Language Support - Communication Interaction Team

How we can help you

The CIT Language Team supports children with Speech, Language, and Communication Needs (SLCN) as well as children, at a more specialist level, with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) as part of the graduated approach to inclusion.

Currently, there is one Language Advisory Teacher in the Communication Interaction Team to advise on support for children with speech language and communication needs.

How the CIT Language Team supports primary schools

• advice and support
• observations and some assessments of children's language (receptive and expressive) needs
• signposting to, and giving advice on, strategies and resources
• support with transition at key stages

The CIT Language Team is unable to provide support if speech clarity/articulation is the main concern. Please seek advice from a Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) from Children's Speech and Language Service by calling 01752 434844. More information can be found on Livewell Southwest's website .

If you would like to have a Planning and Consultation Meeting (PCM), or discuss any children, that you have concerns about (with parental consent), please contact the team either by emailing sue.lock@plymouth.gov.uk or phoning 01752 306743 or 305252, and someone will get back to you.

How the CIT Language Team currently support secondary schools

If you have students with SLCN/DLD at your school and you feel specialist advice is needed, support can be accessed via:

• Plymouth Early Help and SEND Advice Line where you can book a phone consultation
• Signposting and resources from the Communication Interaction Team
• Using the framework - graduated approach to Inclusion
• Discussions at your termly Planning and Consultation meetings (PCM) with your link Education Psychologist
• Children's Speech and Language Therapy Service; call 01752 434844 to discuss a request for help. More information can be found on Livewell Southwest's website .

How to request advice and support

To access our services, a Request More Help form will need to be completed. This usually follows a consultation between the CIT link person assigned to the school and the Special Educational Needs Coordinator at the school. Find out how to get in touch with us.

Language resources

Parents and carers

• Transition from early years to school [PDF, 296KB]
• Transition from primary school to secondary school [PDF, 298KB]

Professionals and settings

• Graduated Approach (PDF, 140 KB)
• Developmental Language Disorder (PDF, 131 KB)
• Learn more about DLD, access resources and find out how to raise awareness
• Activities to develop attention on and listening skills [PDF, 517KB]
• Colourful semantics early years ideas [PDF, 340KB]
• Colourful semantics secondary some ideas [PDF, 733KB]
• Curriculum vocabulary [PDF, 623KB]
• Speech, language and communication advice [PDF, 102KB]
• Receptive language [PDF, 260KB]
• Communication [PDF, 486KB]
• Expressive language [PDF, 949KB]
• The Communication Trust Catalogue [PDF, 3MB]
• Round Robin [PDF, 91KB]
• SLCN Specialist [PDF, 208KB]
• SLCN Targeted [PDF, 186KB]
• SLCN Universal [PDF, 152KB]

Is the information correct?

Let us know if the information on this page is wrong and needs to be updated.

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