Kent schools raise awareness of Developmental Language Disorder

Developmental Language Disorder – known as DLD – often presents in childhood and means children have difficulty with language such as understanding instructions and putting words in the right order.

Schools across Kent celebrated DLD Awareness Day in October with the hope of teaching more people about the condition. Hythe Bay Primary School celebrated with a range of activities such as arts and crafts, signed stories, a signing choir and fancy dress.

Kerry Simpson, who runs the school’s Specialist Resource Provision (SRP) - dedicated spaces within mainstream schools that provide targeted teaching for children with specific needs - helped organise the day as she felt it was important to raise awareness around the condition which affects a number of children in the school.

She said: “A lot of our children have a diagnosis of DLD which is why it is so important for us to raise awareness and celebrate the strengths they have.”

Speech and language therapist Claire Allberry who works at Hythe Bay explained DLD often goes unseen. She said: “Children with DLD are just as clever as everybody else but it means it can be harder for them to understand language and use language. These difficulties present in childhood, but they can continue through adolescence and into adulthood.

“It means children with DLD might have difficulty understanding instructions, putting words together in sentences and putting words in the right order. You might notice they miss out little words like ‘is’ or ‘are’ and answering questions can be tricky as well as learning new words.”

Alfie, Ryan and Chayton are three pupils at the school who have help with their speech and language. Chayton explained he often finds “speech and talking quite hard” along with “saying words out loud”. Ryan explained for him, “sometimes the words are backwards” or “in the wrong order”. When asked what kind of things grownups can do to help, Alfie said saying instructions “slowly and in the right order” is a good start.

Signing in Makaton and using pictures can also be a helpful method of communicating with children with DLD. Makaton is a system designed to help people with communication and learning difficulties by reinforcing spoken words with signs. The signs are based on British Sign Language (BSL) but are simplified to use alongside speech.

Helen Warren from More Than Words, a charity which provides free Makaton training for parents and carers across Kent and Medway, visited the school on DLD day to read signed stories with children.

She said: “For children who are struggling with their speech, to be part of an environment where their peers and adults are able to communicate on their terms is at the heart of inclusivity. It’s important for their social skills, for their feelings and for their self-worth. For everyone to learn some Makaton is an amazing thing.”

Pupils in Key Stage 1 at the school also got involved in learning about DLD by wearing purple and yellow, the official DLD Awareness Day colours. Pupils in Key Stage 2 and teachers came dressed as a word. Pupils had to guess each other's words based on their costumes which helped to reinforce their understanding of different types of words such as verbs, adjectives and nouns.

Pebbles which pupils decorated in the DLD colours were also hidden around Hythe to help raise awareness in the wider community.

Beverley Fordham, KCC’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: “Raising awareness of conditions like DLD is vital to ensuring every child gets the support they need to thrive. Communication is at the heart of learning, and by working together with schools, families, and specialist services, we can create inclusive environments where all children feel understood and valued.”

In Kent, this approach is embedded through the The Balanced System®, with many schools and settings working to achieve an accreditation for the way in which they support speech, language and communication.

John Wesley CEM Primary School in Ashford also celebrated DLD Awareness Day by holding a special assembly to discuss what DLD is, and why it was so important for people to learn about it. The whole school had a non-uniform day where children wore purple or yellow. The teachers also planned activities that were all focused on communication and language.

Following these activities, the children had discussions with their peers and teachers about how people understand language in different ways and the impact for children with DLD.

At River Primary School in Dover, DLD was also celebrated with a school assembly and dedicated activities about DLD during the PHSE lesson. They also held a coffee and family learning session where parents were signposted to resources to help them in talking to their child about DLD and other communication differences.

During the session, parents supported their child in making posters following the theme of 'You can't see DLD'. The children drew pictures of themselves to show what they look like on the outside and then wrote about the things they felt and experienced on the inside.

Minterne Community Junior School and The Oaks Infant School in Sittingbourne support DLD Awareness Day every year. This time they raised money for More Than Words which also provides Makaton training for the staff in the trust. There was also an assembly where two current pupils and one former pupil talked about having DLD and speech disorders.  Both schools learnt the Makaton signs to perform to the song “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman and pupils dressed in the DLD colours.

For more information on DLD, visit: Developmental Language Disorder - RADLD

To find out more about support in Kent for children with Speech, Language and Communication needs, including DLD, visit the SEND Information Hub