Communicating Phonics - The Communication Trust

Communicating PhonicsSection 4 > Different types of speech, language and communication needs > Children with specific receptive language impairmentChildren with specific receptive language impairmentAlso known as SRLI and Receptive language disorderGeneral informationSpecific receptive language impairment (SRLI) is aspecific difficulty in understanding and learninglanguage which can’t be explained in terms ofanother factor such as social, emotional, behavioural,educational, physical or sensory difficulties, hearingloss, global developmental delay or autism. SRLI is a‘persistent’ or long-term difficulty in understandingspoken language.Features include:• Language levels on standardised checks are significantly belowage level• The child may have good non-verbal ability, but can’tunderstand or use spoken language at an age appropriate level• Difficulties learning language incidentally, meaning they needspecific teaching to understand and use words, grammaticalsentences and narrativesHelping to access the phonics screening checkPossible issuesMany children with SRLI have veryslow processingUnderstanding instructions maybe difficult. Words like ‘before’,‘imaginary creatures’ and‘practice’ may not be understoodand may confuseWays to helpThey should be given as long asnecessary to respond to a wordand may require longer than 10secondsWhen giving instructions forthe check use short sentencesand reduce the use of complexlanguage as much as possibleInstructions should beaccompanied by gesture and/orsigning, demonstration, pointingand non-verbal reassurance andencouragement23