and change themselves to fit in with the norm.  

Take away messages:  

Let’s reframe how we talk about neurodivergence from the very beginning – no-one is flawed because of how their brain works. All differences should be accepted and celebrated, and therapy should be person-centred.  

When working with a child or teenager who has a history of masking, let’s work on building self-esteem and exploring unmasking.  

And let’s start talking to all children about the importance of being accepting of all people, regardless of their neurotype. Below are some great TV and book recommendations to start having these conversations at home:   

• "Mister Rogers' Neighbourhood" is a classic children's show that promotes kindness, empathy, and understanding of differences.   

• "How to Be a Superhero Called Self-Control! Superpowers to Help Younger Children to Regulate their Emotions and Senses" by Lauren Brukner - this is a book that provides practical strategies for children to regulate their emotions and senses, which may be helpful for the client.   

• “Young Sheldon” is a TV programme where we see Sheldon’s journey through school and trying to make friends and navigate relationships when he was younger. Young Sheldon never explicitly mentions autism so it’s not specific.   

• “A Kind of Spark” is a CBBC TV show that uses neurodivergent actors.   

• "The Autism Acceptance Book: Being a Friend to Someone with Autism" by Ellen Sabin - this is a children's book that introduces autism and emphasises the importance of acceptance and understanding.   

• "All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome" by Kathy Hoopmann - this is another children's book that uses cats as a metaphor to explain some common traits of people with Asperger's (which is on the autism spectrum).   

• "The Reason I Jump" by Naoki Higashida - this is a memoir written by a young man with autism who shares his experiences and insights.   

• "NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity" by Steve Silberman - this is a comprehensive history of autism and advocacy for neurodiversity.   

• "Sesame Street" has a character named Julia, who is a Muppet with autism. The show has resources available for families and educators to learn about autism and how to support children on the spectrum.   

• "Atypical" is a Netflix series that follows the story of a teenager with autism navigating high school and relationships.   

• "The A Word" is a British TV drama series that depicts a family's journey after their son is diagnosed with autism.   

• "Speechless" is a comedy series that follows the story of a teenager with cerebral palsy and his family.   

• “Pablo” is a TV programme on CBeebies, the characters are voiced by Autistic Actors. There are different characters that portray different aspects of Pablo's personality.    

• “The Big Bang Theory” is a TV programme where one of the characters has a very literal and direct communication style.   

Egg-citing Easter Themed AAC Activities and Ideas for Children

Easter Themed Speech and Language Therapy Activities

By Larisa Vaz

Magic Words Speech and Language Therapist 

As Easter approaches, families are gearing up for festive celebrations. For parents of children who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) methods to communicate, incorporating Easter-themed activities can be both fun and beneficial for language development. AAC encompasses various modes of communication such as communication boards, speech-generating devices, sign language etc. to facilitate communication for individuals with speech differences.

Before heading to the activities, you will need to have the appropriate visuals/ support/ icons in your child’s AAC. Here is how you can do this:

·      Choose vocabulary in advance of the activities that you will be doing. Think about words that are appropriate for your child’s level of understanding. For example, some of the words you can include are "Easter bunny," "egg hunt," "chocolate," and "spring". Make a list of these words. Your child’s speech and language therapist can support you with this.

·      Next, with support from your speech and language therapist, add these words to your child’s AAC. They will be able to guide you on how you can do this depending on the type of AAC your child uses. 

·      Once ready, use the AAC to model language during the following creative and inclusive Easter themed activities:

1. Easter Storytime: Gather Easter-themed books for children. Make sure that you choose books based on your child’s interest and level of understanding. Read the Easter themed stories to them and model words on their AAC devices or communication boards to engage children in storytelling. Model single words, phrases or sentences based on whether your child’s needs. You may need to repeat the story several times on multiple occasions as Easter related vocabulary and concepts can be quite new for many children especially if they’re quite new to using an AAC device. Encourage them to use AAC symbols or buttons to comment on the pictures or story, comment on the emotions, or even request for books of their choice.

2. Easter Egg Hunt: Organize an egg hunt by hiding Easter eggs around the house or garden. Choose Easter eggs of different shapes, sizes, patterns etc. Encourage your child to go around the house or garden with their AAC and use it to comment on the type of egg that they find. You can also use this activity to target prepositions such as ‘under’, ‘in’, ‘next to’ for example, “Red egg was under the table” etc. Model the word ‘help’ if your child is not able to find any of the eggs and need your help.

3. Decorate Easter Eggs: Get creative with Easter egg decorating while incorporating your child’s AAC. Make sure your child’s AAC device is set up and updated with the activity related vocabulary or the words that you intend to target while modelling. Use your child’s AAC to model language while choosing colours that they would like to colour with, patterns or stickers that they would like to use. Encourage them to imitate or comment about the colours, size, or request specific decorating materials.

4. AAC Cooking Activities: Engage children in Easter-themed cooking or baking activities, such as making Easter cookies, Easter eggs or decorating cupcakes. This activity is particularly useful to target various actions such as mixing, cutting, baking etc. Use AAC to model language as you go through the through the steps of the recipe, describe and measure ingredients, and make requests for utensils or ingredients.

5. AAC Egg Painting: Set up a painting station for children to decorate paper or foam egg shapes using paint and brushes. Model language and encourage your child to use their AAC systems to request colours, describe their painting process, and talk about their artwork to other family members.

Incorporating AAC into Easter activities not only promotes language development and communication skills but also fosters inclusivity and engagement for children with speech and language differences. By adapting these Easter activities to accommodate various modes of communication, families can create meaningful experiences that support their children's communication targets while celebrating the joy of the season. Whether it's through storytelling or easter egg hunts, Easter becomes an egg-cellent opportunity for children using AAC to express themselves and participate fully in the festivities.

Diwali Themed Speech and Language Therapy Activities

Diwali Themed Speech and Language Therapy Activities

By Larisa Vaz

Magic Words Speech and Language Therapist 

As the festival of lights, Diwali, fills the air with joy and vibrancy, it presents a wonderful opportunity to infuse speech and language therapy with a touch of cultural celebration. By embracing the spirit of Diwali, speech and language therapists can create engaging and purposeful activities that not only captivate the attention of their clients but also contribute to their speech and language development. Let's explore some Diwali-themed speech and language therapy activities.

1.     Storytelling Diyas

Foster narrative skills by engaging in a storytelling activity centred around Diwali. You can choose any topic for example, the story of Rama and Sita. This activity is fun when done with a group of children. Provide the children with a set of diya-shaped cards, each containing a different story element. Encourage them to take turns selecting cards and weave a cohesive story incorporating the elements they've chosen. This activity not only enhances narrative skills but also encourages creativity and expressive language.

2.     Articulation Rangoli

Transform the traditional art of rangoli into a fun articulation activity. Create a large rangoli outline with various speech sounds written in each section. Choose speech sounds that your child might be working on in speech therapy sessions (your child’s speech and language therapist can help you with this) As children practice their target sounds, they can fill in the corresponding areas with colourful materials like sand, rice, coloured paper or even playdough. This is a fun activity, and your child can also practice speech sounds in a fun way.

3.     Diya Descriptions

Improve your child’s conceptual language skills by helping them describe and compare different types of diyas. Encourage children to use descriptive words such as ‘beautiful’, ‘bright’, ‘shiny’, and ‘colourful’. You can also introduce size-related concepts like ‘big’, ‘small’ and ‘medium’ as well as location-based concepts like ‘near’, ‘far’, etc.

4.     Sweet Sensory Sensations

Dive into the world of sensory exploration with a Diwali sweet tasting activity. Introduce your children to traditional Indian sweets like laddoos, barfis, chum chums, jalebis etc. As they savour the yummy flavours, guide them in expressing what they feel. For example, if your child is savouring a jalebi, you can ask them questions like “Is it crispy or soft?” If they were eating a chum chum, you can ask, “Is it juicy or dry”? This activity not only enhances descriptive language skills but also encourages children to try new tastes and textures.

5.     A Pataakaa (Firecracker) Guessing game

This game requires quite the creativity skills. Adults would need to craft a guessing game related to the different Diwali firecrackers. For example, "I'm bright and loud, in the night sky, I make a sound. What am I?" Encourage children to guess the answer. You can even help them create their own guessing game.

6.     Language Lanterns

Combine creativity and language skills by making Diwali-themed language lanterns. Help children decorate paper lanterns with words related to Diwali such as colours, glitter, decorations etc. As they create their lanterns, encourage them to discuss their choices. For example, “Why did you choose the red colour?” or “Where do you want to put the glitter?” etc. This activity is particularly useful when targeting various ‘Wh’ questions and narrative speech generation.

7.      Multilingual Greetings

Diwali is a festival celebrated across the entire Indian subcontinent and among people from various linguistical backgrounds. Help children embrace the linguistic diversity of Diwali by practicing greetings in various languages spoken during the festival. Create flashcards or a poster with greetings like "Happy Diwali (English)," "Shubh Deepavali (Sanskrit)," or “Deepavali Shubhashayagalu (Kannada)." This activity promotes multicultural language exposure.

8.     Diya Dot Art

Engage young learners in a Diya dot art activity. Provide them with a diya made from clay or any other material. You can also use a black and white picture of a diya. You will also need colourful dot markers. These can be colouring paints in tubes or even sketch pens. As children they dot along the diya, encourage them to name the colours they're using, fostering colour concepts. You can also mix some colours and use the mixed colours to colour the diya.

9.     Singing Diwali Rhymes

Introduce Diwali-themed nursery rhymes or songs to young children. If you are looking for some, there are various ones available on the internet. For example, you can find rhymes like "Diwali Twinkle Twinkle" or "I am a little diya."Sing together and incorporate gestures or simple dance moves. This activity promotes language development and imitation skills.

These tailored Diwali-themed activities for young children aim to make speech and language therapy both educational and enjoyable. By integrating play, creativity, and cultural elements, therapists and adults working with children can create a positive and engaging learning environment for their little learners.

Halloween Themed Speech Therapy Activities

Halloween Themed Speech Therapy Activities

By Larisa Vaz

Magic Words Speech and Language Therapist 

As the leaves change colour and the air becomes crisper, it can mean only one thing: Halloween is just around the corner. This spooktacular holiday offers an excellent opportunity for speech therapists to engage their young clients in fun and educational activities. Halloween-themed speech therapy activities are not only a blast for kids but can also be incredibly effective in improving speech and language skills. Let's delve into some ghoulishly good ideas to enhance communication while embracing the Halloween spirit.

1. Pumpkin Patch Pronunciation

Create a "pumpkin patch" with paper pumpkins, each displaying a different word with a specific speech sound. For example, if your child is not able to say the ‘s’ sound, you can use words beginning with ‘s’ such as sun, soap, etc. Children can choose a pumpkin, say the word correctly, and place it in their "basket." This hands-on approach helps practice their articulation skills while having a pumpkin-tastic time.

2. Monster Mouth Movement

Encourage children to create their very own "monster mouths" using construction paper and markers. Then, have them describe their monsters in detail. This activity is fantastic for improving expressive language skills, as kids describe their monster's features and characteristics.

3. Spooky Storytelling

Gather around a "campfire" (a flickering LED candle will do) and encourage kids to tell spooky stories. You can set up various topics like a spooky house story or a ghost story. This activity helps children develop their narrative and descriptive language skills while fostering creativity and imagination.

4. Zombie Pronoun Play

Use zombie-themed visuals to work on pronouns. Place zombies in different locations and have children describe where they are using pronouns like "he," "she," or "they." This activity helps reinforce pronoun usage while adding a fun, creepy twist.

5. Vocabulary Costume Party

Host a vocabulary costume party where each child dresses up as a word they've learned. They can explain their chosen word's meaning and use it in a sentence, helping to reinforce vocabulary and expressive language skills.

6. Ghastly Guess the Sound

Fill containers with various Halloween-themed items, such as candy, small toys, or even spooky sound recordings. Kids can listen to the sounds, guess what's inside, and practice their expressive language skills by describing the item or sound.

7. Witch's Brew Word Blending

Create a pretend witch's brew by blending Halloween-themed words. Children can combine words like "spider" and "web" to make "spiderweb" and describe what the concoction does. This activity enhances phonological awareness and word blending skills.

8. Monster Emotion Matching

Use pictures of friendly monsters displaying different emotions. Children can match the monster to the corresponding emotion card, describe why they think the monster feels that way, and talk about times they've felt the same emotions.

9. Trick-or-Treat Articulation

Incorporate speech sounds into a trick-or-treat game. Place candy or small toys in a bag with pictures or words containing the target sound. Children take turns drawing an item from the bag and practice saying it correctly before receiving their "treat."

10. Witchy Word Puzzles

Create word puzzles, like crossword puzzles or word searches, using Halloween-themed vocabulary. Kids can have a blast solving the puzzles while expanding their vocabulary and word recognition skills.

11. Spider Web Speech Sounds

Draw a spider web on a whiteboard or paper, with different speech sounds at various points. Children can take turns throwing a sticky toy spider onto the web and practicing the speech sound it lands on. It's a fun way to work on your child’s articulation skills.

12. Jack-o'-Lantern Categories

Carve a pumpkin with various category labels, such as "animals," "fruits," or "colours." Children can name items that belong to each category, expanding their sorting and categorization skills.

13. Mummy Memory Game

Create a memory game using Halloween-themed cards. Players take turns flipping over two cards, describing what they see, and trying to find matching pairs. This game helps memory, concentration, and descriptive language skills.

Halloween-themed speech therapy activities not only make learning more engaging but also instil a sense of excitement and enthusiasm in children. By incorporating these spine-tingling exercises into your speech therapy sessions, you can help kids develop essential communication skills while enjoying the magic of Halloween. So, embrace the spirit of the season and watch your young learners become spellbound by the world of speech and language.

Speech Therapy Activities You Can Do On Your Holidays

By Larisa Vaz

Magic Words Speech and Language Therapist

Summer holidays are the perfect time for relaxation and fun, but that doesn't mean you have to put learning on hold! For children who are receiving speech therapy, the summer break provides an excellent opportunity to incorporate enjoyable activities that can help improve speech and language skills. These interactive and engaging speech therapy activities will not only boost communication abilities but also make learning a delightful experience. So, let's dive into some exciting activities that can be easily incorporated into your summer holidays.

1. Nature Scavenger Hunt.

Head outdoors for a nature scavenger hunt to explore the beauty of the summer season whilst working on their speech and language skills. Create a list of items for them to find (e.g., red flower, smooth rock, tall tree). For a child who is working on their speech skills, you can create a list of words beginning with a speech sound that they are working on, for example ‘b’ and practice these words. For a child that has difficulties with language, encourage the child to describe what they see using sentences that include descriptive words, e.g. ‘I see a fluttery butterfly’ or ‘there’s a shiny silver car’. This activity promotes vocabulary expansion and encourages communication through observation and description.

2. Beach Ball Articulation

Grab a beach ball and write different speech sounds or words containing target sounds on to its sections. Toss the ball to each participant, and when they catch it, they have to say the sound or word closest to their thumb. This interactive game makes speech sound practice enjoyable and can be done at the beach, in the park, or even in the garden.

3. Summer Themed Board Games

Board games like "Beach Ball Bingo," "Ocean Adventure Charades," or "Summer Charades" can make speech therapy more exciting during the summer break. These games incorporate speech and language therapy activities in a playful and fun-filled way while also keeping children motivated and engaged while they practice their communication skills.

4. Water Balloon Phonics

Combine water play with phonics practice! This game can be used while playing with children who are just learning phonics. Write letters or words on water balloons. When tossing the balloons, the children have to say the sound or word they catch. For added fun, use water guns to pop the balloons and then create sentences with the words they have collected.

5. DIY Storybooks

Encourage children to create their own summer-themed storybooks with colourful illustrations and narratives. Using this activity, children can work on speech and language skills by writing stories and narrating the plots that they've come up with. This activity fosters creativity and storytelling skills

6. Summer Recipe Book

Create a summer recipe book together. This is a very fun activity and can be done with small groups of children and will have to be led by an adult. Let each child contribute a favourite ingredient, recipe or a description of a summer treat they enjoy. You can create new recipes by having each child choose an ingredient or use a well-loved summer recipe. Create a list of ingredients and follow the recipe based on the instructions. This activity encourages thinking skills, following instructions, sequencing skills, and expressive language. It also creates a multisensory learning experience for the children.

7. Picture Postcards

During summer vacations or outings, encourage children to take photos or draw pictures of their adventures or things or places they have seen. Later, they can turn these images into picture postcards and write short messages on the back. You can also use this opportunity to talk about the various things that you see in the postcard for example, Name all the colours you can see on the postcard. This activity reinforces thinking skills, creativity and writing skills.

8. Outdoor Story Chain

This is a super fun activity to have while at a picnic or camp and can be done with a group of children. Sit in a circle outdoors and start a story with a single sentence. Each child then takes turns adding a sentence to continue the narrative. The larger the group of kids, the better the story gets. This activity promotes creative thinking, turn taking skills, and storytelling skills.

Summer holidays don't have to be a break from speech therapy progress. By incorporating these fun and interactive activities into your summer break, you can continue to work on speech and language skills while having a blast. Whether it's playing with beach balls, going on scavenger hunts, or creating DIY storybooks, these activities will not only enhance communication abilities but also create lasting memories. So, let this summer be an exciting journey of learning and growth for speech therapy participants of all ages.

If you have any queries about using these activities, please contact your child’s speech therapist. They will help you to use these activities to support and individualise these activities based on your child’s needs.

Unmasking Neurodivergence

By Laura Boutarfa

Magic Words Speech and Language Therapy Apprentice Practitioner

Society expects all people to conform to behavioural norms: unwritten rules that, if broken, cause the person to be labelled as “strange” or “other”. But this idea in and of itself is flawed – we as a human race are a diverse population of different languages, cultures, religions, and values and inherently we are all unique. So, how can we expect all individuals in a society to follow the norm, and who even decides what this norm is? 

For many years, therapies have tried to cure or lessen neurodivergent traits in children and young people. Approaches such as Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) have sought to withhold items from a child in order to get them to complete a task in the way the therapist wants. Often, this will result in the child complying out of fear or a desire to get a certain item, but there is no intrinsic motivation to learn the new skill. As a result, they do not generalise the skill, and in many cases, we see the child in fight or flight mode, ready to escape or attack whenever they feel threatened. Many autistic adults report suffering with PTSD in adulthood because of such therapies.  

Unfortunately, many approaches used with autistic children, or children with other neurodivergences such as ADHD, are deeply rooted in ABA. Sticker charts, work-reward systems, Now and Next boards, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)… all of these involve withholding something the child wants or needs, such as a sensory accommodation, until they do what an adult is demanding of them. We would not withhold physical accommodations such as a wheelchair from a child, so why are we withholding ear defenders, fidgets, or trampolines? 

When we aim from early childhood to make a child appear “less autistic” or “behave normally”, we are feeding into a life-long narrative for them that they are deficient in some way. That they are not enough. This message often becomes internalised and leads to children, especially those with low support needs, masking their neurodivergence to fit in and make friends. And if they cannot mask, they are frequently ostracised from society.  

Neurodivergence does not have to be a disability – society is what makes being neurodivergent a disability, because society is ableist and geared towards neutotypicals, with the onus on neurodivergents to request accommodations and change themselves to fit in with the norm.  

Take away messages:  

Let’s reframe how we talk about neurodivergence from the very beginning – no-one is flawed because of how their brain works. All differences should be accepted and celebrated, and therapy should be person-centred.  

When working with a child or teenager who has a history of masking, let’s work on building self-esteem and exploring unmasking.  

And let’s start talking to all children about the importance of being accepting of all people, regardless of their neurotype. Below are some great TV and book recommendations to start having these conversations at home:   

• "Mister Rogers' Neighbourhood" is a classic children's show that promotes kindness, empathy, and understanding of differences.   

• "How to Be a Superhero Called Self-Control! Superpowers to Help Younger Children to Regulate their Emotions and Senses" by Lauren Brukner - this is a book that provides practical strategies for children to regulate their emotions and senses, which may be helpful for the client.   

• “Young Sheldon” is a TV programme where we see Sheldon’s journey through school and trying to make friends and navigate relationships when he was younger. Young Sheldon never explicitly mentions autism so it’s not specific.   

• “A Kind of Spark” is a CBBC TV show that uses neurodivergent actors.   

• "The Autism Acceptance Book: Being a Friend to Someone with Autism" by Ellen Sabin - this is a children's book that introduces autism and emphasises the importance of acceptance and understanding.   

• "All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome" by Kathy Hoopmann - this is another children's book that uses cats as a metaphor to explain some common traits of people with Asperger's (which is on the autism spectrum).   

• "The Reason I Jump" by Naoki Higashida - this is a memoir written by a young man with autism who shares his experiences and insights.   

• "NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity" by Steve Silberman - this is a comprehensive history of autism and advocacy for neurodiversity.   

• "Sesame Street" has a character named Julia, who is a Muppet with autism. The show has resources available for families and educators to learn about autism and how to support children on the spectrum.   

• "Atypical" is a Netflix series that follows the story of a teenager with autism navigating high school and relationships.   

• "The A Word" is a British TV drama series that depicts a family's journey after their son is diagnosed with autism.   

• "Speechless" is a comedy series that follows the story of a teenager with cerebral palsy and his family.   

• “Pablo” is a TV programme on CBeebies, the characters are voiced by Autistic Actors. There are different characters that portray different aspects of Pablo's personality.    

• “The Big Bang Theory” is a TV programme where one of the characters has a very literal and direct communication style.   

So, what is an EHCP anyway?

By Helen Croucher

Magic Words Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

If a professional has said your child may benefit from an EHCP, or if your child has special educational needs (SEN), this post is for you!

The other day I was working with a child with significant speech, language, and communication needs, who has just got an Education and Health Care Plan, or EHCP for short. His Mum told me that now she has the document in her hand, the main thing she feels is relief. Relief that it is done, and reassurance that her child can access the coordinated support they desperately need. She told me with a sigh that it had been a learning curve applying for the EHCP, which was daunting and stressful at times. Now she is at the end of the process, she is still getting to grips with everything involved and learning where to get help when needed. She is not alone in feeling like this. In March 2022, the government’s review of the national SEND provision found that families across the country are finding it challenging to navigate our SEND system. This inspired me to write a post to help families starting their EHCP journey, and hopefully answer some initial questions families may have.

So, what is an EHCP anyway?

An Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document describing the special education, health and care needs of the child or young person relating to their disability or differences. It outlines all the extra help, care and support they will need to access learning.

How do I know if my child needs one?

If your child has significant, long-term difficulties affecting their health and learning and has been assessed as needing additional support, they may meet the criteria for an EHCP. Usually, the child’s education setting or a healthcare professional will discuss with you if they think your child may benefit from one. Your child’s education setting should have tried all available resources to support your child first before considering an EHCP.

What is the benefit of having an EHCP?

An EHCP outlines a child or young person’s current needs and what exactly is needed to meet their needs. It may include specific input, for example, that the child needs 10 hours of direct speech and language therapy a year. It may help inform school placement (e.g.: whether a mainstream or specialist setting is more appropriate). How successful an EHCP is in practice depends on how specific it is regarding the amount of care needed, what the care should look like, what training is needed etc., plus how it is delivered in the setting. It’s important that EHCPs are reviewed regularly to make sure they reflect the child’s changing needs. This is done via annual reviews of their progress every 12 months minimum.

How do I apply for one?

There are 2 ways:

1.  Directly via your local authority: 

https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/extra-SEN-help

2.     Ask your child’s school or nursery to apply on your behalf

What is the process?

The process may vary slightly from one local authority to another, but the general process is:

1.     Gather evidence and apply it either directly or via your child’s education setting.

2.     Send reports or assessments from your child’s speech and language therapist, education setting, and other professionals involved, plus information from the parent or carer.

3.     The local authority acknowledge receipt and will pass the application to the “panel”. The panel decide if an EHCP will be made for your child. It may include professionals from the following areas.

·       Special Educational Needs (SEN) Team

·       Educational Psychology (EP) Service

·       Specialist Teaching and Advice Service

·       Local mainstream, special schools or further education providers

·       Social care

You should know within 16 weeks if an EHCP will be made for your child. If the application isn’t accepted you can challenge the decision or gather more evidence to reapply.

4.     If accepted, your child will be allocated a SEND caseworker. The SEND caseworker will ask professionals involved to assess your child, outline their strengths and needs, and document the exact care needed to meet these needs.

5.     The SEND caseworker will compile the information and results into a draft document and send this out to you to review around 14 weeks into the process.

6.     Parents and carers need to review the content and respond to the draft within 15 days.

7.     Once parents/carers have approved it, the document will be finalised and distributed to all involved.

How long does it take?

Approximately 20 weeks from application to finalised EHCP.

How can Magic Words Therapy help?

We support hundreds of children with speech and language therapy specified in their EHCPs in a range of settings across London, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridge, Birmingham, and Northamptonshire. We help families by:

-        Helping them navigate the application process

-        Signposting to resources and information

-        Consulting with professionals supporting your child

-        Providing detailed assessments and reports for the application and EHCP writing process

-        Delivering quality and tailored speech and language therapy as specified in individuals’ EHCPS, when the local authority cannot provide it.

-        Providing second opinions and medico-legal reports for challenges to the EHCP and for tribunals

Contact Magic Words Therapy to discuss your child’s individual needs and how we can help.

Useful links and resources

• Your local authority website

•  https://www.ipsea.org.uk/pages/category/education-health-and-care-plans

• https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/extra-SEN-help