Press release – 25th March 2014

Celebrating Talk Boost’s 2nd Birthday: Over 10,000 children helped to improvetheir language skills

Talk Boost, the language intervention from I CAN, the children’s communication charity, and The Communication Trust is celebrating its second birthday this week (30th March). Since its launch in 2012, Talk Boost has reached over 1000 primary schools nationwide - training more than 1500 teachers and teaching assistants to support over 10,000 children aged 4 to 7 years with delayed language.

Talk Boost, developed by I CAN and The Communication Trust, is a targeted intervention which supports language-delayed children aged 4-7 years to make significant progress with their communication skills. Through targeted work, Talk Boost can help pupils improve their communication skills by 9-18 months following the 10-week intervention – on average over three times the ‘normal’ rate of progress.General classroom communication skills have also been shown to improve following the programme.

Research shows that in some deprived areas in the UK, up to 50% of children start primary school without the speech, language and communication skills they need to learn, achieve and make friends. However, if these children are identified early and supported properly they are ablecatch up to their peers.

Virginia Beardshaw, I CAN Chief Executive said, “We are thrilled to be celebrating the second birthday of Talk Boost. Talk Boost has been shown to make a real difference to children’ language –and so in their reading, writing and numeracy. Over 10,000 children nationwide who will have been struggling to understand and contribute in class will now have the skills and confidence to participate. This intervention will directly impact on these children’s attainment. Schools can access Talk Boost with their pupil premium and will find this programme closes the gap between disadvantaged children and their peers.”

Anne Fox, The Communication Trust Director said, “Talk Boostcan also support schools to effectively identify children’s language and communication difficulties, which is really important, though can be difficult impacting on progress and attainment. As we look forward to the implementation of the Code of Practice for supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in September, it will be even more important for schools to have the skills to identify children who are struggling with language and put effective interventions in place to support them.We hope that many more schools will choose to train their staff in Talk Boost and make a difference for children with language delay.”

For more information about Talk Boost, visit

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For more information, pictures and interviews , please contact Emma Selim, I CAN Senior Press and PR Officer on or 0207 843 2543.

Notes to Editors

About I CAN:

  • I CAN is the children’s communication charity. or
  • We are experts in helping children develop the speech, language and communication skills they need to thrive in a 21st century world.
  • Nobody wants a child’s potential to be wasted. It happens because communication difficulties are not visible, often mistaken for something else, or not noticed at all.
  • I CAN’s missionis that no child should be left out or left behind because of a difficulty speaking or understanding.
  • We do this through:

-Sharing our expertise and knowledge to increase awareness of communication difficulties and inform policy making.

-Providing resources and information for parents, families and people who work with children.

-Providing assessments for children so that their families know what support will meet their needs.

-Giving teachers and professionals working with children the skills to help children who struggle through our evidence-based programmes.

At the very heart of I CAN are our two special schools which give expert care andeducation to children with problems so severe their needs cannot be met elsewhere.

About The Communication Trust

  • The Communication Trust is a coalition of nearly 50 leading voluntary sector and community-based organisations with expertise in speech, language and communication
  • We support the children’s workforce and commissioners to meet the speech, language and communication needs of all children and young people
  • We do this by raising awareness, influencing policy, promoting best practice among the children’s workforce and commissioning work from our members.
  • In 2011 the Trust ran the Hello campaign (national year of communication) in partnership with Jean Gross in her role as the Government’s Communication Champion for children.
  • The Trust works extensively with partners including the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT), Achievement for All, Council for Disabled Children, Early Support Programme and specialists across early years, schools and youth justice.
  • For more information, visit