Literacy Framework – Oracy across the curriculum

Assessment support for learners with additional learning needs

Column: Routes for Learning (RfL) routemap

Indicative summary
Learners working on the RfL routemap have a growing awareness that they can affect the actions of others by using their own repertoire of communicative behaviours. They demonstrate an interest in what others do and in sharing information with them.
(When learners are working on the progression statements shown here you should refer closely to the Routes for Learning materials.)
Communicates choice to attentive adult [RfL 37]
Assessment activities/things to try / Things to look for
Offer two items simultaneously. Observe the learner closely for obvious or increased attention to one of the items which communicates his/her preference. / Look for:
• smiling
• eye pointing
• reaching
• turning towards a preferred item.
Teaching strategies (to move learner to this step)
Offer a preferred item alongside a non-preferred item. If there is no clear response to the preferred item, either move it, bring it closer, or make it make a noise to attract the learner’s sustained attention. Try this with a variety of objects and situations.
Shared attention [RfL 40]
Assessment activities/things to try / Things to look for
Point to an item in the distance. Does the learner looks towards the item then back at the adult?
Move to music. Does the learner join in with similar movement?
Stroke a dog. Does the learner also touch the dog and smile at the adult?
The learner should join the adult in attending to a stimulus, confirming the attention of the adult visually throughout. / Look for the learner gaining attention of an adult, for example:
·  looking towards or indicating a stimulus and then looking back to the adult
·  stilling to a sound, or moving to music, and then looking back to the adult
·  touching an item and then feeling for the adult’s hand.
Look for the learner showing pleasure in sharing, or trying to ‘comment’ on the item.
Teaching strategies (to move learner to this step)
Teach shared attention by prompting the learner (verbally or with touch) to look at, listen to, or feel an item of adult choice, then to attend to the adult and the item in turn.
Take the opportunity to share a stimulus to which the learner is attending. Encourage attention to the stimulus and then the adult in turn. This is key for all future communication.
Communicates ‘more’/’no more’ through two different consistent actions [RfL 28]
Assessment activities/things to try / Things to look for
Observe the learner’s reactions to a less preferred activity or food, etc. Note the actions which may indicate ‘no more’. This should be distinct from the action used to indicate ‘more’. / Look for a response which may indicate ‘no more’; for example, eyes closing, turning away, closing of the mouth. Reinforce and build upon this, responding consistently on every occasion.
Teaching strategies (to move learner to this step)
Note even a slight response or change in expression to an activity which the learner wishes to end. Reinforce and shape this behaviour by saying or co-actively signing ‘finished/no more’ and clearly finishing the activity.
Changes behaviour in response to interesting event nearby [RfL 25]
Assessment activities/things to try / Things to look for
Introduce a second toy/stimulus/adult/peer nearby while the learner is engaged in an activity. / Look for the learner ‘noticing’ a second event/stimulus and reacting or changing behaviour; for example, by turning, attending or vocalising.
Teaching strategies (to move learner to this step)
Introduce a second activity – draw the learner’s attention to it (e.g. an adult or peer entering the room)
Initiates social game [RfL 33]
Assessment activities/things to try / Things to look for
Try pausing in an established routine; as the learner requests ‘more’ (as in RfL 22), continue to delay the response. Build on this, by approaching the learner and waiting for him/her to initiate a game. / Look for the learner attempting to initiate a game through a signal used in 30 or by other means.
Teaching strategies (to move learner to this step)
Use an established routine of a social game, pause, and then wait for the action to be repeated. Lengthen the delay, encouraging the learner to persevere.
Prompt the learner to initiate a game and respond to this; for example, the learner knocks a toy off the table and then attracts attention to get it back.

Column: A steps

Indicative summary
Learners working on ‘A steps’ show differentiated responses to people, situations and objects. They use and respond to body language, gestures and contextual clues, and are increasingly recognising and using signs, symbols and/or words when these are linked closely to familiar activities.

Aspect: SPEAKING

Give a symbol/picture as a ‘token’ for a desired item (doesn’t distinguish representation)
Assessment activities/things to try / Things to look for
Choose carefully a highly preferred item, prepare a symbol or picture.
Try increasing the distance between the learner and the symbol. / The learner gives the symbol or picture in order to get the item. (The learner ‘gives in order to get’ but may not particularly look at or recognise the symbol or picture).
The learner ‘travels’ to fetch and then give the symbol when it is not in their immediate vicinity.
Teaching strategies (to move learner to this step)
The Picture Exchange Communication System, or ‘PECS’ , is a highly structured approach to teaching learners to communicate with symbols or pictures. PECS provides very detailed procedures to support learners to achieve this step, which is PECS Phase 1. Ideally, the whole staff team should attend PECS training, to ensure that it is implemented in a consistent and effective way.
Point to a desired item or item of interest (that is visible but out of reach) and vocalise
Assessment activities/things to try / Things to look for
Place items known to be favourites of the learner in a variety of locations where they can be seen but not independently reached.
Observe how the learner communicates in more naturalistic situations. / The learner gains the adult’s attention then points or clearly eye-points to indicate the item. Whilst doing so they vocalise. (This may sound like an appropriate word).
The learner uses pointing and/or eye-pointing accompanied by vocalisation(s).
Teaching strategies (to move learner to this step)
This is an enhancement of ‘shared attention’, (item 40 on the Routes for Learning routemap). Here, the learner is proactive and uses a specific point or eye-point, accompanied by some form of vocalisation (which might be a word) to manage the interaction. Using a similar approach to that mentioned above, confirm that you have understood their intention and extend their focus to a key word and sign, by saying/signing, e.g. “You want the book”, or “Yes, it is a balloon”.
(N.B. it is well-known that learners with autistic spectrum disorder may not ‘initiate’ shared attention in this way. They may learn to ask for items that are not present – for instance, using PECS (see below), but may not learn to point things out merely to share an interest in them with another person.)
Use a combination of gestures and more formal communication (signs/speech) to seek attention, to say ‘no’ and to satisfy needs
Assessment activities/things to try / Things to look for
Provide appropriate opportunities in contexts across the curriculum and in situations throughout the school day. / The learner’s communicative repertoire includes some words or signs but they still rely on whole-body communication and gestures, often as the primary mode, with vocalisation being secondary.
Teaching strategies (to move learner to this step)
Carefully observe the learner’s responses and find out how they communicate when in other environments – especially at home. Look for the learner continuing to use any of the following:
·  Taps/pulls an adult or turns an adult’s head to gain their attention
·  Sits down/refuses to move to indicate ‘no’
·  Reaches or points towards items they want
·  Shows or takes item to an adult as a signal
·  Takes an adult’s hand and places it on item to make it work (e.g. door handle)
·  Nods and/or shakes head for ‘yes’/’no’
·  Waves to greet familiar person
Don’t try to stop learners using these successful but ‘informal’ ways of communicating, but do try to help them link these with more ‘formal’ means (speech and signing), e.g. by saying and signing, “Ah, I see, ‘open the door’ ”, as you respond.
Use a few very familiar words/signs or symbols
Assessment activities/things to try / Things to look for
Provide appropriate opportunities in contexts across the curriculum and in situations throughout the school day.
Carefully observe the learner’s responses and find out what they might use to communicate in other environments – especially at home. / The learner’s vocalisations and/or signs are clear enough to be understood as (representing) specific words by those who know them well.
and
The word(s) and/or signs the learner uses are produced in appropriate contexts.
and/or
The learner gives a symbol as a token to obtain a highly desired item (see below) in more than one very structured context.
The learner uses a (combined) total of at least 10 different words, signs and/or symbols.
Teaching strategies (to move learner to this step)
Most learners will use a combination of vocalisations, gestures, signs and symbols. It is very important to focus on what they communicate and respond to it rather than try to make them use a specific mode (e.g. sign, rather than gesture).
Learners need to have the opportunity to learn words, signs and symbols in a range of appropriate contexts. They are more likely to do this if the staff team speak clearly, use simple phrases and focus initially on a small vocabulary of key words. Key words are those which carry information. For instance in the phrase “I’m going home now”, the key words are “go” and “home”). These words can be emphasised by signing and can also be linked with symbols which can be used for labelling and recording.
Some learners (especially those with autistic spectrum disorder, or who find it difficult to produce signs) may be more inclined to manipulate and exchange a symbol than use a sign.
A ‘personal communication passport’ is a ‘person-centred’ approach to recording learners’ preferred ‘modes’ of communication, as well as what interests them and their likes and dislikes. Where learners have communication difficulties an accurate ‘passport’ ensures that all those who interact with the learner do so consistently.
Makaton is a well-established approach to helping learners to develop communication, using signs and symbols. (Find out more about using signing with Makaton and Signalong).
Communicate clearly enough for an adult who knows them well to interpret what they mean
Assessment activities/things to try / Things to look for
When the learner has attempted to express something but the adult is uncertain about the learner’s meaning. / The learner persists, and helps to repair any misunderstanding by:
·  giving a clear ‘no’ response (using body language, signing or vocalisation),
·  repeating, modifying, or trying a new communicative action.
·  giving a clear ‘yes’ response when their meaning is understood.
Teaching strategies (to move learner to this step)
Whatever their means of communication may be, there will inevitably be occasions when a learner’s communicative intention is not immediately clear. Although the learner might not articulate words or signs very clearly, they should know that the adults in their learning environment expect them to keep trying and will facilitate them until they are understood.
Try asking the learner simple yes/no questions supported by signing, or point to possible objects, or people, that the learner might mean. Celebrate when the interaction is successful. These skills build upon RfL Routemap item 43 (‘Exerting autonomy’) and items 31, 38 and 42 (which relate to problem-solving) but are in the context of a communicative interaction which they have initiated.
Copy actions in simple action games (e.g. Simon says..), attempting an action of some kind when adult uses only words
Assessment activities/things to try / Things to look for
Try playing a game such as ‘Simon says’ using a range of different actions. When the learner is ‘warmed up’ and you are sure they are following the actions and words, say ‘Simon says, e.g. stand up/sit down’ but without the accompanying gesture or action. / The learner attempts an action at an appropriate moment which is suitable to the context of a game, song or rhyme.
Although the learner may copy the actions they see you or other learners making, they are also beginning to select actions according to the words that are used.
Teaching strategies (to move learner to this step)
Music provides important clues which support communication. When used routinely, contrasting rhythms, tunes, and rhymes all help learners to recognise contexts associated with words and help them to predict when a particular word can be used. Vocalisation is more likely to occur as an accompaniment to an action. Therefore, learners should experience a wide range of action songs and rhymes throughout the school day with encouragement to join in – both with the actions and the words.

Aspect: LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING