For information on local Drop-in and information sessions for parents/carers please see info from your local SLT team
Signalong is a sign supported communication system, designed to help children and adults with communication difficulties. It is designed to support spoken language to help people with communication difficulties understand and express themselves.
Unlike British Sign Language training, or that provided by some other organisations, Signalong training focuses on developing communication skills rather than teaching blocks of signs, many of which will be quickly forgotten through lack of use. The precise Signalong method of presentation enables users to remind themselves of signs which have been forgotten and to learn new signs from the manuals. Training programmes therefore focus on the application of sign-supported communication, e.g. aspects of total communication, such as facial expression, body language and voice tone; plus simplification of language and keyword selection.
Formal Signalong phase 1 courses (and occasional phase 2) run regularly in West Lothian.
The Speech and Language Therapy department provides a wide range of in-service training to mainstream nurseries and schools and specialist provisions.
Topics include:
If you have a specific speech, language and communication training need or interest for your nursery, please discuss this with your local Speech and Language Therapist and we can tailor training sessions to suit.
Language Link is a computer based assessment program which school access between P1-P3. Children are assessed by education staff at the beginning of the school year and materials are available that are tailored to each individual child’s needs, to help support their language development.
Training is offered on an annual basis to early years staff on developing language within nursery. This is voluntary and targeted at new staff, with training delivered jointly between SLT service and Murrayfield Language Unit Teachers. Follow up support and activities are provided throughout the year to nurseries and schools that have attended the course.
Where a nursery feels this may be useful, SLT can offer drop-in sessions for parents. These are usually offered around September/October time or shortly after a new intake of children. These sessions are aimed at families who are not known to the SLT service, but who may like some generic advice on developing speech, language and communication at home and through play.
For more information or to make arrangements for any of the services detailed above, please contact your local SLT department.