Languages, Literacy and Communication

In school we focus on oracy, writing and reading. 

Oracy at home

With your child, you can work on their communication through their PECs book. Below I have attached some of your child's favourite choices in school. Encourage them to exchange a symbol as a 'token' for a desired item. If at home they are making the exchange confidently, begin to introduce two symbols for discrimination. For instance, show your child a sock and foam. Hopefully your child will rather the foam! The purpose is to have 1 motivating item and 1 not so motivating. Place the matching symbols in front of your child and wait for them to make the exchange for the foam. You can model this with another adult at home. This can be achieved during play, work and mealtimes. Only move on to discrimination if your child is confident making an exchange independently.

Writing at home

Mark making activities are useful to develop your child's fine motor skills. Prior to encouraging our pupils to use pens and crayons etc, it is important that they can isolate their fingers to make marks in materials, e.g. using their fingers to trace in sand. You will have lots of useful materials you can complete this activity with in your cupboards, e.g. flour, porridge. 

However, this does not mean that your child can't access writing tools, it is great to encourage them to explore these tools using paper etc. 

Reading at home

Reading is a great activity to do with your child regularly. Practise turn-taking skills through turning pages, choosing books from a collection and/or holding the books, maybe exploring tactile books. Whilst you are reading the book, point to the pictures and ask questions, e.g. "Where is the bear" or just state facts in the book "There is the bear!". Always allow opportunities for your child to manipulate the book or allow them time to focus their attention on the pages/pictures in the book.