Communication at Acorns
‘Communication and Interaction’ at Acorns aims to develop expressive and receptive language in order for our pupils to become effective communicators. Communication is an essential life skill that will support our pupils to grow up to be as independent as possible; and therefore, we build communication opportunities into every aspect of our pupils’ lives.
Communication Champions:
In order to develop the communication strategies and opportunities provided to our pupils we have introduced Communication Champions throughout the school.
Communication champions have regular opportunities to meet with the communication lead and speech and language therapist and discuss whole school communication initiatives and developments.
Meet our Communication Champions below:
| Hannah | Janet H | Val |
| Afraah | Kelly | Ritz |
| Jenny | Nicola |
Strategies we use at Acorns School:
At Acorns, we have a total communication approach to Communication and Interaction. We use many different methods of communication in combination to support our pupils' understanding of spoken language and their ability to expressively communicate.
As well as spoken language, we use a range of alternative and augmentative communication systems (AAC).
These include:
- Objects of reference
- Touch cues
- Photographs
- Auditory Scanning
- Eye-gaze
- Voice Output Switches
- Makaton
- Intensive interaction
- Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
- Communication books
- Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCAs)
- Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display (PODD)
- Aided Language Input (ALI)
- Spoken language
Specific aids used by pupils will be individually designed and personalised to meet their needs. The aids will be introduced by the classroom teacher with guidance from the Speech and Language Therapist / Communication Lead as appropriate.
